Queer stories, sharp comedy and cabaret with a bit of bite, there’s plenty to tempt you into a London theatre. These are the places to keep an eye on, from intimate fringe rooms to stages with a much bigger spotlight. Pick a favourite performer or take a chance on somebody new. Either way, it beats another evening of arguing over what to watch at home.
Programmes change, and these venues don’t stage exclusively LGBTQ+ work. Follow the official listings for show details, tickets, age guidance and access information for the specific auditorium.
Soho and north London
Soho Theatre, Dean Street
Website sohotheatre.com/dean-street/your-visit
Address 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE
Nearest station Tottenham Court Road
Three stages, a bar and a programme that can make choosing just one show rather difficult. Soho Theatre packs stand-up, theatre and cabaret into its Dean Street home, with queer performers and stories running through a much wider mix. It’s a good place to catch an unfamiliar name, indulge a favourite or discover your taste is stranger than you thought. There’s room for a drink and a post-show debrief too. Just make sure your ticket says Dean Street, as Soho Theatre’s Walthamstow home is a separate night out.
Pleasance Theatre
Website www.pleasance.co.uk
Address Carpenters Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF
Nearest station Caledonian Road
For theatre, comedy and cabaret beyond the obvious West End choices, the Pleasance is well worth your attention. Its London home gives emerging work and established performers a stage, with queer artists and stories among the discoveries. One visit might bring a finished production, another a work in progress with all the fun of seeing an idea take shape. Have a rummage through the programme and take a chance on a name you don’t know yet. You may get to be insufferable about having seen them first.
King’s Head Theatre
Website kingsheadtheatre.com
Address 116P Upper Street, Islington Square, London N1 1QP
Nearest station Angel
Queer stories get room to do more than supply the comic sidekick at the King’s Head. Plays, musicals, revivals and cabaret all find a place in its programme, with plenty for anyone who likes their theatre a little closer to the action. The purpose-built home is in Islington Square, beside the pub that gave the theatre its name. It’s a different space from the old pub theatre, but that appetite for LGBTQ+ work remains a good reason to visit. Find something that grabs you and make an evening of it.
East, south and west London
Soho Theatre Walthamstow
Website sohotheatre.com/walthamstow
Address 186 Hoe Street, London E17 4QH
Nearest station Walthamstow Central
Soho Theatre has spread its wings to Walthamstow, bringing comedy, cabaret and live performance to Hoe Street. The larger east London home gives touring and visiting acts room to play, with LGBTQ+ performers among a broad programme. There’s plenty to browse if your usual theatre routine has become a little too familiar. Pick a favourite or take a punt on somebody you’ve only seen in a clip online. This is very much the Walthamstow venue, so save the trip to Dean Street for another evening.
Lower Marsh Arts Club
Website www.tickettailor.com/events/vaultcreativearts
Address 134 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7AE
Nearest station Waterloo or Lambeth North
Small stage, plenty of ideas. Lower Marsh Arts Club, formerly The Glitch, brings fringe theatre and comedy together with a café-bar just behind Waterloo. Run by VAULT Creative Arts, it gives emerging performers and queer work space to try things, make a noise and catch you by surprise. There’s no need for a grand auditorium when a good show can get you this close. Browse the programme, bring a curious friend and see what takes your fancy. The performance space is downstairs, with access details available when booking.
The Queer Comedy Club
Website queercomedyclub.co.uk
Address 9 Hewson Way, Elephant Park, London SE17 1JS
Nearest station Elephant & Castle
Queer comedy has its own permanent stage at Elephant Park. The Queer Comedy Club sits inside sister venue Betty & Joan’s, with a purpose-built room putting LGBTQ+ comedians and audiences at the centre of the joke. Established acts share the programme with rising talent and new material, so there is room for polished sets and the occasional glorious work in progress. Allies are welcome, but the perspective stays proudly queer. Pick a show, settle in with a drink and prepare to discover somebody you will be quoting on the way home.
Piehouse Co-op
Website piehouse.coop
Address Arches 213–214, Edward Place, Deptford, London SE8 5HD
Nearest station Deptford or New Cross
Under Deptford’s railway arches, Piehouse Co-op is a worker-run music and arts venue with community baked into the walls. The programme moves between live gigs, DJ nights, film, poetry and workshops, with a particular focus on queer, disabled, working-class and POC artists. It is a mixed venue rather than an exclusively LGBTQ+ space, but queer culture is firmly part of the recipe. The room is intimate, the outlook is not-for-profit and yes, there are pies. Browse what’s coming up and see what takes your fancy.
Triangle LGBTQ+ Cultural Centre
Website linktr.ee/triangledeptford
Address 34 Watson’s Street, Deptford, London SE8 4AU
Nearest station New Cross or Deptford Bridge
Triangle gives Deptford a proper LGBTQIA+ cultural home, with a gallery, cinema, workshops, performances and a social club all sharing the address. One visit might involve a film, another a creative session, a queer mixer or a live show. That variety is the point: this is somewhere to meet, make things and see what the community has been dreaming up. The current programme keeps the doors busy without turning the place into a one-note venue. Have a look at what’s on and give your usual night out a little more culture.
Canal Café Theatre
Website canalcafetheatre.com
Address Delamere Terrace, Little Venice, London W2 6ND
Nearest station Warwick Avenue
A little theatre above a pub in Little Venice, with comedy, cabaret and satire doing the talking. Canal Café keeps things intimate, so you’re close to the performers and very much part of the room. NewsRevue is a familiar name on its programme, alongside visiting acts and smaller productions that deserve a look. It’s a mixed venue with plenty to tempt a queer audience, rather than an exclusively LGBTQ+ theatre. The auditorium is upstairs, so consult the access information if steps are a concern. Otherwise, pull up a seat and enjoy.
Prefer your cabaret with a pub attached? The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, The Divine and Halfway to Heaven are among the treats in our London LGBTQ+ bars guide.
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