Bush Theatre

A small, cash-poor champion of new writers and performers, the Bush Theatre has more than 30 years' experience under its belt with a great record in comedy, satire and West End transfers. The Bush may not be big but it's certainly determined: not even a leaky roof killing the lights stopped the programme in autumn 2008, it merely responded with a new, dark-themed season called The Broken Space that featured ghostly plays played in near pitch black. Time was you could look to the venue's walls for a recommendation, plastered as they were with the high praise of international playwrights. These may have since been wallpapered over, but the long-term support of writers such as the controversial Neil La Bute (who regularly debuts and presents work here) has helped the Bush Theatre consistently sell out its shabby studio space.