Pan-London Stage Venues

London’s West End is one of the most important vibrant theatre hubs in the world. With such a variety of shows on at any given time, it is easy to get swept into the overwhelming barrage of ticket sellers and advertisements in tourist hot spots around the city. But if you are in the mood for something a little more low-key, in a more unusual part of town, here are the hidden gems of London’s theatre experience. These are the theatres that can offer you the best productions with a much lower price tag – and a chance to get tickets without going to extreme lengths!

The Hampstead Theatre

A sneeze away from Swiss Cottage tube, the Hampstead Theatre is an impressive space with a spectacular main auditorium. The building won an award for its architecture in 2003, and it is justly deserved. It also features a smaller space, Hampstead Downstairs, which showcases the best new writing the city has to offer. The main auditorium has played host to high quality productions of works by Harold Pinter and Hanif Kureishi, to name a few.

“The production value is huge for such an affordable ticket,” says a regular reviewer at this venue, “You’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.” The theatre has a strong reputation for productions that still retain the scale and glitz of more centrally-located theatres, without quite so much of a competition for tickets.

The Hope Theatre, Islington

Located on the restaurant filled haven of Islington’s Upper Street, the Hope Theatre is a much more intimate venue, located above the Hope and Anchor pub. With only 50 seats, it has a unique vibe on offer, and aims to “explore BIG ideas” and “develop new producing models”, which is all about celebrating new writing and lost works from more famous sources. With several of its productions having been transferred to the West End, this is a great place to see up and coming work without the West End rush.

Theatre N16

If you find yourself in Balham and somehow without entertainment, the N16 is the answer. A much smaller space than many listed here, the N16 prides itself on nurturing a new generation of talented artists. They proudly ensure that theatre production is less of a financial burden to production companies, and for this reason, you will see very new and up and coming work on display here. It is a friendly and warm environment, with a variety of thoughtful productions on offer at any given time.

The Kingshead Theatre, Islington

Also located on Upper Street, the King’s Head is a very small theatre space that packs an incredible punch. Shows tend towards the philosophical and the socially conscious, with productions here always looking to challenge the limitations of performance, writing and direction. As the second oldest operating pub theatre in the UK, it is a uniquely charming historical building. The theatre facilitates such a huge array of productions in this space, it is impossible not to find something of interest. They pride themselves on “producing unapologetic work”, with countless productions having been transferred to the West End subsequent to runs at the King’s Head. This is where a lot of London’s best theatre begins, and the new talent is nurtured through their Trainee Director scheme. Alumni of this program have gone on to work at the National Theatre, the Globe, and more. It is a crucible of promising London talent.

“I love the King’s Head,” says Josh, “the pub itself is really warm and friendly and everything I’ve seen here has been amazing – I get a good show without the pretention of bigger London theatres.”

The Greenwich Theatre

This iconic structure is currently undergoing renovations, thanks to investment from the Royal Borough of Greenwich. This building has had some form of theatre (under various names – the building has been renamed and reopened many times in its history!) since 1871.

Today, the theatre offers a large auditorium and a variety of shows, many of which move on to large festivals across the country (including the Edinburgh Fringe). The beautiful and historic area of Greenwich is itself a gem to discover, and the theatre offers a night of unique entertainment without the bustle of inner city London.

The New Wimbledon Theatre

Another particularly historic theatre, the New Wimbledon Theatre is a Grade II listed Edwardian marvel located in charming Wimbledon. It features three levels of auditoriums, making it the eighth largest theatre in London despite its unassuming location. It’s main auditorium features a long list of big name productions, and it also has a more intimate setting for only 80 people at its rear, called the New Wimbledon Studio. “I love the studio space,” says Susan, who has seen several productions at this location, “They always have something weird and wonderful happening and it doesn’t feel like you’re lost in a sea of people.”
The productions shown in this particular space often move on to the West End and the Edinburgh Festival.

While you can enjoy these more low-key affairs, you can also experience some real hits. It was the site that launched Josef Weinberger’s Disney musicals, and served as the first venue on the national tour of Spamalot – this incredibly popular production based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail went on to great success nation-wide.

Camden People’s Theatre

For something completely different, the Camden People’s Theatre is a solid bet. Productions here are consistent only in their ability to push all the boundaries of modern theatre, making it a perfect location for more adventurous theatre-goers. MP for Hampstead and Kilburn Tulip Siddiq has described the venue as “a real gem”, offering performances that are “innovative and unique.” Indeed, the productions here often work hard to stretch the audience’s comfort zone.

Each autumn, the theatre plays host to the UK’s only feminist performance festival, and other productions here have verged on performance art. The work here tackles difficult social issues, and has been nominated for its contributions to fringe theatre. Performances viewed here have ranged from the humorous to the deeply disturbing, a dark edge making its way into every performance.

In all, London’s theatre scene is often assumed to gravitate around the West End. While the bigger and more central theatres do play host to world class performances and productions, this by no means demonstrates the limit of what is available in London. Top quality talent is up for grabs across the city, and many of the theatres listed here will offer a solid evening of entertainment from as little as £10 a ticket. Explore the hidden gems of London’s theatre scene and leave the beaten track!