Off West End Reviews

Dead Inside pulls back the speculum on Lindhome’s real-life fertility journey – hormone shots, invasive tests, monthly disappointment, and navigating a culture that still expects women to smile through it. Tackling a subject often swept under the rug next to the biohazard bin, Dead Inside offers an unfiltered glimpse into one woman’s journey through infertility – told with humour, vulnerability, and original songs you’ll hum all the way to your next gynaecologist appointment.

A spiralling playwright dramatises her broken relationship. But should she let truth get in the way of a good story? In this tender will-they-won’t they, everything gets written, edited and redrafted. Truth gets messy. 📷 Uncredited Douglas Clarke Wood’s direction ensures that the audience feels fully immersed in the delicate and sometimes volatile relationship between Eli and Grace. Scenes shift fluidly between memory, performance, and confrontation, allowing the story to br

Jules is on a ferry. There she meets an old man and his dog. The three set out to climb a hill together and everything is fine until a storm takes them down a whole other journey. What starts as a day trip to the Isle of Arran spirals into a chaotic odyssey through grief, lust and lore - navigating a giant with a taste for salted grief / faeries who dance you through the night / and shadows of old stories that lure you in with their song. This is not a story about healing; it

A forgotten melody pulls Sarah, a queer woman in New York, into the lives of the women who came before her: Cait, her 17th-century Scottish ancestor, and Jean, a spirited Irish teenager a century later. Across three centuries, they face the same defining question: what does it mean to become a mother — and at what cost? Tania Azevedo’s direction is, quite frankly, a masterclass in how to stage a musical properly. It’s clear, concise, and, crucially, never contradictory. Which

“Clothes have this ability to unite us; they represent a place in time. They speak about us as much as they serve a purpose for us.” Yusuf. Visionary designer. Son. Dreamer. Nina. Lifelong friend. Muse. On the brink of his autumn show, new money swoops in to save Yusuf’s company — at a price. As investors close in, Yusuf must choose between his mother’s legacy and the future he’s always craved. Direction by Hamza Ali is, unfortunately, a bit of a mixed bag. The pacing feels i

“What if he’s dead…And I’ve killed someone.” Last year, Bex’s dad died. And Bex aint coping too well… She now heads his car dealership, 'Martin’s Motors' - ironically, while harbouring a driving ban. On the eve before the ban is finally set to be lifted, Bex is seduced by her self-destructive streak and makes a truly MUGGY decision, with deadly consequences. Desperate and spiralling, she turns to her best mate for help. But how exactly is Yaz’s passion for doughnuts and film

‘I had one when I found out. Just as I saw my mum pick up the phone.’ When war breaks out in Ukraine, a young person starts to get nosebleeds. A lot. It’s all they think about. These nosebleeds aren’t just nosebleeds, they are signs of grief, danger and uncertainty. In this story of self discovery, this unnamed narrator goes to lengths to come to terms with why they are getting so many nosebleeds and what they truly mean? Nosebleeds is a hysterically heartbreaking story of a

Sophie has just lost a parent. So has Jonah. Sophie has just inherited quite a lot of money. So has Jonah. After a series of uncanny coincidences, the pair find themselves living on top of one another, in two small flats in Leytonstone. Then on a whim, Sophie mails Jonah a baby monitor connected to her flat. And he starts to watch her. Reading. Playing video games. Eating. Watching TV. Without ever coming face to face, something almost like love starts to bloom between them.

When Lenore’s father passes away, she is overcome with memories and rage forcing her to confront her identity and belonging. In order to rebuild herself, Lenore embarks on a solitary journey through time accompanied by poetry and a mysterious doppelganger-pianist. A hauntingly new experimental musical theatre piece, The Sound of Absence explores the intricate bond between father and daughter — and the unspoken reasons behind the choices our parents make. This intimate, exper

It’s a story about friendship, power and surviving Harvey Weinstein’s heliocentric hell. The play is a deeply personal story inspired by the #metoo movement and draws from Rose's own experience of working as an assistant at Miramax and actress in the 90’s. Nearly thirty years later, in the wake of recent allegations about - Justin Baldoni, Russell Brand, Sean Combs, Gino D'Acampo, Noel Clarke, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Giovanni Pernice, Kevin Spacey, Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.

Set inside what feels like a smoky New York studio, MILES.  brilliantly explores what it takes to create something truly great—and what it costs you along the way. Contemporary jazz musician Jay  wrestles with his creative demons and identity while the ghost of Miles Davis looms large over every chord and conversation. It’s part musical meditation, part time-hopping drama, and definitely big on atmosphere. 📸 Colin J Smith Oliver Kaderbhai’s direction is confident and assured

⭐️⭐⭐️ There is something undeniably exciting about seeing a brand-new family musical take over Shakespeare’s Globe — a venue steeped in storytelling, playfulness, and theatrical tradition. Pinocchio arrives with big ambition, visual charm, and a strong ensemble, but while it often works, it rarely soars. The result is a perfectly watchable, occasionally delightful production that struggles to leave a lasting impression. From the outset, pacing proves to be the show’s biggest

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 It’s Christmas Eve, and Isla is lost. Wandering through the vaults and tunnels of Waterloo, she is searching for something – a gift for her mother, after a tumultuous year past. But nothing seems to be quite right. Until, that is, she finds the shop. Or, to be more precise, the library. Or, to be more precise still, the Lost Library of Leake Street. But this isn’t like any library you’ve seen before. Sure, it’s full of stories – as most libraries are. But here, th

Walking away isn't always bad, sometimes it's the most powerful thing you can do. Join the laughter, storytelling, and unexpected dance moves in Meg Chizek's hilarious and vulnerable quest to find her purpose in life. As she twirls through rejection, chassés into conformity, and even joins a dance cult - every pirouette leaves her with existential dread, forcing her to answer the ultimate question: what happens when your dreams don't come true? 📷 Uncredited The direction is

Dial 1 for UK is a solo show following the journey of an Indian call centre worker who becomes an undocumented migrant worker in the UK. It blends humour, movement, and real-life experiences to explore identity, hope, and resilience in a foreign country. Under the expert guidance of director Phil Willmott, the production strikes a rich balance between humour and emotional truth. Mathur is given space to shine, and the direction never competes with the performance—it enhances

📷 Teddy Cavendish If Leonardo da Vinci had turned his genius to writing a comedy instead of painting the Mona Lisa, it might have looked something like this — smart, stylish, and just eccentric enough to keep you on your toes. Merle Wheldon’s direction was a masterclass in clarity. Every scene flowed naturally into the next, with not a single confusing beat or misplaced pause. The storytelling was tight, the pace crisp, and even in its more chaotic moments, it always felt li

(Fletcher, Hayeck, Bassindale, Wykes, Umerah) 📷Charlie Lyne Confession time: I’ve always found Shakespeare a little… snoozy. (Sorry, Will.) But every so often, a production comes along that shakes the dust off and makes you remember why these plays are still around 400+ years later. Toby Hulse’s direction does exactly that. On a notoriously tricky thrust stage, he makes it look effortless, steering the show with such clarity and precision that you can tell he knows exactly w

Grease, comes to London in a reimagined immersive movie musical experience. Audiences become part of the action in Rydell High in 1950s America. Direction by Matt Costain is clear and consistent—everything feels intentional, and some moments are genuinely clever. Jennifer Weber’s choreography sparkles with energy most of the time, though occasionally it slows down just enough that you might find yourself wishing for a fast-forward button. Tom Rogers’ design is a standout, cle

Really Good Exposure is a show with ambition, flashes of creativity, and a strong central performance, but one that doesn’t always seem fully certain of its own identity. At its heart, the production feels like it’s reaching for something bigger—a piece that blends storytelling, design, and humour into a cohesive whole. There are moments where it edges towards that vision, offering glimpses of what it could become, and those moments are genuinely engaging. However, just as of

If you’ve ever wanted to time-travel back to one of the most iconic music events in history with added choreography and Thatcher jokes, then Just For One Day is calling your name. Now playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre, this jukebox musical reimagines the legendary 1985 Live Aid concert with rock anthems, theatrical flair—and more denim than you can shake a tambourine at. Directed by Luke Sheppard, the show has a solid groove—elegantly transitioning between the high-octane co