Off West End
Much like fringe theatre, trying to define what Off-WestEnd venue really means is a debate that would take us long into the night. So for our own sanity, we define it as those venues that are slightly bigger than the fringe venues (so roughly 100+ seats), but not the big West End or similar venues that form part of the Society of London Theatre (SOLT). Like fringe venues, Off-WestEnd are eligible for consideration for awards via the Fringe Theatre Awards.
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Cobra, Lion and Unicorn Theatre – Review
A talented cast of actors and actresses but the scene changes felt long and unrehearsed.
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Stand and Deliver, The Mitre – Review
Wayne Gumble Directed by Catherine Arekalian★★★ Pros: Bundles of energy and enthusiasm, audience participation and a top selection of cheesy 80’s tracks make this an enjoyable and entertaining show. Cons: Being performed in an empty shopfront provided challenges for the…
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The Grand Guignol, The Space – Review
Francis KobayashiDirected by Adam Hemming★★ Pros: A healthy serving of black humor and a handful of top-notch performances. Cons: The play is entirely too long and struggles to follow a coherent trajectory. Our Verdict: The Grand Guignol is an intriguing…
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Gym Party, Battersea Arts Centre – Review
Presented by Made in China ★★★★ Pros: Mixes fun and games with lateral thinking and an acute social commentary. Cons: Although the work makes a lot of intelligent points about our society’s obsession with ‘success’, the audience are not left…
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On Love, The Bedford, Balham – Review
Mick Gordon Directed by Abigail Pickard Price ★★★★ Pros: Unpredictable and entertaining. Fans of immersive theatre will love it. Cons: The Bedford is a great venue for comedy and music, but the band playing elsewhere in the venue was distracting…
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Hotbed Theatre Festival Double-Bill, Theatre 503 – Review
Why Can’t We Live Together? Steve Waters Directed by Paul Bourne Somniloquy Craig Baxter, in collaboration with Richard Horner Directed by Paul Bourne How To Begin Hisham Matar, in collaboration with Devorah Baum Directed by Patrick Morris ★★★★ Pros: Versatile…
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Dorian Gray, CLF Arts Café – Review
Oscar WildeAdapted by Poise Performance★★★ Pros: It looked great. Used dance and movement in a visually arresting way along with projections, music and art. Cons: Casting a woman as Henry Wotton fundamentally changed the nature of the story and the…
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Caesarean Section: Essays on Suicide, Battersea Arts Centre – Review
Teatr ZAR ★★★★ Pros: Intense and stirring polyphonic music that brings a subtle power and energy to the entire play. Cons: As the title suggests, this show does not make for a hugely enjoyable experience and can make you feel…
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Macbeth, The Cockpit – Review
William ShakespeareDirected by Nick Hastings★★★ Pros: The technical elements, including the music, sound effects, lighting and use of film are well crafted, and perfectly managed. Cons: Some of the cast sound like they are reciting lines, and not performing them.…
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Bussy D’Ambois, Poets Church: St Giles in the Fields – Review
George ChapmanDirected by Brice StratfordThe Owle Schreame Theatre Company ★★★ Pros: Excellent movement and choral effort. Impressive sword action, entertaining and unorthodox. Cons: Lighting is too bright and detracts from the atmosphere. Some lines were difficult to hear in this…