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Home , Aziz Ansari, Daniel Sloss, Isy Suttie, Jerry Sadowitz, Jimmy Akingbola, Jon Richardson

VISION 2015-2018 ’S MOST VIBRANT VENUE FOR NEW THEATRE, COMEDY AND .

3 THEATRE’S MISSION IS TO: CONTENTS

PRODUCE VISION NEW WORK CORE

DISCOVER WHAT THE WORK AND NURTURE HOW DISCOVER, DEVELOP, PRODUCE NEW WRITERS WHO AUDIENCES & ARTISTS AND ARTISTS WHERE DEAN ST & ELSEWHERE

TARGET GROWTH AND DEVELOP NEW AUDIENCES VALUES

Chair of Board: Nicholas Allott OBE Artistic Director: Steve Marmion Executive Director: Mark Godfrey SUMMARY

2 La Bohème, 2010 and OperaUpClose (associate company) 3 2011 Olivier Award winner for Best New Opera VISION

Over the next three years...

Over the last five years we WE WANT TO MAKE have almost trebled our audiences, opened a new MORE WORK venue and produced more work than ever before. WE WANT TO MAKE Each year we have over BETTER WORK 2000 performances on our stages and audiences of more than 220,000 people WE WANT see our work. MORE PEOPLE TO SEE IT

4 Utopia, 2012 Soho Theatre and Newcastle Live (associate venue) 5 “If you’re putting on stuff that’s a regurgitation of a newspaper article for people who’ve already read it, and already agree, then nothing changes – it’s basically an act of mutual masturbation – very nice but doesn’t make the world better.” “We want to make things WHAT you’ve never seen before.” THE WORK QUALITY IS OUR MAIN CRITERIA THEATRE COMEDY

DOES NOT BORE

DOES NOT LEAVE THE AUDIENCE CABARET FEELING STUPID

FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY DON’T LIKE THEATRE “We are at our most innovative and distinctive with work at the convergence point of the “The two parts of our name sum us areas we excel in.” up nicely. We are all the things you associate with Soho, and we make Steve Marmion, Artistic Director theatre. Edgy, not-the-mainstream, and a-bit-slutty-sometimes theatre.”

6 Realism, 2011 Soho Theatre 7 WhatsOnStage Award nominee HOW Productions, PRODUCE co-productions, & PRESENT transfers, tours, festivals, ...

Workshops, discussions, DEVELOP rehearsal space, previews, & SUPPORT placements, attachments, commissions, Soho Six, advice, mentoring...

Young Company, DISCOVER outreach, pitches, seeing & ENGAGE shows, VBA, partners, Walthamstow, India, scripts, showcases, scouting, tip offs...

8 Pastoral, 2013 Soho Theatre and HighTide. VBA winner 2011 9 Bottom to top: initial sketch, model box, production shot “A masterclass in how to deliver imaginative new writing.” Times “People can get into a bit DISCOVER of a habit of what young writers are supposed & ENGAGE to do. Soho Theatre are encouraging me to think bigger and think beyond that. And there’s a down- YOU FIND US PARTNERSHIPS to-earth-ness about every-

2000 scripts a year We partner with other companies one that works there. We look at every script and to reach artists and communities we proposal we are sent. may not otherwise find. I feel quite at home.” Charlotte Josephine

WE FIND YOU YOUNG WRITERS

We see thousands of shows (over 400 Almost 60 entries each year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe alone) Soho Theatre Young Writers’ Award. from emerging artists every year. The prize? A full public reading.

“We are looking for unique and unheard voices – from all THE VBA YOUNG COMPANY backgrounds, attitudes and places.”

Over 900 entries 350 members each year The Verity Bargate Award Our Youth Theatre for writers, for first-time writing. The prize? theatre makers and A full production. aged 11–30. CHARLOTTE JOSEPHINE

Took part in the inaugural Young Company Writers’ Group OUTREACH Won our Young Writers’ Award Bitch Boxer Over 1000 people each year with Across London, the UK and India,

and designed to offer a deepening A sell-out run at the Edinburgh road of engagement with our work – Festival Fringe and two at from homes, schools and screens, Soho Theatre through our auditoria and onto our stages. Performed across the world

Under commission as one of the Soho Six

10 Bitch Boxer, 2015 Production of Charlotte Josephine’s Soho Theatre Young Writer’s Award winning play at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, Athens 11 “I love working in your building. DEVELOP You guys do the best and most experimental work in the & SUPPORT country, no one else produces such a breadth of work, and the atmosphere of ‘let’s do it’ is palpable. A powerhouse of ADVICE COMMISSIONS ASSOCIATES creativity that feels entirely

From creative suggestions to From traditional writer led plays to Our network of partner venues, inclusive; comedy, cabaret and producing and marketing advice. devised company projects. companies and artists enable us to extend our reach way beyond our theatre, the Venn diagram – own building. it’s all there!” Joel Horwood

SOHO SIX ATTACHMENTS

Artists and companies on a Artists, administrators, assistants, year-long residency creating apprentices, designers, directors, work for our stages. practitioners and producers.

BLINK

Phil Porter was commissioned as part of the Soho Six SPACE WORKSHOPS Blink was sent to & PREVIEWS & DISCUSSIONS His script associate company nabokov Supporting new projects with For anyone who wants them. Workshop with associate venue the space and time to experiment “We act in whatever Live Theatre Newcastle and collaborate. way serves the show-in-the-making. Co-production in Soho Theatre Upstairs We have lots of awards, schemes Second production opened with and programmes to international associates Jagriti Theatre help find, focus and develop it, but the Our associates include: UK tour (including all associate venues) tail never wags the closing in New York Live Theatre Newcastle, Late Night Gimp Fight, Simon Kunz, Paul Sirett, dog – the work leads.” Theatre Royal Plymouth, Tamasha, Pajama Men, David Johnson, Phil Porter has goneThe on Christmas to write Truce Rep, nitroBEAT (resident Anthony Neilson, for the RSC show

Jagriti Theatre Bangalore, company), Nina Steiger, Suzanne Gorman, Director Joe Murphy has joined Soho Joe’s Pub New York, Joe Murphy, Tom Scutt, Owen McCafferty, Theatre full time as associate artist Blink was seen by over nabakov, OperaUpClose, Roy Williams, Bryony Kimmings, In the end, DryWrite, Blind Summit, Gordon Anderson, Rubberbandits (house band) 4000 people in 15 venues across three countries

12 Blink, 2012/13 Soho Theatre and nabokov (resident associate company) 13 National UK Tour, peformances in India and New York DEATH OF A PRODUCE “Over the past three years, we played a part in getting 177 new shows and over Owen McCafferty’s award winning 1500 artists in front of an spotted at the Edinburgh & PRESENT audience. We move in many Quietly ways to get work to our Festival Fringe stages. We want to initiate and produce more quality Remounted with the Abbey Theatre work and deepen our and the Lyric Theatre Belfast

resources for its creation, support, performance New commission from Owen and exposure.” with Abbey and Lyric

Directed by Steve Marmion, opened in Belfast then Dublin (while there we workshopped a new co-production with the Rubberbandits), before finishing off at Soho Theatre

Owen joins the company as an associate artist

The Abbey and Soho go on to FLEABAG co-produce a new show in 2016

Associate company DryWrite approached us to do an evening of shorts “When I got a call saying by Jack Thorne Mydidae Produced [my play] had been short- in Soho Theatre Upstairs listed, I started to think, Transferred to the West End

which ‘Wow, maybe something Fleabag Developed went on to sell-out runs at the might come of this’. And E` ME Edinburgh Festival Fringe and LA BOH Soho Theatre Upstairs then it won and had a five- Spotted in a room above Olivier Award nomination week staging at Soho... a pub in Kilburn

Remounted at Soho Theatre for It got me an agent, led Developed and produced a UK and international tour at Soho Theatre (including South Korea) to my relationship with OperaUpClose joined as Director Vicky Jones went onto the National Theatre, and an associate company win the VBA as a writer, and is now script editing for really was the beginning Won Olivier Award for alongside a Soho commission of everything.” Best New Opera Actor/writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge Produced three more performed in VBA winning play Matt Charman, shows together at Soho and is under The One commission for her own TV series VBA Winner 2004 Now a planned feature film

14 Fleabag, 2013 DryWrite (associate company) and Soho Theatre 15 WHO

“Artists and audiences collide; they share feedback in inspiration, and with the creative lubricant flowing, collaborate and invent ideas that could fill our stages in the future.”

“The initial attraction may be the bar or a popular name, but from there we open up our whole programme. The bar is the cigarette to the heroin of the new work.”

AUDIENCE “You always have new and original and ARTISTS “Soho Theatre – the best theatre of all amazing shows for me to see any time time in terms of artist treatment, as far Our audience is diverse – Our artists are diverse – class, age, sexuality, gender and race. of the year. I know I can rely on Soho class, age, sexuality, gender and race. as I am concerned.” Bryony Kimmings to always have a beautiful diversity of Their taste is broad – new theatre, to opera, Their taste is broad – new theatre, to opera, to performance art, to comedy, to cabaret. artists. As a black woman I like to see to performance art, to comedy, to cabaret. other black people and women in the They come back to see work they want to They come back to make work they want to see in a place they want to be. spotlight and I appreciate a diversity of make in a place they want to be. sexualities, genders and bodies.” They like an adventure and sometimes they They like an adventure and sometimes they have the most unforgettable nights out. Tunde (audience feedback) have the most unforgettable nights out.

16 17 IN 2013/14 WE HAD OVER 500 ARTISTS ON OUR STAGES.

PAST AND CURRENT ARTISTS INCLUDE:

Adam Hills, Al Murray, Alan Carr, , , Andrea Riseborough, Andrew Garfield, , Anthony Neilson, Arinze Kene, Ava Vidal, Aziz Ansari, Ben Whishaw, Bonnie Greer, Brendon Burns, Bridget Christie, Bryony Kimmings, Camille O’Sullivan, Cardinal Burns, , Cybil Shepherd, Daniel Kitson, Daniel Sloss, Danny Bhoy, Dara O’Briain, David Baddiel, David Harewood, David Hoyle, David Morrissey, David O’Doherty, debbie tucker green, Demetri Martin, Diane Samuels, Doctor Brown, Doug Stanhope, Dylan Moran, , , Ella Hickson, Francesca Annis, Frank Skinner, , , , Jack Thorne, , James Rhodes, Jane Bussman, Javone Prince, Jerry Sadowitz, Jimmy Akingbola, , , John Leguizamo, , , , Julian Clary, Julie Aubrey, Kim Noble, , Kurt Braunohler, Laura Solon, Laura Wade, Liz Carr, Louis CK, Lucy Porter, Luke Treadaway, Marc Lottering, Marc Maron, , Mark Thomas, , Martin Freeman, Matt Charman, Matt Horne, THEATRE MAKER Maxine Peake, Meow Meow, Sir Michael Boyd, Michael McIntyre, WRITER , , Nick Payne, Nina Conti, BRYONY , Omid Djalili, Pajama Men, Pam Ann, Panti Bliss, PERFORMER ARINZE KIMMINGS at Patterson Joseph, Patton Oswalt, Phil Porter, , DOCTOR Sex Idiot Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Reginald D. Hunter, KENE Saw Bryony’s first show Reggie Watts, , Rhona Cameron, Rich Hall, BROWN the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on a tip Read an early play of his , , , Rob Delaney, from an old friend Robert Newman, Ross Noble, Roxana Silbert, Rufus Hound, Saw him because we that came to us, unsolicited

Russell Brand, Russell Kane, Ruth Sheen, Sadie Frost, liked the look of him at A sell-out run in Soho Theatre Upstairs , Scott Capurro, Sean Hughes, , Invited to join the through the Edinburgh Festival 7 Day Drunk inaugural Soho Six Seann Walsh, Shappi Khorsandi, , , Fringe, and offered him Commissioned , Simon Singh, , Sophie Okonedo, a London home God’s Property Soho Six and produced it at Edinburgh Stephen Carlin, Stephen K Amos, , , Wrote and Soho Theatre Downstairs Susan Calman, Tanyalee Davis, Taylor Mac, Tiger Lillies, Presented his first show Produced in Deptford, , , Tim Price, Tim Vine, Toby Whithouse, at Soho Theatre Made Credible Likeable Superstar on tour and at Soho Theatre together Todd Barry, , Tom Wells, Tommy Tiernan, Trevor Noah, Role Model Vicky Jones, Will Eno, Zoe Lyons... and many more. Developed and produced Continues to work with us his second and third Went on to win The Scotsman Fringe as a young people’s mentor First, Fringe Review Outstanding “Soho Theatre put me on when no one Won Melbourne Show, The Arches Brick and Under commission from a wanted to see me.” Bridget Christie International Comedy ThreeWeeks Editors awards number of theatres , Festival’s Barry, Foster’s “Their willingness to take a chance on me, Edinburgh Comedy and Made Fake it ‘til you Make it

on work that is a bit different is very Total Theatre awards previewed in Australia before a encouraging and has helped me a lot.” smash hit, sell-out run at Doctor Brown Edinburgh 2015

18 19 “It’s like a little Florence in the middle of Soho, so many young people gathered there to use the bars, to see the shows. WHERE The variety is astounding. It’s like the best of 21 DEAN STREET Edinburgh in spirit, but 365 days a year.” 6 SHOWS A NIGHT 3 STAGES 1 BUZZING BAR

SOHO THEATRE SOHO THEATRE UPSTAIRS 162 seats End-on black box theatre Daytime Rehearsal space and events 100 seats Flexible studio space Evening 2 performances per night Daytime Rehearsal space Evening 2 performances per night Big ideas, ambitious and theatrical. Our stage for powerful new theatre, Intimate, surprising and adventurous. opera, musical, dance and comedy acts. Our space committed to experimentation and challenging convention.

SOHO THEATRE SOHO THEATRE BAR DOWNSTAIRS Buzzing West End bar and creative hub Open 10am – 1am 140 seats Cabaret theatre with bar Daytime Rehearsal space and events By day a hive of writing, meetings and events. Evening 2 performances per night (3 at weekends) By night a throng of audiences and artists seeing work and having a good time. The best new acts from across the globe. Our New-York-meets-Berlin comedy and cabaret basement.

20 21 TRANSFERS EDINBURGH AND FESTIVAL TOURING FRINGE

We take our work around the country and the globe. Edinburgh is the largest coming together of the theatre and comedy industries in the world.

We transfer and present many of our shows and acts outside of Soho. We are an institution there, with over 25 festivals under our belts.

We work with our associate venues, who share the same ambitions for quality and new audiences. We see over 400 shows and find many of our collaborators of the future there.

We tour internationally; in the last five years we have taken work to Japan, India, South Korea, USA, Across forms and venues it is a chance to share our Ireland, Canada, Australia and Croatia. newest ideas with the industry before they reach our stages.

In 2015 our 15 Edinburgh shows played to more than 27,000 people, bringing back the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Comedy Show, two Herald Angel Awards, one Scotsman Fringe First Award and numerous other nominations.

22 23 GROWTH

We are a charity and a social enterprise that is as entrepreneurial as it is innovative.

These are our three major growth projects, all of which support the aims of the company, while having the potential to create extra resources for our core mission. TOURING VENUE DIGITAL

24 25 Touring

ELSEWHERE

AMBITIONS PLANS

To take the best work from our stages to the widest Produce at least one major UK theatre tour and three possible audiences around the UK. UK comedy events outside of London every year.

To work internationally in India and the US, broadening Present one show a year in India or New York. opportunities for artists, creating new audiences and exploring new markets.

Actively seek out areas of low cultural provision and To use our unique style of education, development, encourage people who don’t usually go to the theatre marketing and hospitality activities to draw in new to experience our work. audiences on tour.

26 27 Venue

VENUE

AMBITIONS PLANS

To enable our artists, staff and audience to grow with A new 1000 seat venue in London. the company.

To take our thriving Dean Street model to an area in Fill it with a 21st century cine variety programme – need of it. big name comedy, pantomime, theatre and events.

To offer a creative and administrative home to The stages, offices, rehearsal spaces, bars and communities, companies, groups and artists. restaurants will combine to build a thriving creative hub at the heart of a culturally deprived community.

28 29 Digital

LIVE

AMBITIONS PLANS

Capture our artists on film at an early stage Film and produce at least four shows per year in their careers. under the Soho Theatre Live banner.

Create new artistic and financial opportunities for our Collaborating with established TV and Film Partners, artists to work in digital form. set up our own broadcast company – Soho Theatre Live.

Share our work with the broadest audiences and get Work with international distribution partners via online, the Soho Theatre experience into their living rooms. broadcast, DVD and our own platform.

30 31 VALUES

“As we grow it is important we do it in the right way. We are keen not to become bureaucratic or corporate. These values capture our ethos and apply to all areas of our work - even when stressed.”

EQUALITY NEW QUALITY ACCESSIBILITY INTEGRITY We represent and celebrate our We like hearing and saying things It’s got to be as good as it Our doors are open to everyone We are open, honest and pragmatic, diverse society; and we passionately that have not been said before, but can be. From shows to people, and we encourage new people when it’s working and when it’s not. believe in equality of opportunity. not just for the sake of it. quality matters. through them.

ENTREPRENEURIAL PEOPLE SUSTAINABILITY WORK AND PLAY PRIDE

We are always on the lookout for Soho Theatre is the people who work, We do environmental things We work hard and enjoy our We’re proud of our work and hope ways we can innovate as a social perform, watch and drink here – wherever we can. shows and bars. to inspire the same in those with enterprise – earning more to we get the best from people and whom we work. spend on the art. they from us.

32 Soho Theatre Bar, 2015 33 SUMMARY The next three years offer tremendous opportunity to build on the success of the past three.

Moving into the next WE WANT stage of our development – a company of international TO MAKE standing. MORE WORK We are making great new work with great WE WANT new, developing and TO MAKE established artists. BETTER WORK We are reaching diverse new audiences with quality work they want to see. WE WANT We have the vision, the MORE PEOPLE art, the experience and the TO SEE IT opportunity to grow.

34 Address Unknown, 2013 Soho Theatre in partnership with Institut francais and JW3, the Jewish Community Centre London, 35 with performances in French and English PHOTOGRAPHY:

2–3 La Bohème, Simon Kane

4–5 Utopia, Simon Kane

6–7 Realism, Tristram Kenton

8–9 Pastoral, Simon Kane

10 - –11 Bitch Boxer, Tasos Vrettos

12–13 Blink, Sheila Burnet

14–15 Fleabag, Richard Davenport

16–17 Audience members, Richard Davenport

18 Doctor Brown, Steve Ullathorne

19 Arinze Kene, Lime Pictures Bryony Kimmings, Richard Davenport

20–21 Soho Theatre Bar (in illustration), Jonny Birch

34–35 Address Unknown, Simon Kane

38 Soho Theatre is a charity registered 020 7478 0100 in England and Wales No. 267234 SOHOTHEATRE.COM 21 DEAN STREET, LONDON W1D 3NE

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