I went to see "The Knight of the Burning Pestle" by Beaumont at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in December right before Christmas. I've never seen a play in London before, and at the time I studied Shakespeare's "The Tempest" in one of my university classes, so I was really interested in seeing a play performed in this playhouse. It is a replica of the Blackfriar's theatre, where "The Tempest" was performed back in Shakespeare's days.
I was a little hesitant at first, since I had never heard of the play, but I am so glad I decided to go because the experience exceeded all my expectations. I am definitely going back every time I get to spend some time in London from now on. The entire theatre was lit by candlelight, which was beautiful and created such an intimate atmosphere. My professor told me about it in class, but you really need to see it for yourself to believe it. Absolutely stunning.
The acting was nothing short of excellent (of course) and the play was highly entertaining, yet at times introduced a more serious/tragic layer to the otherwise comic plot. It actually reminded me in many ways of "The Tempest". I remember coming out of the theatre with a huge smile all over my face.
As it is a small theatre, there's only a limited number of seats, but you can book tickets online or check availability on the website and go to the box office the day of the performance. I did the latter and totally lucked out on my seat.
All in all a fantastic experience (for all ages and for relatively little money) that you absolutely shouldn't miss when coming to London ...or if you live in London, for that matter. :-) read more