Welcome to the Etties 2025: the awards that care about the shows everyone else misses. We’ve worked with our reviewers to curate a list of gems that prove size isn’t everything. This isn’t a popularity contest; it’s a celebration of the art.
If theatre is an ecosystem, the small fringe venue is the soil from which everything else grows. For this category, we step away from the polished glass of the West End and into the back rooms, basements, and railway arches where the real work happens.
Our criteria for the Best Fringe Venue are rigorous and deeply personal. To be eligible, a venue must:
- Seat fewer than 100 people, ensuring an intimate, high-stakes experience for both performer and audience.
- Have been visited by the Everything Theatre team at least ten times throughout 2025.
These six finalists aren’t just buildings; they are curators of culture. They are the spaces that welcomed us back month after month, consistently providing a platform for daring new voices and professional-grade storytelling on a shoestring budget. Whether it’s a pub theatre in North London or a creative hub in the South, these venues are the vital heart of the UK’s independent arts scene.
You can read more about The Etties here. Winners will be announced during our first ever Instagram Live on 1 March, more details coming soon.
The Bread and Roses Theatre
A consistent powerhouse of the South London fringe scene, the Bread and Roses Theatre has earned its place on our shortlist by being one of our most-visited homes for new writing in 2025. With its intimate 40-60 seat capacity, it remains the gold standard for how a small space can punch well above its weight, providing a platform for everything from riotous comedies to deeply moving social dramas.
Our many visits this year have highlighted the venue’s incredible range. We were moved by the tender exploration of neurodivergence and family in Lucifer, and haunted by the surreal, Shakespeare-infused adaptation of Monster’d. The theatre also proved it has a sharp eye for wit and historical reimagining, from the “mesmerising” and sharp-paced The Vegan Tigress (also nominated for The Etties for Best Drama) to the gloriously absurd 18th-century antics of The Great Pies of Denby Dale.
Whether it was the “barrel of laughs” provided by the Lambeth Fringe hit Willy Witches or the ethically complex, thought-provoking drama of Starfish, the Bread and Roses continues to curate seasons that are as daring as they are diverse. It’s a venue that truly understands its community, providing a professional, welcoming, and vital space for artists to take risks.
The Hen and Chickens Theatre
A jewel of North London’s fringe scene, the Hen and Chickens Theatre, home to the endlessly creative Unrestricted View, remains one of our most frequent and rewarding haunts and a must-visit during Camden Fringe. With its quintessential “pub theatre” atmosphere and an upstairs space that demands intimacy and focus, it has spent 2025 proving exactly why it is a vital incubator for emerging talent and bold new writing.
Our 22 visits this year have seen us experience a breathtaking variety of storytelling. We were gripped by the “emotionally packed” family drama of A Bit of Me and the “refreshingly balanced” exploration of identity in The Space Between. The venue’s knack for hosting sharp, high-concept comedy was on full display with the workspace satire The Mask Policy and the “intelligent exploration” of the creative process in Mates.
From the “thought-provoking” and surrealist reimagining of Attempts on Her Life to the “tender and believably delivered” relationship drama Tell Me You’ll Think About It, the Hen and Chickens consistently offers a platform for work that is as ambitious as it is heartfelt. It is a venue that treats every production with professional care, ensuring that even the most “experimental” fringe outing feels like a main-stage event.
Lion and Unicorn Theatre
A “beating heart” of the North London fringe, the Lion and Unicorn Theatre has solidified its reputation in 2025 as a premier destination for gritty, high-stakes new writing. Under the stewardship of Proforca Theatre Company, this black-box space above a Kentish Town pub has become synonymous with work that is daring, experimental, and deeply human, making it a natural fit for our ten-visit threshold.
Our 23 reviews during 2025 reflect a venue that isn’t afraid to tackle heavy themes with flair and dark humor. We were struck by the “bold simplicity” and raw honesty of the drama school meta-play VOICE, and gripped by the “startlingly effective” social commentary in the Camden Fringe hit MISS (a finalist in our Camden Fringe category). The theatre also showed its range with the “hilarious and expertly acted” Shakespearean office comedy Don’t Shoot the Messenger, the poignant Northern wit of Jamless, and the ambitious time-travel concept of One More Star in the Sky.
Whether exploring the apocalypse in Sunland and We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it or finding the “gentle humour” in conspiracy theories with Flat Earthers, the Lion and Unicorn consistently offers a professional and nurturing environment for emerging artists. It is a space where the “small scale amplifies the truth,” ensuring that every story told within its walls leaves a lasting imprint on its audience.
The Glitch
A vibrant addition to the Waterloo arts scene, The Glitch has quickly become one of our favorite multi-purpose discoveries of 2025. Born from the creative team behind the VAULT Festival, this “right-on alternative cafe bar” and basement performance space has a distinct “industrial chic” vibe and a knack for hosting work that is intimate, experimental, and unashamedly bold.
Our dozen visits to this cozy venue in 2025 have showcased a truly eclectic mix of genres. We were captivated by the “deceptively layered” queer love story The Watch and the “mesmerising” contemporary fringe opera Sirena (nominated in our Category Without Title). The space also proved perfect for immersive storytelling, from the “enchanting” festive treat The Lost Library of Leake Street to the charismatic Viking celebration Jorvik.
The Glitch has also become a home for high-energy comedy and parody, including the “energetic labour of love” I’ll Be Back (a Dudley-set Terminator homage) and the riotous Lambeth Fringe hit Boy Band. Even when tackling challenging subject matter, as in the “unsettling and unpredictable” John, or the mountain-climbing grief drama In Defence of Adventurous Mothers, the venue’s intimacy ensures that every performance feels like a shared secret. It’s a space that celebrates the “joyfully inventive,” making it an essential pillar of the London fringe.
The Hope Theatre
Perched above the Hope & Anchor pub, The Hope Theatre continues to be a formidable force in the North London fringe. Known for its pioneering commitment to strictly professional agreements for all performers, it has spent 2025 as a bastion of high-quality, high-intensity storytelling. Its intimate black-box space consistently provides a “shared pressure chamber” for some of the year’s most provocative drama.
Our frequent visits, 18 in total during 2025, highlighted the venue’s reputation for gripping, claustrophobic thrillers. We were enthralled by the “impeccably paced” and “chillingly timely” Moderation, which explored the dark world of social media content moderators, and we were kept on the edge of our seats by the intricately layered mystery of Tuesday during the Write Club Festival. The venue also showcased its range with the “wonderfully moving” sibling comedy-drama Big Shoes and the unique, split-stage prison experiment 113, which challenged the audience to choose their own perspective on the action.
From the atmospheric nightclub anthology In The Afterglow to the hauntingly beautiful period ghost story The Monkey’s Paw, the Hope Theatre remains a place where risk-taking is rewarded. Whether hosting the raw, developmental energy of the Write Club Festival, with standout new works like the “gloriously chilling” Nurture, or polished professional runs, it is a venue that consistently demands, and receives, the very best from its artists.
The Union Theatre
Located in the atmospheric railway arches of Southwark, the Union Theatre has long been a titan of the London fringe, and 2025 was no exception. Known for its “shabby chic” charm and its legendary status as a home for both grand musicals and gritty new plays, the Union consistently delivers a professional polish that belies its intimate, rugged setting.
Our twelve visits this year captured the venue’s unique ability to oscillate between high-concept drama and riotous comedy. We were gripped by the “tense and quietly explosive” apocalyptic workshop One Breath Before the End and moved by the “heart-wrenching” exploration of grief in Dead Mom Play. The theatre also proved its worth as a champion of urgent social commentary with the university-set drama Disposable, and provided much-needed levity with the “hilariously farcical” January tonic, Dressing Gown.
From the “haunting and mysterious” anthology of Union Shorts to the “fuller and more satisfying” dystopian thriller Water Party, the Union Theatre remains a space where every square inch of the stage is used to maximum effect. Its friendly bar, convivial atmosphere, and unwavering commitment to emerging voices make it an essential, powerhouse component of the South London theatre landscape.
