VAULT Festival 2017

By Michelle Connolly Friday 27th Jan, 2017
We’re going deeper underground.

That’s right, we headed on down to one of the most exciting shows to hit London in a while, the ever-inspiring VAULT Festival. Throw off the Dry Jan shackle sand explore the depths of the vaults within Waterloo station for a myriad of exciting shows, thrilling drama, laugh a minute comedians, food to make your mouth water and even nightclubs for the next six weeks, from Jan 25th til March 5th this year. Touted as the cooler, smaller version of Edinburgh’s Fringe festival, it’s back in it’s original home beneath the arches as well as two complementary venues – Network Theatre and Morley College nearby.

 Some of the shows actually have free entry, meaning that once you have registered for your ticket you can just head on down, but many of them start from only £5 – plus it’s free to explore the pop-up bars and food spots if you wanted to just enjoy the vibe. There are quite a few premieres happening, with new and experienced talent appearing on stage in dramas, shorts, comedies, workshops and more. Once nightfall hits and final bows are taken, the lights go down and the band strikes up, with live bands and DJs ensuring the party continues. We were pretty excited about their theme parties though, which include the Valentine’s Ball, London’s favourite Mardi Gras party, and Jay Gatsby’s own party weekend.

The food is as excellent as you would expect from Balkano, a smorgasbord of Eastern European inspired dishes in bite size as well as hearty dishes to satisfy any appetite. The Hungary Hot Potato and Smoky Serb Salsa was a hit, as was the Courgette Souvalki with fresh Labneh. Between the delicious food and two brand new bars – a cocktail emporium from Campari and some crafty brews from Meantime – it’s worth a look even if you aren’t seeing a show.

The full line up, including ticket offers and additional information is all available online at VAULTfestival.com