Kings Head Theatre Islington - moving to new theatre space

That's really sad on both accounts but more importantly I hope Mark makes a speedy recovery

It's great to hear they are moving as it was uncertain at times wasn't it ?

I can't read the Stage article, but here is a screenshot from the theatres webpage and it sounds like the studio 'cabaret' space is still planned, perhaps it will open later.

I'm really pleased for them as, over the years, i've seen some great stuff there.

Curious. The most recent planning application, to which I linked above, explicitly stated that the studio space had been removed from the application as the space had been allocated to the gym in the development. It could have been added back, but I live close enough that I should have been informed of any change to the planning application.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if the new theatre never opened. 

Do you know what's happened to plans to open the new Collins Theatre on Islington Green ? That looked promising when Sally Greene was involved but it seems to be another failed project. I assume the theatre is physically still there ? 


www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/21227140.collins-theatre-plans-reopen-400-seater-underground-venue-beneath-islington-green-threat/

This feels extremly murky. The two Incoming Artistic Directors stepping down and now a vague anouncement about a new space. What are the Board trying to hide?

Visited the old theatre for the last time last night for old times' sake. The less said about the show, 'Scream Queer Murder', the better. But glad to see the place one last time. Asked about timings for the new theatre and no-one was giving any answers. Wandered back through the Islington Square development and confirmed that the pic of the new theatre on the KH website is a mockup, there is still no signage above the entrance to the new theatre and no sign of any work going on.

Visited there new space last night to see exhibitionsists..

Could be a good theatre... Unfortunately seating is worse than old site. Why do fringe theatres insist on pushing seats so close together. Same problem as hope mill. Yes that's enough room to sit. But your shoulders and arms are bigger than the seat meaning, you squeezed against strangers.

Thanks for the warning. As far as I recall I never went to the previous theatre & after reading this I will certainly never be going to the new one!

Well this was a disapointment.

Who placed the bar at the bottom of the stairs? Didnt they think this would cause a blockage? Would the odd space between the bar area and toilet corridor be a better place for the bar?

Tiny and uncomfortable theatre seats. The view from row H meant we couldnt see the stage floor and then if an actor sat down then we missed most of the scene.

Id be interested in seeing the auditorium with a raised stage or in a different configuration but bad design and a terrible opening play is not inspiring me to return.

Over the years ive really liked my trips to KH, i hope the negatives can be turned around.

Revisited the theatre for the first time tonight. 'Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story'. Tempted by the promise of "our lovely new bar". And curious to see whether anything has been tweaked since January.

It doesn't appear to have been. The bar is still at the bottom of the entrance stairs, so people coming in and queueing for the bar block the entrance. The bar area is essentially a waiting area, absolutely not somewhere you'd want to meet beforehand and have a drink or linger afterwards. Seating in the main auditorium is still the same conference room type seating, no support, no width, no legroom (for people to get into the end of the row everyone nearer the aisle has to step out as there is insufficient room for people to squeeze through). Tonight, the temperature was cool, so they've obviously tweaked the AC since my first visit. The show tonight ran over, so we left the auditorium through the (closed) studio/cabaret space as the next show audience were already queueing outside.

I'd hoped that things might have been tweaked from the early opening. It hasn't. I'm sorry, but this place is now on my list of not-visits (along with Menier, Other Palace, Globe) as I just don't enjoy the visitor experience here. I've lived just around the corner from the old pub for over 30 years; I must have seen well over 100 shows at the old place. I'm desperately sorry that, for me, the Kings Head Theatre is no more.

As for the show, it did a good job of coming across in a scrappy/improvised way when it was actually very structured and well-planned. Very funny at times but I'd much rather have seen it at 9 or 10 in an Edinburgh Fringe venue than at 7pm in the new KHT. The audience reaction to this - and the (copious) audience participation - needed time to warm up, and while it was firing on all cylinders by the end it took a good half-hour to get going. Go see this, but not here.

Oh interesting, thanks. Both shows I've been to have had the end-on flat rows layout, I didn't know that they had started trying out different layouts yet. I might have a bit of a click through the upcoming programme to see if I can find another show with that layout to give it a try. Last night's show involved a lot of audience participation and in the semi-darkness and narrow rows it seemed to take an age for some audience members to make it onto the stage...