Soho Theatre facts for kids
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| Address | Dean Street London, W1 United Kingdom |
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| Coordinates | 51°30′51″N 0°07′59″W / 51.5143°N 0.1330°W |
| Public transit |  Tottenham Court Road |
| Owner | Soho Theatre Company Limited |
| Capacity | 144–160 |
| Opened | 2000 |
| Website | |
| www.sohotheatre.com | |
Soho Theatre is a special place in London where new plays, comedy shows, and cabaret acts are performed. It's also a charity that helps new artists. The theatre has two main locations: one in the Soho area of City of Westminster and another in Walthamstow, north-east London.
Soho Theatre is known for helping new writers and performers get started. Many actors, writers, and comedians who are famous today began their careers here. The theatre's shows often focus on brand new stories and different kinds of comedy.
Contents
The Story of Soho Theatre
How the Theatre Company Started
The Soho Theatre Company began in 1969. It was started by two people named Verity Bargate and Fred Proud. Their first shows were in a building on New Compton Street. Soon after, the company moved to a small basement space. They stayed there for 18 years.
In 1990, the company left its first home. They put on shows at other theatres like the Royal Court Theatre. From 1993 to 1995, they had a temporary home at the Cockpit Theatre. During this time, they helped many new writers develop their skills. They put on plays by over 35 new writers.
Building a New Home
In 1997, work started on a brand new building for Soho Theatre on Dean Street. They received a large grant of £8 million and raised more money. The new building officially opened its doors in the year 2000.
Soho Theatre on Dean Street
Since 2000, the theatre has been in its current home on Dean Street. This building was made just for them. It has three different performance spaces:
- The Main House, which can seat 165 people.
- The Studio, which is upstairs and seats 90 people.
- The Cabaret Space, which is downstairs and seats 140 people.
There is also a bar on the ground floor and lower-ground floor. The theatre is currently led by Mark Godfrey, who is the executive director, and David Luff, who is the creative director. They work to find and produce exciting new plays.
Soho Theatre Walthamstow
In 2012, Soho Theatre worked with the local council in Walthamstow to save an old cinema building. They wanted to make sure it would continue to be a place for entertainment. In 2019, the council bought the building. Soho Theatre was chosen to run it.
After a big renovation project, the new venue opened on May 1, 2025.
The Verity Bargate Award
The Verity Bargate Award is a special prize given by Soho Theatre for new plays. If a play wins this award, it gets a full production on one of the theatre's stages. The award was created in 1981–82. It honors Verity Bargate, who helped start Soho Theatre.
This award has helped many playwrights and screenwriters become successful. Some past winners include Matt Charman, who wrote Bridge of Spies, and Vicky Jones. The judges for the 2020 award included famous writers like Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Russell T Davies.
