About WhatsOnStage
WhatsOnStage is a long-running UK theatre website with news, reviews, interviews, ticket listings and its own annual awards. It is closely tied to the West End.
Where WhatsOnStage is strong
- A very large archive of theatre news, reviews and features.
- Ticket listings and offers for West End and touring shows.
- The WhatsOnStage Awards and a big national audience.
Where Sounds & Stage is a good fit
- Independent and free to read: no paywall, and our editorial policy keeps reviews separate from ticket sales.
- Local theatre as well as the West End: guides to Kent theatres such as the Granville in Ramsgate, the Marlowe in Canterbury and the Hazlitt in Maidstone.
- Scorecard reviews: an editor star rating plus scores out of 10 for performances, direction, staging, music and value, ranked on a review leaderboard.
- Coach trips with tickets from Kent and the South East, so you can see a West End show without driving or parking.
- Music, entertainment, TV and film alongside theatre, with a weekly "what's on" and reader reviews.
- Practical help for venues and companies: website design, social media and advertising from the same team.
Which should you use?
Choose WhatsOnStage if…
You mainly want the biggest archive of West End news and a single place to browse tickets.
Choose Sounds & Stage if…
You want an independent voice, local and regional theatre as well as London, scorecard-style reviews, or a coach trip to the show.
Plenty of people use both. Our job is to be the independent, friendly place to decide what to see.
Start here
- Latest theatre reviews and the review leaderboard
- What's on and this week
- Theatres in Kent and the first-timer's guide
- Website and social media services for venues
Questions
Is Sounds & Stage an alternative to WhatsOnStage?
It can be, depending on what you need. We are an independent UK theatre and entertainment site with reviews, news, a weekly what's on, local theatre guides and coach trips. WhatsOnStage does some things we do not, so many people use both.
Are you connected to WhatsOnStage?
No. We are independent and not affiliated with WhatsOnStage. Names are the property of their owners. This page is our own view and describes their sites in general terms; if anything is out of date, tell us through the contact page.
Is Sounds & Stage free to read?
Yes. Our news and reviews are free to read with no paywall. Ticket links on show pages are affiliate links, which never affect our reviews or star ratings.
Do you cover theatre outside London?
Yes. We have guides to local theatres in Kent and the South East, and we cover touring shows and the Edinburgh Fringe.
Sounds & Stage is independent and not affiliated with WhatsOnStage. Names belong to their owners. This is our own general view, written to help readers choose; tell us if anything is out of date. See all comparisons.