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Off West End

Ah, the Off West End. For those not familiar with the term, this is where the real magic of the London theatre scene happens. Great shows are born here, in pubs, in 50-seat theatres, in tunnels. Recommended for the adventurous – we can’t get enough of it, and you’ll save a quid or two as well!

The Comedy of Oedipus, Lion and Unicorn

Ali SalemDirected by Ahmed El-Alfy★★★★ Pros: An entertaining and dynamic comedy. Cons: Due to lots of movement and excessive volume, the stage became overcrowded at times. Our Verdict: A well-executed, politically charged adaptation of a classic play. Some very good acting and dynamic direction make it enjoyable to watch. Guaranteed fun and laughter.  As part of the international Shubbuk Festival – a window into contemporary Arab culture –this comedy, Courtesy of Giant Olive written in 1970 by legendary Egyptian playwright, was ...

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Casualties, Park Theatre

Written by Ross EricsonDirected by Harry Burton ★★★ Pros: Excellent direction of a world premier with an outstanding central performance and realistic dialogue. Cons: Somehow the tension just seemed to be lacking at key moments and I never really felt like I cared what happened to these characters. Our verdict: A good show with nice staging and some realistic and funny dialogue. I’ll take a small fringe or community theatre with a pleasant front of house team over the glam ...

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Four Farces, Wilton’s Music Hall

Various Playwrights Directed by Jonathan Kemp★★★ Pros: A spectacle in the best sense. Cons: Sometimes not quite funny enough. Our verdict: Possibly the best performance of these farces ever given. Courtesy of European Arts Company The program promises a hilarious evening of Victorian one-act farces. What we get instead are moments of hilarity and moments of merriment. The show begins with a performance of Box and Cox, written in 1847 by John Maddison Morton. This is followed by Wanted, A ...

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Early Days, Finborough Theatre

David StoreyDirected by Tim Newns ★★★ Pros: A rarely performed play that carries itself with gentle humour and poise. Cons: The play doesn’t quite pull the heart strings as you would expect about from such a subject. Our Verdict: A poignant tribute to a celebrated novelist and playwright David Storey. Courtesy of the Finborough As the audience sat down, there was an immediate sense of calm and stillness in this small, intimate theatre. The mellow murmuring of the sea permeated the ...

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Romeo and Juliet, Old Red Lion Theatre

William Shakespeare Directed by Grassroots Shakespeare London ★★★★  Pros: Say what you like about Shakespeare, but he knew how to write a play. Romeo is excellent and Juliet lends a bit of spice to a role that can be bland when performed with less skill. This production is energetic and entertaining. Cons: Not all performances were as strong as they might have been and the music was, at times, distracting. Our Verdict: When performed well, Romeo and Juliet is funny ...

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Held by the Habit, New Diorama

Ben SeagerDirected by Sam Carrack ★★★ Pros: Enjoyable and entertaining, with some great potential. Good acting from all and a great performance from lead actor Jeff Lewis. Cons: There wasn’t much movement on stage. Our Verdict: A great initiative with a family atmosphere set in a flashy new space with some serious potential. What else would you want on a Thursday night? Courtesy of All the Pigs I was glad to be invited to this event at the New Diorama, a recently welcomed ...

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Disgraced, Bush Theatre

Ayad Akhtar Directed by Nadia Fall ★★★★★  Pros: Brilliant performances. Explosive, intelligent and gripping to watch. Cons: Starts out a little too abstract and intellectual; the set-up–a dinner party between four people of four different ethnic and religious backgrounds—feels a little contrived. Our Verdict: A must-see! Disturbing, sharp, important. Stays with you long after you leave the theatre. Courtesy of timeout.com Disgraced starts with Amir (Hari Dhillon) standing in his swanky New York apartment, with no pants on, being painted by his ...

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Black Out, Simulacra Studios

Martin Malcolm, Dan Horrigan, Nathan CrossDirected by Marta Noguera-Cuevas★★★ Pros: A tremendous performance venue with fantastic atmosphere. Cons: The production’s point of interest is that the three plays all supposedly take place on the same night. There is little to connect them, however, so the idea is a bit hit and miss.Our Verdict: An interesting hour of entertainment with some compelling performances. Courtesy of Fox Trotter Theatre Used mainly as a photography studio, the characterful Simulacra Studios  is snuggled under ...

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Hard Feelings, Finborough Theatre

Doug Lucie Directed by James Hellier★★★★  Pros: An excellent young cast dazzle in this still relevant play about both being in your early twenties and the inequality of modern society. Cons: While the set contributes much to the atmosphere of the play, the actors are still finding their feet with the clutter and consequently it can sometimes act as a barrier rather than a tool. Our Verdict: Once again the Finborough produces great work, with a young cast we should watch ...

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