London “Off-West End”

New writers, smaller houses. Time Out has complete listings; these are a few of our favorites.

The Almeida, Almeida St. (☎020 7359 4404; www.almeida.co.uk), in North London. Angel. The top fringe theater in London. Shows M-Sa 7:30pm, Sa matinees 3pm; occasional W matinees 3pm, other weekday matinees 2:30pm. Tickets usually £8-32, occasionally as high as £46. Wheelchair-accessible
Battersea Arts Centre (BAC), Old Town Hall, 176 Lavender Hill (☎020 7223 2223; www.bac.org.uk), in South London. Clapham Common. One of London’s top off-West End venues, best known for experimental theater. Box office open M 10:30am-6pm, Tu-F 10am-9pm, Sa-Su 4-9pm. Tickets from £10, concessions from £5
The Bush Theatre, Shepherd’s Bush Green (☎020 7610 4224; www.bushtheatre.co.uk), in West London. Shepherd’s Bush or Goldhawk Rd. Marked by a lime green and purple exterior, this theater’s off-beat and cutting-edge shows derive from its policy of favoring new writers. Telephone booking M-Sa 10am-7pm. Box office open M-Sa 5-8pm. £13.50, students £9
Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham St. (☎08700 606 624; www.donmarwarehouse.com), in Covent Garden. Covent Garden. In the mid-90s, artistic director Sam Mendes transformed this gritty space into one of the most excellent theaters in the country, featuring highly regarded contemporary shows with an edge. Tickets £13-29. Wheelchair-accessible. Box office open M-Sa 10am-7:30pm
Old Vic, Waterloo Rd. (☎020 7369 1722; www.oldvictheatre.com), in the South Bank. Waterloo. Still in its original 1818 hall (the oldest theater in London), the Old Vic is one of London’s most historic and beautiful theaters. Contact box office or check website for listings. Tickets £9.50-45. Box office M-Sa 10am-7pm
The Gate Theatre, 11 Pembridge Rd. (☎020 7229 0706; www.gatetheatre.co.uk), in Notting Hill. Notting Hill Gate. Often showcases new foreign works (in English) before they’ve been performed in their home countries. Jude Law and Rachel Weisz did some “emerging” here. Wheelchair-accessible. Performances typically M-F 7:30pm. £16, students £11
Hackney Empire, 291 Mare St. (☎020 8985 2424; www.hackneyempire.co.uk), in East London. Bethnal Green or DLR: Hackney Central, then Bus #D6, 106, 25. One of the best variety theaters around, featuring top comedy, musicals, opera, and drama. Charlie Chaplin performed here. Call or check website for shows and prices. Box office open M-Sa 10am-9pm on performance nights, Su noon-6pm