Lyn Gardner on Off West End venues - don't skip the trip
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London’s West End theatres are undoubtedly a marvel, but London boasts many other theatres too—often known as Off West End—who shine no less brightly than Shaftesbury Avenue and play a significant role in making London the theatre capital of the world. One of the great pleasures of Off West End theatres is their hospitality and informality: you can often get food in the theatre before the show, and you may even find yourself rubbing shoulders with the cast in the bar after the show. That won’t happen in the West End, where audiences are hurried out as soon as the performance ends.
You can find stars off-West End too, whether it is **Mark Rylance** appearing in [*Tartuffe (Remixed)*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/tartuffe-remixed-tickets) at the 200-seater [Marylebone Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/marylebone-theatre-london), **Maria Friedman** leading the cast in the musical [*Kimberly Akimbo*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/kimberly-akimbo-tickets) at the [Hampstead Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/hampstead-theatre-london) or Downtown star **Michelle Dockery**, starring in *Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy*, written by *1536* writer **Ava Pickett**, at the [Theatre Royal Stratford East](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/theatre-royal-stratford-east-london), the East End theatre made famous by the late, great **Joan Littlewood**.
Some of these off-West End theatres are tiny—like the long-established Finborough theatre in Earl’s Court, where **Nicola McAuliffe** is currently starring in *Annie Wobbler (Revisited)*. Others have specialisms such as new writing and that includes the [Royal Court](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/royal-court-theatre-london) in Sloane Square, whose production of *Giant* transferred to the West End and Broadway, and where **Tilda Swinton** currently stars in *Man to Man*. Plenty serve their local neighbourhood but also attract in-the-know theatre-goers from all across London.
Take the [Lyric Hammersmith](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/lyric-hammersmith-london) in West London, which is currently staging **Lucy Kirkwood**’s tense post-nuclear-disaster thriller, *The Children*, in a production starring **Meera Syal** and which next month revives **August Wilson**’s [*Fences*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/august-wilson-fences-tickets), a meaty drama about how thwarted dreams can haunt the next generation, with **Ray Fearon** as Troy, the would-be basketball star whose hopes were dashed by racism; who is still trying to live his dreams through his sons. **Daniel Bailey**—whose production of *Red Pitch*, which transferred from the Bush to the West End—directs.
[The Kiln](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/the-kiln-theatre) in Kilburn is another example of an Off-West End whose influence extends far beyond North-West London. Its last artistic director, **Indhu Rubasingham**, went from Kilburn to the South Bank after securing what is generally seen as the UK’s top theatre job: artistic director of the National Theatre.
Her successor, **Amit Sharma**, is doing a terrific job with the autumn season, including the Off Broadway hit, [*Table 17*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/table-17-tickets), a rom-com about two former lovers meeting up again for the first time, and a revival of [Nine Night](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/nine-night-tickets), **Natasha Gordon**’s National Theatre and West End comedy hit, which takes its name from the Afro-Caribbean custom of nine days of mourning for the dead.
They are also a breeding ground for talent. [The King’s Head](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/kings-head-theatre-london) in Islington, founded in 1970 as one of London’s first pub theatres but now in new premises, played a significant role in the careers of many, including **Alan Rickman**, **Richard E. Grant** (starring in [*Hay Fever*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/hay-fever-tickets) in the West End), **Tom Stoppard** and **Victoria Wood. Paul Bradshaw**’s *Tell Me Straight* and *Aggy May* open there in mid-October.
Some Off West End theatres are purpose-built, such as the Rose in Kingston, where Al Smith’s stage version of **Jerome K. Jerome**’s [*Three Men in a Boat*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/three-men-in-a-boat-tickets) sets sail this month, and October sees a new version of *Jane Eyre* directed by **Lily Dyble**, winner of the 2024 Peter Hall Director Award. But many Off West End theatres are in found spaces. [The Bush](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/bush-theatre-london) in West London is situated in an old library, the [Menier](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/menier-chocolate-factory-london), whose production of [*The Producers*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/the-producers-tickets) transferred to the West End where it can be seen until the middle of this month, is in an old chocolate factory, and the [Arcola](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/arcola-theatre-london) in Dalston is a two-studio space in a former paint factory.
[The Arcola](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/arcola-theatre-london) has a terrific autumn season, kicking off this week with **Morgan Lloyd Malcolm**’s adaptation of **Henry James**’ ghost story, [*The Turn of the Screw*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/the-turn-of-the-screw-ticket), which will ten embark on a national tour. If you liked [Paranormal Activity](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/paranormal-activity-tickets), give The Turn of the Screw a try. In the other studio space, **John Webber**’s hugely topical new play about climate activism and protest, [*Fire Fire*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/fire-fire-tickets), is premiered. In October that great veteran actor, **Greg Hicks**, plays Halvard Solness in Ibsen’s [*The Master Builder*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/the-master-builder-tickets), directed by **Mehmet Ergen**, whose revival of *Enemy of the People* was much admired.
One of the most intriguing Off West End offerings of the autumn season, [*Ceilidh*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/ceilidh-tickets), comes to [Shoreditch Town Hall](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/shoreditch-town-hall-london) in October via Baltimore and Pitlochry in the Scottish Highlands, proving that off West End can be truly international. Directed by **Sam Pinkleton**, who is the director of [*Oh, Mary!*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/oh-mary-tickets) currently at [Trafalgar Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/trafalgar-theatre-london), it takes the form of a musical written by Scottish duo *Noisemaker*, which uses the traditional Gaelic folk music gathering to tell a family story of generations shaped by dance and music. What makes it sound even more interesting is that the audience get to join in the dancing too. So, polish up those dancing shoes and prepare to join the party.