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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Orpheus, Battersea Arts Centre – Review
Pros: Beautifully staged and performed with incredible joy and skill. Cons: Fans of Django Reinhardt may find his personal story underexplored. Musical theatre can be a time machine. With the help of skillful performers, detailed design, and an inspiring setting, songs and…
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Guys and Dolls, The Mill at Sonning – Review
A fun show with very high production values, although its datedness does risk it becoming a bit of a museum piece.
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The Crumple Zone, King’s Head Theatre – Review
You don’t have to be gay to be moved by this abiding tale of love and passion.
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Boujie, Drayton Arms Theatre – Review
A well-meaning but overly ambitious first outing by new theatre company Unshaded Arts.
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To The Bone, Katzspace Studio – Review
Pros: The bleak honesty of Motherhood or Madness and Eoin McKenna’s top-notch comedic delivery in Specky Ginger C*nt. Cons: Motherhood or Madness could benefit from a more imaginative lighting design, whereas Specky Ginger C*nt plunges too deeply into hopeless drama.…
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Urinetown, Bridewell Theatre – Review
Pros: A talented and tuneful cast making the most of a limited performance area. Cons: A low key Act I suffers in comparison with a sparkling Act II which emits a genuine West End feel. Urinetown is hardly the most…
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Love Lies Bleeding, Print Room at the Coronet – Review
Pros: An excellent cast of familiar faces give the play a much needed boost. Cons: A beautiful venue in serious need of refurbishment and a script requiring similar tender loving care. I feel quietly reassured when a Grade II listed…
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Rendezvous in Bratislava, Battersea Arts Centre – Review
Pros: Rendezvous is inventive and immersive, with catchy songs and great performances. Cons: The comic interludes can be frustrating, as they distract from an otherwise compelling story. Laughter is a powerful response to oppression. Comedy has a long history of speaking…
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vessel, Battersea Arts Centre – Review
Pros: Let’s talk about an intriguing piece of abstract art Cons: Let’s talk about intense inscrutability Let’s talk about conceptual theatre. This is not a play in any conventional sense, jettisoning character and plot in favour of something almost entirely…
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Haunting Julia, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch – Review
Absence of atmosphere and a weak ensemble result in a production that fails to conjure any spirit.