Almeida Theatre

One of London's most mercurial and influential houses, the 325-seat Almeida Theatre began life as a radical international receiving house in the '80s, before the joint artistic directorship of Ian McDiarmid and Jonathan Kent led to a stable '90s marked by a close relationship with the great Harold Pinter, whose final plays all premiered there.

The current artistic director is Rupert Goold, who has electrified a venue that had grown rather genteel under its previous leader Michael Attenborough with a mix of bold new writing, interesting experiments and radical reinventions. 

Tickets are reasonably priced, with special offers for students, Islington locals, over 65s and under-25s.

The bar – arguably a slightly bourgeois hangover from the Attenborough era – is light and airy with a pleasant seasonal menu.