The Broadway

The Broadway in Catford is London's answer to a proper neighbourhood theatre - the kind of place where you actually want to sit down for a show rather than just tick a box on a tourist checklist. It's a working theatre with a decent mix of drama, comedy, dance and family performances, housed in a building that's got real character without being fusty about it.

You get proper theatre seating, decent sightlines, and the kind of acoustics that don't make you wonder if the actor's forgotten their lines or if you've just gone deaf. The programme changes regularly, so there's usually something worth catching whether you're after an evening out or bringing the kids to a matinee. It's the sort of venue where you feel like you're part of something local rather than watching a production line of West End repeats.

Given it's in Greater London rather than central, it works brilliantly if you're staying at one of the nearby glamping spots like Abbey Wood Experience Freedom - you're close enough for an evening show without the palaver of fighting into the West End, yet still with proper cultural options on your doorstep. Allow a couple of hours door to door with a pre-show drink. Check their website for the current schedule and ticket prices before you head down, and book ahead during school holidays or popular shows. It's exactly the kind of thing that makes a park holiday feel less like you're just filling time between picnics.