North London's pub theatres are alive and thriving with venues scooping accolades at the London Pub Theatre Awards.
Organised by the London Pub Theatres Magazine the annual gongs celebrate outstanding achievements by venues, individuals and creatives.
Upstairs at the Gatehouse in Highgate hosted Sunday's ceremony, and won the musical production category for Christmas spectacular Five Guys Named Moe.
John and Katie Plews, who run the venue, said they were "thrilled to host the awards with over 140 guests gathered to celebrate What’s Best on the Capital’s fringe theatre scene."
They were also "delighted" to recieve the award for a show which last January survived Covid and earned five star reviews.
Runner up for pub theatre of the year 2022 was the Old Red Lion, the family-owned business run by Damien, Róisín and Helen Devine. Chief Executive Damien, and managing director Helen collected the award on the night.
Chris Lilly, a member of the award team, said: "The Old Red Lion, next to the Angel, Islington, has been putting on superb theatre since 1979. Many of today's celebrated actors started in the room above a pub full of Arsenal supporters enjoying big screen football, and it continues to offer a home to new, challenging, theatre. One of London's most exciting theatres in a tiny space."
An Old Red Lion play; Tomorrow May Be My Last won best solo show for Collette Cooper, who wrote and performed the Janis Joplin musical biopic.
The late Professor Michael Hodd, founder of Little Venice's Canal Cafe Theatre was also commended for outstanding achievement alongside Emma Taylor for popular current affairs song and sketch show Newsrevue. Hodd, who died in September, founded the show in 1979 and the venue in 1984. Produced by Taylor since 2001, it runs four days a week at the Delamere Terrace venue, and has also popped up in Edinburgh and the West End.
Judge and magazine editor Heather Jeffery said it has given numerous opportunities to sketch writers, casts and directors: “It’s a show for anyone who ever wanted to laugh out loud at what’s in the news, and to enjoy our right to freedom of speech," she said.
Of the event, she said: "The atmosphere was electric and as winners took to the stage, we couldn’t hear the pianist for thunderous applause. Katie and John were one of the winners for Five Guys Named Moe. Their festive shows are one of the highlights of the year and we look forward to their December show, the new musical Summer in the City."
The Comedy award went to Ear to Ear Productions' Game Night at The Hen and Chickens, Highbury Corner about a gay man's disastrous evening with friends, family and fiance. And Cell Outs won the award for a new play raising awareness. Dramatising the criminal justice system, it was performed by two former prison officers at the King's Head in Upper Street.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here