Hampstead Theatre

Hampstead Theatre has reopened with a full season of plays, with social distancing remaining in place until 11th September

With its versatile main auditorium, the modern building of Hampstead Theatre is home to a host of meaty offerings since it was first founded in 1959, from new work by new playwrights and new work from old ones too. The likes of Debbie Tucker Green, Dennis Kelly and Mike Leigh have all had shows on in the early days of their careers, and the theatre has a history of its robust productions transferring to the West End.

The theatre downstairs is a platform for brand new work from very new writers and companies - that's not reviewed by critics - while the main house is a continued draw for respectable stars such as Roger Allam and Simon Russell Beale.

Grab a ticket for around £10 (concessions) to £35 for main house shows, while tickets in Hampstead's downstairs theatre are usually at the £12 mark. The bar area sells a good selection of hot meals and light bites, in a slightly cramped, but usually pretty buzzy atmosphere.