Client work

Criterion Theatre

The Criterion Theatre, one of the few independent venues in London’s West End, is managed by the Criterion Theatre Trust, which reinvests all profits into preserving the historic venue and supporting new talent through its New Writing and Education programmes.

Background

To support its broader mission and enhance financial sustainability, the Criterion needed a new digital platform that would showcase the venue, streamline ticket sales, and expand audience engagement—all while bringing ticketing infrastructure fully in-house.

We worked closely with the Criterion Theatre Trust to design and deliver a platform that balanced storytelling, performance marketing, and technical functionality. Key stages of our approach included:

Discovery and scoping workshops with Trust stakeholders to align digital objectives across audience groups—patrons, educators, and emerging artists.
Content strategy development to structure a wealth of information—ranging from historic venue details to visitor information—in a way that is easily navigable and engaging.
User experience design that optimises the journey from performance discovery to seamless ticket purchase, supporting both first-time visitors and loyal patrons.

To support the theatre’s operational goals, we delivered a highly integrated, performance-optimised site built on Sitesuma, significantly extending its native functionality:

Spektrix integration: A fully embedded, seamless connection to the Spektrix ticketing system allows users to:
- View seat availability in real time
- Select specific seats
- Book additional items such as pre-ordered refreshments
Responsive design: Ensuring an optimal experience across all devices, crucial for mobile-first ticket buyers.
Structured content architecture: Making it easy for users to find relevant information about performances, plan their visit, or explore educational programmes.
Optimised performance and reliability: Crucial for supporting ticket sales during high-traffic periods without compromising user experience.

Scalable infrastructure: Preparing the platform to accommodate future programme expansions, new audience engagement initiatives, and additional integration needs.

The Outcome

The new Criterion Theatre website successfully brings ticket sales in-house, improving margins and offering the Trust greater control over audience relationships. It offers a significantly enhanced visitor experience, promoting both the theatre’s commercial performances and its vital cultural initiatives.

By combining a user-centred design philosophy with seamless technical integration, we delivered a future-ready platform that not only reflects the prestige and spirit of the Criterion Theatre but also strengthens its operational and financial resilience.

This project highlights our capabilities in complex system integration, bespoke platform development, user experience design, and cultural sector digital transformation.

The site is built on Sitesuma.