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 Death of Norman Tortilla, Tristan Bates Theatre
Charlotte CoatesDirected by Tom Latter★★★ Pros: Some great performances, and some interesting situations. Will not leave you bored. Cons: Tries to be too many things at once. Endearing? Shocking? Leaves you wondering. Our Verdict: Certainly not a boring production, but…
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The Well & Badly Loved, Ovalhouse Theatre
Written and Directed by Ben Webb ★★★★ Pros: Strong stylistic staging, excellent movement sequences. Cons: Overly lengthy at times, contains its fair share of stereotypes. Our Verdict: Enjoyable for people of all walks of life – gay or straight, a…
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The London Spring, Etcetera Theatre
Francis Beckett Directed by Christine Kimberley ★★★★ Pros: A thought-provoking production with an intelligent and layered new script. Cons: The action comes across a little cliché at times. Our Verdict: Not for the politically apathetic. For anyone else, don’t miss…
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Don Juan Comes Back from the War, Finborough Theatre
Ödön von Horváth, in a new version by Duncan MacmillanDirected by Andrea Ferran★★★ Pros: Great venue delivering another solid production and offering great value for money; some strong performances too. Cons: Felt it lagged ever so slightly in the middle.…
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Scooter Thomas Makes it to the Top of the World, New Diorama Theatre
Peter ParnellDirected by Sam Miller★★★★★ Pros: Wonderful script and sublime performances, really London fringe theatre at its absolute best. Cons: Slightly dragged at one point, but to be honest this is almost not worth mentioning. Our Verdict: Superb. Go and see…
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The Oresteia, Riverside Studios
Aeschylus, translated by Ted HughesDirected by Anastasia Revi★★★ Pros: An engaging production of a Greek classic with some great imagery and stylisation. Will keep you entertained. Cons: Sometimes goes over the top and veers towards melodrama. Our Verdict: Worth the…
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Vault Festival, Old Vic Tunnels
Various Writers and DirectorsVault Festival produced by Heritage Arts Company★★★★ Pros: A variety of performances in a completely different fringe setting, affordable theatre and a fantastic fringe atmosphere. Cons: Individual shows likely to be risky and inconsistent, not a guarantee…
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Jealousy, The Print Room
Absolutely worth going to if you fancy challenging yourself and broadening your horizons - we genuinely enjoyed it and we know nothing about dance or sculpture.
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Belt Up Theatre’s The Boy James, The Goldsmith
Alexander WrightDirected by Dominic Allen★★★★ Pros: A thoroughly engaging performance by Jethro Compton. Cons: Not the best from Belt Up and may have lost some audience members along the way. Our Verdict: An intimate and moving evening of theatre, offering…