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Kiln Theatre

Theatre, Private theatres Kilburn
5 out of 5 stars
(18user reviews)
Winner<br/>2016

Winner
2016
Winner<br/>2016

Winner
2016
Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn

North London's most vibrant theatre

After an ambitious refurbishment and upgrade, the venue formerly known as The Tricycle has rebranded as Kiln Theatre. The name's a homage to its home in Kilburn, and to its aim of being a crucible for new work that'll get the local community excited: including a new stage version of Zadie Smith's hit novel 'White Teeth'. 

A vibrant one-stop-shop for culture in north London, the Kiln Theatre packs a lot into its medium-sized frame: bar, kitchen, cinema and of course a theatre. Long run by Nicolas Kent, whose tenure was marked by pioneering work in the field of verbatim theatre, the current artistic director is Indhu Rubasingham, who's steered the venue through its recent transformation.

Posted:

Venue name: Kiln Theatre
Contact:
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Address: 269 Kilburn High Rd
London
NW6 7JR
Transport: Tube: Kilburn
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  • Time Out says
    3 out of 5 stars
    Superheroes save the world on a regular basis, but their movies aren’t nearly as courageous: For every ingenious ‘Black Panther’ that departs from the billion-dollar formula, you get ten timid time-wasters. ‘Captain Marvel’, the Marvel Cinematic U...
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    • Time Out says
      5 out of 5 stars
      Following on from her 2014 Cannes Grand Prix winner ‘The Wonder’, Italian writer-director Alice Rohrwacher returns with a transcendent time-twisting fable, ‘Happy as Lazzaro’. Set in the confines of a rural Italian village, the film follows a fami...
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    • Time Out says
      4 out of 5 stars
      Film review by Dave Calhoun Parisian filmmaker Christophe Honoré (‘Love Songs’, ‘Dans Paris’) often celebrates a distinct sort of free, romantic, talky and very French urbane lifestyle. His latest is a frank, fragmented and very touching portrait...
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    • Time Out says
      4 out of 5 stars
      You don’t need a deep love of westerns to get a kick out of Jacques Audiard’s (‘Dheepan’) wry, surprising, and often plain hilarious frontier story set in 1851 Oregon and California. Sure, there’s all the shootouts, smoky saloons and liquor-soaked...
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      • Time Out says
        4 out of 5 stars
        Review by Mark SalisburyIn contrast to Lady Gaga’s Ally in ‘A Star Is Born’, the wannabe singer at the centre of this sparky and hugely likeable zero-to-musical-hero country fable is frequently her own worst enemy. On parole, working-class Glaswe...
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      • Time Out says
        3 out of 5 stars
        You won’t regret spending an hour and a half with the couple at the centre of this scratchily homemade-feeling but refreshingly candid and warm doc. It’s the work of transgender director Jason Barker, a filmmaker with a sideline in stand-up comedy...
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      • Time Out says
        3 out of 5 stars
        Review by Phil de Semlyen Let’s tackle the baby elephant in the room first: how does Disney’s new Dumbo look in a live-action movie? Happily, the teeny pachyderm is a suitably heart-melting presence in Tim Burton’s relatively orthodox redo of the...
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      Pick a date

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      • Theatre

        The Half God of Rainfall

        The Greek and Nigerian gods clash, to whimsical effect, in this poetic new drama from Inua Ellams, he of ‘Barber Shop Chronicles’ fame. Rakie Ayola stars as Modupe, an extraordinary beautiful woman who attracts the unwanted attention of both pantheons,...

        Drama Thursday April 25 2019 - Friday May 17 2019

      Average User Rating

      4.5 / 5

      Rating Breakdown

      • 5 star:13
      • 4 star:3
      • 3 star:1
      • 2 star:0
      • 1 star:1
      LiveReviews|18
      1 person listening

      Best theatre in the area. Closed for refurbishment, but has exciting renditions of the classics and great new shows.


      The Tricycle is the best place I have discovered in London. I have been lucky enough to visit many times. The best thing about NW London.


      A wonderful institution that continues to make art reachable and affordable.


      Always putting on really intriguing plays. Can't wait for it to reopen after the refurb. Also a great bar.

      Tastemaker

      Fabulous and often revolutionary theatre space. See any play that they do. Numerous plays, most recently 'Red Velvet' with Adrian Lester, have premiered here in this small venue and gone on to major West End theatres and often Broadway. One of my favourite-ever productions was 'Moonlight and Magnolias', a comedy about the filming of 'Gone with the Wind"--very funny. The real bonus is that the audience is usually clued up about good, and bad, theatre and react accordingly. 

      tastemaker

      Blink and you'll miss the entrance - hopefully the forthcoming upgrade will remedy this.  Just 5 minutes walk from Kilburn Station (Jubilee Line), an area yet to be "gentrified".  The cafeteria inside is comfortable and welcoming - though strangely, no sandwiches or savoury snacks for lunch - only cooked meals.  The shows here are of a very high standard, with world famous names and incredibly good value ticket prices.  A very comfortable, charming theatre. 

      Tastemaker

      The most comfortable cinema in London. Those who complain about leg room will find no cause for concern here. The theatre here is hit or miss, but you can't fault the Tricycle's commitment to interesting new writing. And the small gallery/cafe makes this a decent place for coffee as well, making this a genuinely multipurpose arts centre - and a fixture in Kilburn.

      Tastemaker

      A great, local venue with some really engaging and challenging theatre and a big, comfortable cinema which regularly has cast Q&As and pre-show events. There's also a decently priced bar and loads of activities for kids. I always feel at home here!


      Such a fantastic local venue- you get it all- films, theatre, food, buzz and atmosphere! How great is that!

      Tastemaker

      A live-action performance of The Gruffalo which took place at the Tricycle theatre has left me scarred for life. Still, I love the place. The stands are all made out of scaffolding, great for mid-play intermission calisthenics workouts, and its atmosphere is expertly curated to the gritty North West London lifestyle. Cheap but charming, and edgy as an only slightly dulled serrated blade - you know, it's maybe been used thirty or forty times, to cut open oranges or a watermelon here and there, but its sharpness is still close to that of its factory fresh brethren.  


      I voted for the tricycle because I think it's an amazing venue easy to get to and it ogfers a fantastic variety of entertainment for all kinds . Tricycle rocks!


      A West End Theatre in Kilburn. A theatre that aims to reflect the community that built it.


      After decades of frequenting the Tricycle theatre, I cannot in good conscience continue to do so and I will not renew my membership.  As a Jewish woman, I now find myself totally unwelcome in this independent Arts Venue.  The reason for this is the very recent boycott of the UK Jewish Film Festival.  The UK Jewish Film Festival is totally apolitical.  By demanding that they actively reject funding from the Israeli Embassy, the Tricycle has pushed them into a corner, a Catch 22 if you like, and demanded that they either become political, or they are not welcome in the establishment. This is deeply unfair and was only ever going to end one way.


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