Community theatre in East London which is worth traveling to for the uproarious Cockney-meets-Caribbean atmosphere. The Theatre Royal Stratford East has a proud tradition as a community theatre, and is famous for its long association with the actress Joan Littlewood, who built a reputation for challenging new productions which reached out to the community around the theatre.

The Theatre Royal staged the first productions with mainly black actors, including certified smash Five Guys Named Moe, and was the first to breach the subject of homophobia among the black community, an occasion when audience members hurled abuse at the stage.

In fact, while loved by the locals this theatre is also pretty confrontational and is one of the few places in the world where you get local youths mouthing off mid production. But when the whole auditorium falls quiet, entranced, or laughs their asses off, there’s no more atmospheric place in London. It hardly needs pointing out - this is also the ideal venue for a spot of panto.