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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The Watcher’s Kaleidoscope, The London Theatre
Chris ThorpePresented by New Write Productions★★ Pros: An interesting actor in the central role. Cons: Full of annoying and unprofessional mistakes from start to finish. Our Verdict: A dull and occasionally infuriating evening. Please note that this review was for…
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Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!, Chickenshed Theatre
Dario FoTranslated by Lino Pertile, adapted by Bill Colvill and Robert WalkerDirected by Jelena Budimir★★★★ Pros: A fun play from a Nobel prize winning playwright. Great comedy with impressive rough-and-tumble slapstick. Cons: The venue is at the top end of…
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Nightmare, The Space
Roger MossDirected by Peter Snee★★ Pros: Some good performances and character interaction. Cons: A clichéd evening where the acting, direction and script didn’t quite create the perfect recipe overall. Our Verdict: Not great I’m afraid, but a decent attempt at…
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The Ones Who Kill Shooting Stars, White Bear Theatre
Conall QuinnDirected by Alice Malin★★★ Pros: A funny and beautifully poetic script with some fantastic characters. Cons: The action is occasionally too loud and grandiose for such a tiny venue and some of the accents are not quite right. Our…
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The Good Neighbour, Battersea Arts Centre
Intrepid Explorers Tour (Adults)Presented by the Battersea Arts Centre★★★★ Pros: A thought-provoking, inclusive and friendly production. Cons: Could perhaps have been a little shorter; at times a little unpolished. Our Verdict: Story-telling turned on its head. Certainly worth the trip…
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Scallywags, The Space
Presented by SOOPDirected by Nathan Chapman★★★★ Pros: Highly talented and dynamic cast, clever and simple design, interesting subject. Cons: The stakes of the story often took a back seat to the comedy, leaving something to be desired from the conclusion.…
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Stacy, New Diorama Theatre
Jack ThorneDirected by Sam Miller★★★★ Pros: Simple, effective, easy to ‘get’, thought-provoking, funny and stylishly executed. Cons: I needed clarification on the plot in some places (but I’m not that bright, so…) Our Verdict: Great stuff once again from this…
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The Wordcatcher, Blue Elephant Theatre
Presented by Smoking Apples Theatre★★★ Pros: The show boasts lots of very interesting and original ideas. Cons: The actors overstretch their abilities making the show seem amateurish in places. Our Verdict: An interesting show with some great ideas. Credit: Jax…
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Lucy and the Hawk, Ovalhouse Theatre
Written and Directed by Phil OrmrodPerformed and co-devised by Tom Walton & Abigail Moffatt★★★★ Pros: Perfectly choreographed, great performances and nice design. Cons: Stream of consciousness monologues can make it a little hard to follow the plot in places. Our…
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The Soft of Her Palm, Finborough Theatre
Chris DunkleyDirected by Ola Ince★★★★ Pros: The cast give a very strong performance of gritty subject matter and complex characters. The story is told in reverse which is a fantastic way to challenge the audience’s perception of the circumstances. It…