Presented by Vertical Line Theatre Company ★★★ Pros: An amusing and at times powerful sequence of theatrical shorts made with tremendous enthusiasm and boasting some very decent acting. Cons: Bare scenography and some rushed performances as you would expect from a series of untested new writings. Our Verdict: An enjoyable night out! Recommended if you are not after too many bells and whistles and if you fancy supporting young talent all the way up to Edinburgh. Courtesy of Vertical Line ...

Presented by BackHere! Theatre Company★★★ Pros: A really diverse mix of Christmas stories with a lot of interest and cleverly written twists. Excellent stage direction and use of the space and minimal set throughout, with some notably good performances. Cons: Not all of the writing is witty or tight enough to make these dramas about the nuances of everyday situations interesting and punchy; at times there are some slow moments therefore. Some of the acting is a little forced and ...

Presented by Back Here! Theatre Company★★ Pros: Most of these pieces contain interesting concepts and humour, and there is some observant and poignant writing in the monologues. Bethan Cullinane stands out as a talented writer and actor. Cons: The characters presented in the plays are, on the whole, unimaginative and obvious. The dialogues are delivered to a measured cadence that lacks dynamic. The acting is weak at several points throughout the performance, lacking credibility and sincerity. Our Verdict: This company ...

Joe PenhallDirected by Roger Michell★★★ Pros: Trustworthy actors perform a compact piece with big laughs at the expense of gender stereotypes. Cons: Slightly unclear what Penhall’s point (if there is one) is! Our Verdict: A play which hopes to question the roles in childbirth, it’ll make the audience think but not too hard. An overall positive experience! Courtesy of Alastair Muir for the Daily Telegraph The Royal Court is a brilliant theatre. Situated on Sloane Square, it is well known ...

New writing festival, various writers and directors★★★★ Pros: Great idea overall, very engaging and easy to watch and some very good pieces of new writing. Cons: Risky, there are some pieces that aren’t so good, and the theatre was too full when we were there! Our Verdict: A great evening of new writing at a charming venue, well worth a trip for the final week! Courtesy of the Old Red Lion Theatre The last time we went to Islington’s favourite pub ...

Jon CooperDirected by Samantha German ★★★ Pros: Fantastic performances, great performance venue and good to see daring pieces of writing being aired. Cons: The script is rather indulgent and it’s a bit too long.  Our Verdict: A very good production of a script that needs a bit more work. Courtesy of Sheer Drop Theatre Company Over the last few months we’ve started to properly branch out into the world of fringe theatre. As a result we’ve discovered some absolute gems, ...