The Vault Festival – A Different London Underground

Let’s be honest: in spite of what we might like to think we think about ‘underground’ London venues, The Vaults is pretty cool. It comprises a labyrinth of subterranean tunnels and ‘vaults’ hidden underneath Waterloo station, which until the 8th of March play host to The Vault Festival; a 6-week arts festival boasting an impressive programme spanning theatre, comedy, live music, club nights and more. Think the Ed Fridge, condensed, with more water running down bare-brick walls. Add the frequent rumble of passing trains overhead, pints in plastic cups, and you’d be somewhere close. It doesn’t even smell too sweaty, either.

The result is actually pretty great. There’s a feeling of intimacy to the space that benefits not only the performances, but also the general atmosphere in the venue. The place feels lively. Most of the performance spaces are behind huge, cast iron doors off one central tunnel connecting the entrance and, of course, the bar. As you’re queuing for your show, other shows are going on around you, and the performers walk past you, in full (often extravagant) costume, heading for the show next door. The sparkling man-goat that trotted past in stilettos was particularly memorable. Such things are not easily unseen, and certainly arouse your interest, if nothing else.

The Vault Festival

As you would thus expect, the shows on offer are diverse, and at times frankly a little weird. In the first week alone I’ve seen a two-person musical about an age-of-the-hipster London house party; a one-woman sort-of-mime type show in the form of a school sex education lesson; and a full-blown pirate adventure featuring some 40-odd characters (plus monsters) realized by just two actors and a bloke playing the fiddle. And do you know what? So far, they’ve all been excellent in their own unique right. Each time, myself and various acquaintances – whom I had so eagerly invited along – left smiling. Delicious social value points for me. And with anywhere up to twenty shows per night, there’s choice aplenty.

A larger, central main room houses the bar, and also hosts the club-night Lates on Thursday through Saturday nights. From ceilidh to electro-swing; a strong, varied lineup suggests lively, if slightly aromatic affairs. There’s even a restaurant of sorts. Going by the name of Marco’s, it’s part Italian restaurant, part immersive theatre experience. Given that it’s run by the mob, and judging by freshly painted over signage, Marco’s has recently undergone a ‘change of management’. Expect meatballs and machine guns.

Its all fairly reasonable value too – tickets for the shows start from £5, up to a max of about 15 quid. There’s also a great 2-for-1 deal on Wednesdays, but you’ll definitely want to book in advance, as it seems people are starting to cotton on. For the equivalent price of your post-work pint, you frankly might as well go and see something a little bit different. Shit like this is why you live in London anyway, right?

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