Love going to this theatre, it's small but well thought out, everything I've seen there has been ingeniously staged, and the pub downstairs is both comfy and surprisingly cheap for this part of town.

One serious problem - a fixed ticket price of £12 which the staff will not lower under any circumstances. I went to see a friend's show here and it was really excellent, but only about 35 mins long - it was embarrassing for him, because £12 is too much, and embarrassing for everyone else, because we had to give the feedback 'great, now I'm skint though...'

Infused with moments of dry humour, Phillip de Gouveia’s gripping new play Isfahan Calling questions the use of propaganda under the guise of a covert radio station established to discredit the regime in Tehran and demoralise Iranian recruits. Packed into the stifling auditorium of the Old Red Lion, sweating audience members sympathise with the dedicated and outstanding cast, who continually refer to the oppressive heat. A device which creates a tense atmosphere, and reflects the various forms of oppression explored in the play. Kelly Wilkinson’s remarkable attention to detail is most impressive. Some may find it hard to relate to Iraq- being a somewhat unfamiliar milieu, however all will be familiar with an office and the politics within. Phillip de Gouveia skilfully entwines plot and setting with narrative making nothing seem expositional. Combined, this creates a sense of realism which places the distant events very close to home. This attention to detail is reflected throughout the play from the post-it’s on the wall, to the papers on the desk. Further to this Becky Gunstone expertly maximises the space by creating an office and a broadcasting studio in such a small auditorium. The shift from realism throughout these broadcasts is particularly effective. The swift change in lights combined by actors performing physical movements alongside the transmission emphasises the notion that we’re aware we’re listening to propaganda, however can’t help but be seduced by Zahra Ahmed’s powerful performance. The interception of a broadcast from the President of Iran was an intelligent twist in the plot which served as a platform for characters to battle for moral higher ground. The repetition of the line, “we’re here to save lives” contradicted by characters doing the opposite effectively shows the extent of Roy, the operations leader’s psychological turmoil, powerfully portrayed by Paul McEwan. The brutal ending was unsettling and disturbing leaving the audience with a distasteful feeling of an uncertainty regarding real events, resulting in a possible doubt of the reliability of the media. Not only does it question propaganda in war, but highlights the power of propaganda in other aspects of our society and forces us to struggle with identifying this. - Rosa Connor

The old red lion is a great theatre and 12 quid is cheap! A west end show will cost you 60 quid! The plays here are always top notch and its agreta night out in agreta location. Go see NEVERMIND in june and july its about Kurt Cobain and is going to be a sell out.