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 Tempest, Jack Studio Theatre – Review
This all-female cast shine as they navigate storms and troubled waters, with some outstanding individual performances on board.
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Gold Coast, Theatre 503 – Review
Pros: A compelling story with a central thread that held it all together. And the lighting, oh the lighting was just wonderful even in its simplicity. Cons: Some characters don’t gel within the central storyline and detract from the overall…
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Cotton, Waterloo East Theatre – Review
Pros: Intense and sometimes compelling performances from a young cast Cons: With no humour, lightness or positivity, it’s hard to identify with characters for whom everything goes wrong On a bare stage strewn with tower PCs, Playstation controllers and energy…
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Find Your Way Home, Etcetera Theatre – Review
Although brilliantly scripted, the harshly drawn characters border on caricature and the play as a whole has 1970s written all over it. Ultimately, however, the superior storytelling shines through.
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Statements, Bread & Roses Theatre – Review
A heartfelt exploration of the difficulties experienced by SEN kids and those who work with them.
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Carmen 1808, Union Theatre – Review
A lively and enjoyable mix of operatic and west end musical style songs, incorporating some excellent dance routines, with passion, betrayal and humour thrown in.
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Joy, The Vaults – Review
Pros: Powerful and surreal Cons: Lacked a bit of polish and the DJ´s role could have been clearer It is 5 am, and the morning after an S & M party. Joy’s lover has disappeared, so she returns to the…
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The Drill, Battersea Arts Centre – Review
Original theatre-making around the theme of emergency planning and threat response with room for more diverse characters and insights.
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The Soul of Wittgenstein, Omnibus Theatre – Review
Pros: Subtlety, hilarity and tragedy in equal measure Cons: Restatement of character qualities becomes repetitive in just a few places, but that’s it Based on a tidbit of information that philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein spent a period pushing trolleys at Guy’s Hospital…
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The Moor, Old Red Lion Theatre – Review
An almost perfect piece of theatre, The Moor is a haunting psychological thriller that explores the blurry lines between memory, truth and fantasy.