Have you ever done one of our Labs? Do you have a 1-hour show? Want to have your work on at Soho Theatre? Then this is for you.
Every year, Soho Rising Festival sees around 25 shows across theatre, comedy, drag & cabaret and interdisciplinary work by Labs alumni programmed at Soho Theatre over the course of 2 weeks. Each piece is on at the Upstairs venue of Soho Theatre (Dean Street) for 1-2 performances, and the whole festival is a joyous opportunity to be celebrated by Soho staff and audiences. The line-up is always bursting with exciting talent.
The 2027 Soho Rising Festival will be happening across the weeks of 14 and 21 of Jun.
You’re warmly welcome to apply. Click the link above to tell us a little bit about yourself and about your show, and send us a video of the piece.
Please note there are a few criteria:
- You must currently be a part of, or have previously completed one of the Soho Theatre Labs. I.e. one of our Comedy Labs, Cabaret & Drag Labs, Writers’ Labs, Makers’ Lab, Edinburgh Lab…
- You must have an existing show to apply with – sadly we can’t accept scripts or idea pitches of work that hasn’t been made yet.
- Your show should be approximately one hour long. If it’s shorter or longer by around 15 minutes you can still apply, but you may be asked to adjust the show to fit the running time if you are invited to be part of the festival.
- You must have a video of the show in order to apply. It’s ok if the video isn’t super polished, or doesn’t represent the very latest version of the show. You can always let us know in your notes what changes you have made or are planning. But we do need a video to get a general feel for the show, and assess how the show would fit into the space.
- If you have had a show on as part of Soho Rising before, you are not eligible to apply again, sorry! This is just so we can spread the opportunity to be part of the festival to as many artists as possible.
In terms of what we’re looking for – it’s a very broad church. As long as it fits within the above criteria, all applications are welcome. Theatre, stand up, character comedy, clowning, drag, burlesque, storytelling, and whatever else you can come up with – we’re so excited to watch what you send us. It’s always a huge privilege to see all your wonderful shows when programming the festival.
Applications are open 2 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027.
If you’re interested, use the button above to apply. Please read the FAQs below for more info.
'Over the years, artists supported by Soho Theatre Labs go on to blaze a trail of acclaim at the heart of comedy, theatre, cabaret and drag.'
FAQs
Do I have to be a recent Labber/Labs alumn?
No – we welcome all applications from Soho Theatre Labs participants and alumni. Whether you’re in a Lab right now, or you did the Lab 12 years ago, you’re just as eligible. As long as you fit the criteria above, it doesn’t matter how recently (or not) you took part in a Lab.
Please note that by ‘Lab’ we mean our 8-week to 9-month adult talent development schemes. One-off taster workshops and non-application based events like Write Night are not included.
How do I apply and tips on application?
Applications are open 2 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027.
It’s really helpful for us to get a sense of you and your show through your application answers, so we’d recommend using your word count/video time and answer in as much detail as you can.
We appreciate people just being themselves, there’s no need to try to impress us, just be open and honest in your answers about your show and why you want to take part.
Please note that if your application does not come with a link to a video of your show, we cannot consider the application.
How do I send a video link?
- The easiest way is to upload your video onto YouTube. In the web version there’s a “create” button that looks like a camera with a “+” in it in the top right corner. In the mobile app, it’s the “+” button bottom centre. Choose the “video” option (rather than “short” or “live”), upload your video, and then set the visibility to “unlisted” – which means that only people who have the link to the video will be able to watch it. Then you can copy and paste the link to the video into the application.You are also welcome to use other video hosting sites if preferred – for example Vimeo, Google Drive or Dropbox – but please make sure that the video can be accessed by anyone with the link, without needing an account or a password. This is crucial – if we can’t access your video because the permissions aren’t set correctly, it may mean we won’t be able to consider your application.
You will definitely need to upload the video of your show – but you are also welcome to answer the written questions with a video link instead, too! If you’d like to go for the video answer option, simply film yourself answering the questions, stopping between each one. The idea is you have a separate video for each answer.
Will I receive a confirmation email once I've submitted?
No. When you’ve submitted your application, you will see a page thanking you for applying, and confirming that you’ve now submitted. That’s it, you’re done – there will not be an email to follow up on this.
We aim to respond to everyone’s applications by mid-Feb latest.
Can I defer my place?
No. If you are offered a slot in the Soho Rising Festival that you are ultimately unable to take up due to changing circumstances etc, then we will not be able to defer your place to next year’s festival, as each year the festival is specifically curated with a view towards the overall balance of programming. However, you’d be warmly welcome to re-apply!
I am having trouble with the application form.
The application form works best from a computer, but you can also complete it on a smartphone or tablet. For the open questions, you can also submit your answer by video, by pasting the online video link in the answer box.
If you are encountering accessibility issues, or for other support regarding the application form, please email engagement@sohotheatre.com.
Visit Dean Street
We’re bang in the centre of the creative heart of the city. There’s many buses, tubes, taxis, bikes and scooters to get you here. See all your options on Google Maps. Nearest tubes are the Central Line and Northern Line (Tottenham Court Road) and the Elizabeth Line (Tottenham Court Road – Dean Street exit).