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From New Compton Street to a basement at Soho Poly to the first ever purpose-built theatre for new writing, Soho Theatre Company has been making its mark on the streets of London for over 40 years.
Nestled a few doors down from Karl Marx’s 1850s crash pad, just up from the infamous Colony Room, (and if you believe Wikipedia) at the very address that Mozart played in 1764, 21 Dean Street has been Soho Theatre’s home for 11 years.
Along with Soho Theatre Downstairs, a new Comedy & Cabaret space, a dedicated space for emerging artists, a better bar, and its first Olivier Award, Soho Theatre offers a place for audiences and artists to come together.
In 1995, Soho Theatre, led by David Aukin, Abigail Morris and Mark Godfrey, began its search for a new home. 21 Dean Street, the former Great West End Synagogue in the heart of London’s West End, was identified as the ideal choice. In 1996, Soho Theatre was awarded a £8 million Lottery grant from the Arts Council of England to purchase the building and create the Soho Theatre. An additional £2.6 million in matching funding was raised, and over 500 donors supported the building appeal.
Following a successful Site Specific season, building work began in 1997, overseen by architects Paxton Locher, to create a new 144 seat auditorium, studio theatre and writers’ centre.
In March 2000, with Mark Godfrey at the helm, Soho Theatre completed one of the country’s most innovative Lottery projects when it opened the Soho Theatre + Writers’ Centre.
In 2010, Soho appointed Steve Marmion as its new Artistic Director. As part of his first season, Soho Theatre opened its new Soho Theatre Downstairs space as part of an ambitious development of the 11-year-old venue.
The main space remains Soho Theatre, committed to new writing, the studio is now Soho Theatre Upstairs, for emerging companies and artists, while a new 150 seat comedy and cabaret venue have been created out of the downstairs space that housed the Indian restaurant Café Lazeez.
In a joint venture, with Soho Theatre Bar Limited, the space has been transformed into dedicated venue seating audiences around tables and serving up three shows a night until 1 am.
In Soho’s entrepreneurial spirit, the new venue will return a new source of income into the company that will feed back into developing new writers and Soho’s education work, as well as creating a natural home for the next generation of cabaret and comedy artists.
The new bar and cabaret spaces have been designed by Russell Sage, who created the RSC’s new restaurant in Stratford-Upon-Avon and the recent pop-up lounge at the House of St Barnabas on nearby Greek Street.
THE TEAM
Steve Marmion, Artistic Director
Steve Lock, Producer – Late Night Programme
Sarah Dickenson, Senior Reader
Susanne Gorman, Education Director
Joe Murphy, Artistic Associate
Dan Herd, Artistic Associate
Nina Steiger, Associate Director
Julia Haworth, Writer’s Centre & Education Co-ordinator
Lee Griffiths, Associate Producer – Comedy & Cabaret
Nadine Rennie, Casting Director
SOHO THEATRE COMPANY LTD
21 DEAN STREET
LONDON W1D 3NE
Here are few videos reflect some of their work.