The Serious Business of Comedy & Cabaret

Join special guests, Amrou Al-Kadhi, Sikisa Bostwick-Barnes and Jet Vevers in conversation with Comedy Producer Lee Griffiths

Ahead of opening Soho Theatre Walthamstow, join the Soho Theatre team and guests Amrou Al-Kadhi, Sikisa Bostwick-Barnes to dig deeper into the serious business of comedy.

Key talking points will include the process of becoming a comedy producer, drag and comedy writing and directing, getting an agent, and building a drag or comedy hour. We hope the event will demystify parts of the industry that are difficult to find ways into, through a panel discussion from industry leaders followed by a Q&A.

Guests are:

Amrou Al-Kadhi
Amrou Al-Kadhi’s solo drag show, GLAMROU, has toured internationally and has had several sold out shows at the Soho Theatre. Their debut feature film as writer/director, Layla (Film4/BFI), opened Sundance Film Festival in 2024. Their debut book, Life As A Unicorn (Harper Collins) won the Somerset Maugham award and the Polari First Book Prize, and as a screenwriter, they wrote the finale of Apple’s Little America (S1), and episodes for The Watch (BBC America) and Hollyoaks. They have numerous TV shows and films in development.

Sikisa Bostwick-Barnes
From South London, Barbadian citizen Sikisa has become one of the most exciting acts in the UK, having delighted crowds with her fearless and vivacious personality and immediate warmth and likability. She won the public’s vote in the 2017 BBC New Comedy Award competition, for which she was a finalist. Since then, Sikisa’s TV appearances include Live at the Apollo (BBC); Stand Up Sketch Show (ITV2), Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club (ITV), The Dog Ate My Homework (CBBC), Live at Comedy Central, Pie And A Pint (Comedy Central) and Period Dramas (BBC 3). Her radio and podcast credits include Off Menu, Films to be Buried with, Wheel Of Misfortune (BBC Radio 1), The Leak and Mach Fest (BBC Radio Wales). Sikisa was a part of the Soho Theatre Young Company and is a hot favourite on the UK comedy circuit, regularly performing and hosting at nights such as Comedy Store, Angel Comedy Club, The 99 Club, Frog & Bucket, Monkey Barrel, Komedia Comedy Club, Top Secret Comedy Club and The Boat Show. She took her debut stand up hour Life of the Party to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2022, and this year her sophomore show Hear Me Out received critical acclaim with 4 and 5 star reviews up at the Festival, and a run at Soho Theatre.

Jet Vevers
Jet is the Comedy Programmer for Soho Theatre Walthamstow, bringing the best comedy and live performance to the borough of Waltham Forest. Jet is also a live comedy director, working with the likes of Sarah Keyworth, Olga Koch and Nabil Abdulrashid. Jet directed Sarah Keyworth’s show My Eyes Are Up Here which won the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award for Most Outstanding Show in April 2024.

Hosted by Lee Griffiths, Soho Theatre’s Comedy Producer

Please email engagement@sohotheatre.com if you have any access needs

NB: The panel event is repeated in the day. Please only book for one event.

Ahead of opening Soho Theatre Walthamstow we’re meeting with hundreds of local residents and working with ambitious and committed grassroots organisations from PI84U Foodbank to Leyton Orient FC and with schools and colleges across the borough.

We’re constantly making new connections. If you belong to a community group based in Waltham Forest, we’d love to hear from you and see how we can work together. Reach out to us by emailing engagement@sohotheatre.com