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.

Everything Theatre3 December 2012
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Pack, Finborough Theatre

Louise MonaghanDirected by Louise Hill★★★ Pros: An absolutely amazing all-female cast and a passionate, intense, and unique story. Cons: A bit of a jumpy script – coherency sometimes took a backseat to valuable but heavy-handed morals. Our Verdict: A polished…
Everything Theatre3 December 2012
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Defrag_, Camden People’s Theatre

Written and performed by Tom LyallDirected by Wendy Hubbard ★★★★★ Pros: A tremendous one man science fiction epic the likes of which you will have never seen on stage. Brilliantly performed by Tom Lyall. Cons: The auditorium at the CPT…
Everything Theatre1 December 2012
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Blue Elephant Theatre

William ShakespeareDirected by Ricky Dukes★★★ Pros: A nice, wintery feel to a traditional summer tale (who doesn’t love a good snow machine?). Smooth and creative scene changes, a terrific performance from Bottom and quite a few very funny moments (though…
Everything Theatre1 December 2012
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The Fantasy Terrorist Variations, Baron’s Court Theatre

Written by Robert Crighton★★★ Pros: A thought-provoking series of three plays which are interesting in terms of content and also written in an intense and engaging manner. Enthusiastic performances which really connect with the audience. Cons: The subject matter, terrorism,…
Everything Theatre1 December 2012
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Ghost Storyteller, Baron’s Court Theatre

Written and performed by Robert Crighton★★★ Pros: A well-crafted monologue delivered with energy, pace and humour. Crighton engages the audience from the outset and the discussion preceding the story builds anticipation and expectation. Cons: The poltergeist in the story is…
Everything Theatre26 November 2012
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Blow Out!, Etcetera Theatre

Kaye ConwayDirected by Jennifer Tang★★ Pros: Some very dynamic performances and a handful of genuinely funny moments. Cons: The humour and drama of the piece failed to sync well together, so it felt segmented and was rather slow at points.…
Everything Theatre24 November 2012
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I Stand Corrected, Ovalhouse Theatre

Created and performed by Mojisola Adebayo and Mamela Nyamza★★★★★ Pros: An unforgettable love story beautifully told through music, dance, storytelling and stand-up. Cons: There are no cons. This is a must-see. Our Verdict: A brave and beautiful theatrical triumph starring…
Everything Theatre24 November 2012
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Freedom, Books, Flowers, and The Moon, Waterloo East Theatre

Sarah PitardDirected by Cat Robey★★★★ Pros: A dedicated adaptation of Wilde’s fairy tales for children. A perfectly sized production for the space in question. Cons: A slightly (only slightly) dragged out second half. Also, some interactions seemed a tiny bit…
Everything Theatre24 November 2012
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In Extremis, King’s Head Theatre

Neil BartlettDirected by Caroline Devlin★★★ Pros: An interesting script from a great playwright with two very charming lead performances. Cons: Some hard-core Wilde fans may have a few issues with the casting. Our Verdict: Although this is a clever, insightful…
Everything Theatre19 November 2012
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The Cat’s Mother, The Courtyard

Pericles SnowdonDirected by Natalie Scott and Joseph Thorpe★★★ Pros: An interesting idea, with some good collaborative work by this group of young women, who are working hard to increase the presence of women on the stage. Cons: The script, while…