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.

  • Held by the Habit, New Diorama

    Ben SeagerDirected by Sam Carrack ★★★ Pros: Enjoyable and entertaining, with some great potential. Good acting from all and a great performance from lead actor Jeff Lewis. Cons: There wasn’t much movement on stage. Our Verdict: A great initiative with a…

  • Disgraced, Bush Theatre

    Ayad Akhtar Directed by Nadia Fall ★★★★★  Pros: Brilliant performances. Explosive, intelligent and gripping to watch. Cons: Starts out a little too abstract and intellectual; the set-up–a dinner party between four people of four different ethnic and religious backgrounds—feels a little contrived.…

  • Black Out, Simulacra Studios

    Martin Malcolm, Dan Horrigan, Nathan CrossDirected by Marta Noguera-Cuevas★★★ Pros: A tremendous performance venue with fantastic atmosphere. Cons: The production’s point of interest is that the three plays all supposedly take place on the same night. There is little to…

  • Hard Feelings, Finborough Theatre

    Doug Lucie Directed by James Hellier★★★★  Pros: An excellent young cast dazzle in this still relevant play about both being in your early twenties and the inequality of modern society. Cons: While the set contributes much to the atmosphere of the…

  • Blood Wedding, Waterloo East Theatre

    Federico Garcia LorcaDirected by Zoe Ford★★★ Pros: Some strong cast members offer passionate and realistic performances. Cons: The surrealism surrounding the final act may be off putting for some. Seating arrangement made it hard to see some of the action.…

  • Shield, Ovalhouse Theatre

    Amaara Raheem ★★★ Pros: Engrossing, poetic commentaries on stories that span continents. Lovely music to accompany the narrative. Cons: Incomprehensible dancing at points that felt disjointed from the rest of the piece. Our Verdict: Good production value that successfully creates an…

  • Rita/La Serva Padrona, The Sun Tavern (site-specific)

    Gaetano Donizetti and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Directed by Darren Royston★★★ Pros: Rarely staged operas sung by new operatic talent. Cons: Occasionally hard to follow due to inter-weaving storylines and lack of surtitles. Our verdict: Innovative, fresh and intimate night of opera in an…

  • Luck Penny, Lion and Unicorn Theatre

    Aisling Foster Directed by Cherry Cookson ★★ Pros: Some great accents and beautiful scene change music produced a lovely sounding show. Cons: The actors were very wobbly on their lines and the show didn’t run straight. Our verdict: Sadly, an…

  • The Nighmare Dreamer, Blue Elephant

    Devised TheatreDirected by John-Michael MacDonald★★ Pros: Unusual and visually intriguing, with some innovative stylistic direction.Cons: The improvised nature meant the piece fell flat at times – it might be too weird for some people.Our verdict: A strange and unnerving production,…

  • Tonight Is Your Answer, Theatre Royal Stratford East

    Sarah Rutherford Directed by Dawn Reid ★★★★  Pros: A play about women, with an A-list cast, female director and author, that asks important questions about race.  Cons: Perhaps the play could have gone further in certain areas, but more of…

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