Soho Theatre

Soho Theatre stands in the heart of London’s Soho district, a small but influential venue dedicated to new plays, comedy and cabaret. Its main building on Dean Street houses three performance spaces: a 165-seat Main House, a 90-seat Studio upstairs and a 140-seat Cabaret Space downstairs. The ground floor also contains the Soho Theatre Bar, where audiences can gather before or after shows. The theatre began life in 1969 when Verity Bargate and Fred Proud founded the Soho Theatre Company in a basement on New Compton Street. After years of moving between temporary homes, it finally opened its purpose-built Dean Street building in 2000. The theatre has launched the careers of many writers and performers who now work in theatre, film, television and radio. It runs commissions, residencies and development programmes such as the Soho Six, each supporting six playwrights at a time. The Verity Bargate Award, set up in memory of the company’s founder, has helped writers like Matt Charman, Vicky Jones and Toby Whithouse reach wider audiences. Sue Dunderdale led the company in the 1980s, while current leaders include executive director Mark Godfrey and creative director David Luff. In 2018 the theatre adopted a producer-led model to focus on new plays and alternative comedy. Visitors to the Dean Street building find a compact but lively space where plays, comedy nights and cabaret take place throughout the week. The theatre’s programme mixes established names with fresh voices, often premiered on its stages. Downstairs, the Cabaret Space hosts late-night performances in an intimate setting. Upstairs, the Studio presents smaller-scale new works. The Soho Theatre Walthamstow opened in 2025 after a major redevelopment of the former Granada cinema, giving the company a second base in north-east London.