Jermyn Street Theatre

From unpromising origins as a staff changing room for a Spaghetti House, Jermyn Street Theatre has risen to become a home for fringe shows that's as close as it gets (physically, anyway) to the West End. Under new artistic director Tom Littler, its 70-seater space houses a mix of rarely-performed vintage dramas, new comedies, chamber musicals and the odd Shakespeare, part of a highbrow line-up that often has a slightly stuffier air than your average risk-taking fringe venue. Not that there's anything literally stuffy about Jermyn Street Theatre: it's website proudly announces that the venue is fully air-conditioned.