Almedia Theatre

Almeida Street, London N1 1TA

A leading producing theatre in Islington, the Almeida presents bold, innovative drama and interdisciplinary work. It champions emerging artists alongside internationally regarded directors, often transferring successful productions to larger stages. With a strong commitment to audience development, the Almeida also offers young artist programmes, community engagement and access‑focused initiatives including relaxed, captioned and audio‑described performances. The theatre’s intimate space has a reputation for adventurous programming and pioneering new work that shapes the wider UK theatre landscape.

Arcola Theatre

24 Ashwin Street, London E8 3DL

Arcola Theatre in Dalston is a vibrant hub for adventurous theatre, opera, music and community projects. Founded in 2000, its programme champions new writing and diverse, socially engaged work, with two performance spaces and a café bar. Arcola’s initiatives include participation projects, youth development and environmental sustainability efforts, including a carbon‑neutral theatre project. The venue is widely recognised for innovative programming and inclusive engagement in east London’s cultural life.

Arts Theatre

6-7 Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JB 

The Arts Theatre is an independent West End venue with a rich legacy of presenting innovative and emerging work alongside established productions. Opened in 1927, it has a reputation for adventurous programming, including drama, comedy and new writing. Its intimate 350‑seat space has been home to premieres, cult favourites and shows that often transfer to larger houses. The Arts Theatre also supports developing artists and productions that push creative boundaries, making it a valuable bridge between fringe‑scale work and mainstream London theatre.

Backyard Comedy Club

231 Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green, London E2 0EL

The Backyard Comedy Club is one of London’s premier comedy venues showcasing stand-up and live comedy nights with both rising and established acts. Built for comedy performances with flexible seating and a lively bar atmosphere, the venue also hosts special events, food service and community nights.

Barons Court Theatre

28A Comeragh Rd, London W14 9HR

The Barons Court Theatre is an intimate, 52-seat fringe theatre located in the basement of the Curtains Up Pub in West London. Known for its unique setting, the theatre offers a diverse program of new writing, reimagined classics, and international work. Since 2021, it has been run by Kibo Productions, which has a mission to create a friendly and inclusive platform for emerging artists.

Battersea Arts Centre

Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TN

Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) is a dynamic performance space dedicated to adventurous theatre and creative development. Placed near Clapham Junction, its historic building hosts bold work by emerging and established artists alongside community‑led activity, workshops and festivals. BAC is known for its boundary‑pushing programming, incubating new ideas and artists that often go on to national prominence. It also offers accessible, relaxed and sensory‑adapted performances, and runs participatory projects, making it a vital creative hub in London’s fringe ecology.

Blue Elephant Theatre

59A Bethwin Rd, London SE5 0XT

The Blue Elephant Theatre is an intimate, 50-seat fringe theatre and community hub in Camberwell, South London. It is known for its diverse and eclectic programming, which includes new writing, dance, and revamped classics, with a focus on nurturing new and emerging artists.

Bread & Roses Theatre

68 Clapham Manor St, London SW4 6DZ 

The Bread & Roses Theatre is an award-winning, innovative fringe theatre located in Clapham, South London, situated above The Bread & Roses Pub. It focuses on new writing, underrepresented voices, and distinctive work. The theatre's programming includes contemporary revivals, devised work, improvisational theatre, and comedy. It produces in-house shows and supports local creatives.

Bush Theatre

7 Uxbridge Road, London W12 8LJ

Bush Theatre is a highly respected producing venue in Shepherd’s Bush that champions bold, new writing and emerging talent. Since its founding in 1972, it has developed and premiered hundreds of plays, many of which have gone on to national and international success. Focusing on contemporary voices and diverse perspectives, Bush Theatre’s innovative programming combines commissioned work, community engagement and artist development. It plays a vital role in London’s cultural ecosystem by nurturing early‑career playwrights, directors and performers and showcasing work that challenges, reflects and shapes the social conversation.

Canal Cafe Theatre

Delamere Terrace, Little Venice, London W2 6ND

Canal Cafe Theatre is a small, iconic fringe venue in Little Venice, famous for its long-running show 'NewsRevue'. It supports new writing, comedy, cabaret and fringe performance above a pub.

Cockpit Theatre

Gateforth Street, London NW8 8EH

The Cockpit is a fringe theatre in Marylebone, London. Designed by Edward Mendelsohn and built in 1969–70 by the Inner London Education Authority as the Gateforth Youth Arts Centre, it is London's first purpose-built Theatre in the round since the Great Fire of London

Courtyard Theatre

Gateforth Street, London NW8 8EH

The Courtyard Theatre is a vibrant independent performance space in Hoxton that presents theatre, comedy, music, art and multidisciplinary work. It provides an intimate setting for established performers and emerging creatives alike, nurturing new plays, experimental performances and collaborative projects. With a rich history of supporting artistic development, the venue includes a 150‑seat main house, an 80‑seat studio theatre and additional spaces for live music and rehearsal. The Courtyard is rooted in London’s creative community and celebrated for its eclectic, adventurous programming

Drayton Arms Theatre

153 Old Brompton Rd, London SW5 0LJ

The Drayton Arms Theatre is a professional fringe theatre located on the first floor above The Drayton Arms pub in South Kensington, London. It has a history rooted in dramatic arts training and has been a permanent professional venue since 2011

Donmar Warehouse

Earlham Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HU

Donmar Warehouse is a renowned Off‑West End producing theatre in Covent Garden focused on high‑quality drama, new work and reinterpretations of classics. Founded in 1977, it has become a respected hub for artistic innovation, often transferring productions to the West End and international stages. Known for intimate and impactful storytelling, the Donmar produces several seasons each year and has hosted acclaimed directors and actors

Etcetera Theatre

265 Camden High St, London NW1 7BU 

The Etcetera Theatre is an award-winning pub theatre in Camden Town, London, established in 1986, that supports new fringe theatre, comedy, cabaret, and musical acts. It is known for supporting new artists, hosting warm-up shows for major comedians, and being a venue for the Camden Fringe and London Horror Festival. The theatre is run by artists for artists.

Finborough Theatre 

118 Finborough Rd, London SW10 9ED 

The Finborough Theatre is a multi-award-winning, 50-seat theatre in West Brompton, London, founded in 1980 and run by Artistic Director Neil McPherson. It is known for its unique programming, which exclusively presents new writing and "rediscoveries" of plays from the 19th and 20th centuries that haven't been staged in London for at least 25 years. The theatre is a registered charity funded by individual donors and supporters.

Jeremy Street Theatre

16B Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6ST

Jermyn Street Theatre is an Off-West End venue known for intimate plays, revivals and new writing. It supports emerging talent and classical rediscoveries in a compact basement setting.

Kiln Theatre

269 Kilburn High Road, London NW6 7JR

Kiln Theatre is a producing theatre in Kilburn, focused on diverse stories and new writing. It features a modern auditorium and cinema and champions underrepresented voices on its stage.

King's Head Theatre

115 Upper St, London N1 1QN 

The King's Head Theatre is a historic pub theatre that moved from its 53-year home in the back of the King's Head Pub to a new, modern venue in Islington Square, London, which opened in January 2024. Established in 1970, it was London's oldest pub theatre, known for producing diverse, often LGBTQ+-focused, work on the city's fringe and independent theatre scene. The new location features two performance spaces: a 220-seat auditorium and a 50-seat cabaret area.

Old Red Lion Theatre

418 St John St, London EC1V 4NJ

The Old Red Lion Theatre is one of London's oldest and most renowned fringe theatre venues, located above the historic Old Red Lion pub in Islington. First opened in 1979, it has built a reputation for showcasing exceptional, ambitious, and often challenging theatre, ranging from new plays to acclaimed revivals.

Orange Tree Theatre

1 Clarence Street, Richmond, TW9 2SA

The Orange Tree Theatre is a producing venue in the round in Richmond, specialising in new writing, rediscovered plays, and reimagined classics. It has a national reputation for artist development.

Royal Court Theatre

Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS

The Royal Court Theatre is a leading producing theatre focused on contemporary writing. It supports new playwrights and presents groundbreaking drama across two performance spaces.

Soho Theatre

21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE

Soho Theatre is a leading venue for new writing, comedy, and cabaret. It showcases emerging and established artists across three flexible performance spaces and hosts an international touring programme.

Tara Theatre

356 Garratt Lane, London SW18 4ES

Tara Theatre champions global majority voices and intersectional work. This South London fringe venue presents drama, storytelling and multidisciplinary work with a focus on diversity and inclusion.

The Gate Theatre

11 Pembridge Road, Notting Hill, London W11 3HQ

The Gate Theatre is a small but influential producing venue known for international and avant-garde theatre. It presents bold new work from diverse voices and collaborates with emerging and mid-career artists.

The Hope Theatre

207 Upper St, London N1 1RL

The Hope Theatre can refer to either the 17th-century Elizabethan theatre known for staging both plays and bear-baiting, or the modern 50-seat black-box venue above the Hope and Anchor pub in Islington, London. The original Hope Theatre was built in 1613 and closed in 1656, while the modern version opened in 2013 and is known for hosting world premieres and new writing.

The Pleasance Theatre (London)

Carpenters Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF

Pleasance London is a home for fringe theatre, comedy, and new writing, supporting artists from early development through to full production. Sister to the major Edinburgh venue, it offers year-round programming.

The Space Theatre

269 Westferry Rd, London E14 3RS

The Space is an award-winning arts and community centre located on the Isle of Dogs in East London. Housed in a beautifully converted 19th-century Grade II listed church, The Space is known for its intimate atmosphere and commitment to new writing, emerging companies, and artist development.

Theatre503

The Latchmere, 503 Battersea Park Road, London SW11 3BW

Theatre503 is a leading new writing venue presenting world premieres and debut plays by early-career writers. Located above The Latchmere pub, it champions bold contemporary voices and inclusive programming.

Tramshed

41 Woolwich New Road, London SE18 6ET

Tramshed is an inclusive community arts venue and creative hub in Woolwich, supporting young people, emerging artists and diverse voices through theatre, music and cultural events.

Underbelly Boulevard

6 Walker’s Court, Soho, London W1F 0BT

Underbelly Boulevard is Underbelly’s first permanent London venue, reinvented on the historic site of the old Boulevard Theatre in Soho. It combines a vibrant performance space with a bar and restaurant, showcasing an eclectic programme of theatre, comedy, magic, burlesque and live variety shows.

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

1 North Rd, London N6 4BD

Upstairs at the Gatehouse is an award-winning, independent Off West End theatre in Highgate Village, North London, known as London's "top theatre" due to its altitude. Established in 1997, it has earned a reputation as one of London's most reliable fringe musical theatre venues.

White Bear Theatre

138 Kennington Park Rd, London SE11 4DJ

The White Bear Theatre is an award-winning, intimate fringe theatre founded in 1988, located above the White Bear pub in Kennington, London, UK. It is a renowned venue dedicated to new writing and the revival of "lost classics," and has served as a significant development platform for numerous established theatre talents.