Theatreship

Historic Ship Bar: Iconic Arts Venue

Ahoy there, ye ravenous consumers of culture and booze! Allow me to sappily sing the praises of Theatreship, a floating treasure chest nestled snugly amidst the corporate drab of Canary Wharf. This century-old cargo barge flaunts a spell-binding theatre and cinema space right in its hull, making it arguably the quirkiest spot for a night out you'll find swaying on the Thames. While suspiciously solid pints are wickedly priced under the proverbial fiver – a rarity in these parts – it’s the programming that truly elevates this vessel. Their uncanny knack for marrying film screenings with insightful post-show talks is commendably clever, such as Sunday night's finale of "Das Boot," topped off with anecdotes from an authentic submariner.

The atmosphere aboard feels more like cosy camaraderie amongst friends than transactional service monotony. Credit here goes to the scallywag crew – personal kudos to the disarming Harry and his pirate-like charm, reinforcing the enchantment. Moored at maritime moot, this theatrical ark offers diverse delights aplenty: samba and Latin nights, cult classics such as "Cinema Paradiso" or surprise movies to leave you charmed foolishly grinning. Reclined into the plush velvet seats in their intimate theatre (sightlines achingly on point), you can't help but wonder why haven’t others dared to float a bar and playhouse in this suez-worth-of-a-sea-refreshing manner? Alas, give yourself a triumphant salute and clamber aboard before everyone hears of these buried pleasures, lest it turns from hidden gem... to mainstream mania. Yarrrrrrh! — Penelope Savory