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Known as the Tricycle Theatre from 1980 until it was renovated and re-opened under its new name in 2018, the Kiln Theatre is a real reflection of Kilburn and its diversity. Home to a 292-seat theatre, a 291-seat cinema and two rehearsal spaces, plus a bar and restaurant, Kiln is space that welcomes the whole community, nurtures talent and removes barriers to world-class theatre, both in therms who gets to make it and who gets to see it. It’s produced plays by the likes of Lolita Chakrabarti, Colman Domingo, Florian Zeller, Zadie Smith, Alexi Kaye Campbell and Abi Morgan.
Underbelly Boulevard in Soho is the first permanent theatre from Underbelly, the live entertainment company known for its annual festival. Originally opened as a sister site to the Raymond Revuebar in the 1950s, it became the Boulevard Theatre in the 70s, before closing in the 1990s. After a regeneration of the Walker’s Court area, the theatre was reopened in 2019, with Underbelly taking over the operation in 2023. It’s now a hub for an eclectic programme of theatre, variety, comedy and cabaret.
Built in 1932, the Grade II-listed Broadway Theatre in Catford has been entertaining Lewisham locals for almost a century, even hosting the likes of The Four Tops and Dizzy Gillespie, and it’s still home to the original Compton organ that was installed back in the 30s. Today the venue hosts a range of events, from drag bingo and stand-up comedy to musicals and plays.
Soho Theatre on Dean Street is one of the best places to catch comedy, cabaret, panto and theatre in town. Drawing from its roots as the radical Soho Poly in the early 70s, Soho Theatre puts on a wide-ranging programme that champions voices from outside the mainstream, and includes works from emerging theatre companies, comedians, and artists making their London debuts. The theatre bar is also one of the best places for a drink in the area, and worth stopping by whether you’ve got tickets to a show or not.
Brixton House is a pioneering fringe theatre known for supporting experimental theatre companies that developed from the rich history of Ovalhouse, which was an inclusive theatre space set up for young people in the 1960s and which has seen the likes of David Hare, Piece Brosnan, Salman Rushdie and Tamsin Greig pass through. Now a purpose-built theatre, Brixton House’s mission is to be representative of its neighbourhood and the diverse people who live in it, and to platform voices not heard in mainstream culture.
Opened in 2010, this 80-seat theatre in Regent’s Place, is a pioneering venue that’s become a home for the country’s best independent companies and ensembles. It’s won multiple awards in that time and has had its produced and commissioned works tour nationally and internationally, with acclaimed productions like Operation Mincemeat and For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy having premieres at the theatre.
If you want to see new voices and radical ideas, Camden People’s Theatre is the place to do it. The venue has been championing early-career and underrepresented artists for more than 30 years, providing mentoring, resources and the stage they need to flourish. The programme is always a real mix, featuring everything from new work to urgent political voices, Brazilian sci-fi to theatre performances in a box, and all projects are designed with accessibility in mind.
The National Theatre is a landmark for its architecture as much as the productions it puts on – the brutalist complex on the Southbank is one of London’s most recognisable buildings. The theatre company was founded by Sir Laurence Olivier, over a decade before construction of the building was completed in 1976, and it’s remained a premiere destination for actors, directors and audiences ever since. World-class productions featuring a who’s who of global talent are staged across the NT’s three theatre spaces. Since 2009, the theatre has also been broadcasting its productions in cinemas and online through the NT Live programme, making theatre even more accessible.
Perk is a fitness studio based in Stoke Newington and genuinely the most The Substance-like fitness class we’ve ever done. The studio was founded by Bahar Tafti who has worked as a trainer in LA, Australia and is now inspiring a crew of women with her buns of steel. After having less time to dedicate to different kinds of workouts, she decided to combine a number of disciplines into a one-hour session that consistently delivered results, and so Perk was born. Each signature class combines barre, resistance, cardio, plyometrics and flexibility into one high-octane full-body workout set to a soundtrack of killer tunes. The sessions target posture, muscle tone, strength, mobility and endurance, and the workouts are switched up weekly to avoid boredom and burnout.
This not-for-profit indie cinema has been screening movies for the people of Acton since 2021, following campaigning by a group of local residents to return the Passmore Edwards Old Library back to community use. There are two 60-seater theatres showing a range of indie films, world cinema, documentaries and film festivals, plus the odd blockbuster. ActOne also hosts regular events in its lounge, including music performances, quizzes, comedy and more.
This Shoreditch spot is a social wellness house where you can come to sauna, cold plunge and move your body. Whether you’re looking to sweat it out or feel the burn, there’s a suitable session for you, with the likes of HIIT, yoga, qi gong, sound baths and sauna raves on the programme. And you can continue to be nourished post-sesh by grabbing some plant-based food from Palm Greens and a botanical elixirs from the alcohol-free bar.
You couldn’t very well have a museum dedicated to the history of cinema-going without any film screenings, and that’s exactly what’s on offer at The Cinema Museum. Based in the former Lambeth Workhouse (where Charlie Chaplin entered as a child), the Cinema Museum houses a collection of artefacts (including many Chaplin-related pieces) that tell the story of cinema-going from the 1890s to today. The space hosts regular events, including screenings of classic and cult movies, film festivals, book launches, symposiums and more.
The home of independent cinema in Croydon, the David Lean Cinema is run by the community, for the community. Named after the famous, Croydon-born director, the venue, inside the Croydon Clocktower complex, was forced to close due to council cuts in 2011, but was thankfully saved by the local community and reopened in 2014. The 68-seat cinema screens a range of indie flicks, world films, cult classics and new releases, with more than 20 films playing each month.
JUMBI
Founded by Nathanael T Williams of Colour Factory and Bradley Zero of Rhythm Section, Jumbi is a celebration of the flavours and sounds of the African-Caribbean diaspora, with a high-fidelity sound system and vinyl library at its heart. You can go down to hangout with some rum cocktails, or throw some shapes at one of the weekend takeovers.
After lying empty for ten years, the Peckham Palais building (which first opened as a department store in 1867) has been turned back into a nightclub by The Night Group (the team behind Hackney’s Night Tales and Netil360). Palais is a 500-capacity club complete with a Funktion-One five-way sound system in the basement, where a mix of local and international DJs take over the decks, and cocktail bar and events space The Ballroom upstairs. Speaking about the venue, co-founder Jamie Rule said: “We’ve been developing the sound system for over a year. We wanted to create something that moves through you. With infra bass, you can feel it, not just hear it. Now we want to see what people do with the space.”
Opened by the same crew behind Brilliant Corners and Giant Steps, Om is one of the best new clubs in town. Boasting a 6am licence on Fridays and Saturdays, it does extended sets and interesting line-ups. Both the soundsystem and the vibes (the dancefloor is for dancing, not Instagramming) are on point, and the cocktails are good value too.
Named after pioneering lesbian filmmaker Dorothy Arzner, The Arzner is London’s first and only LGBTQ+ cinema. Opened on the site that used to house the Kino Cinema in Bermondsey, The Arzner showcases new releases and iconic films that have influenced queer cinema over the years, as well as spotlights underrated or forgotten titles. There’s also the monthly SPECTRA Shorts programme that celebrates queer storytelling from emerging and independent filmmakers.
V&A EAST STOREHOUSE
Part of the new V&A East in Stratford, the V&A East Storehouse is a 16,000 sq. m space that’s been purpose-built to house over 250,000 objects, 350,000 library books and 1,000 archives. It’s also home to the David Bowie Centre, where you’ll find 90,000+ archive pieces – from rare photographs and handwritten lyrics to self-portraits, stage costumes and design sketches – revealing the artistry behind Bowie’s legendary career. Museums typically have just 3% of their collections on display at any one time, so the Storehouse seeks to change this, allowing everyone to discover thousands of pieces of history and culture that would otherwise have been hidden away. That means you can view hundreds of years of treasures for free, seven days a week.
