Published: Wed 12 Jun 19

News: All That Matters Is That Great Stories Are Told

Soho Theatre announces Autumn Theatre Season 2019 and the Verity Bargate Award 2020

All that matters is that great stories are told. Soho Theatre presents a season packed with new plays and announces its hunt for the next generation of writers. The Soho Theatre autumn theatre season for 2019 features David Baddiel’s first original stage play starring Alan Davies, the London premiere of Cora Bissett’s epic piece of gig theatre and the Edinburgh transfer of Ryan Calais Cameron’s new play starring Richard Blackwood. All following an exciting summer of debuts (Whitewash by Gabriel Bisset-Smith), West End transfers (Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s smash Fleabag) and the return of the Olivier Award winning play Flesh and Bone.

With Citysong, winner of the 2017 Verity Bargate Award, making its London premiere tonight on our main stage, it is with much excitement that Soho Theatre and Character 7 begin their search for the next extraordinary play from an extraordinary new voice for the Verity Bargate Award 2020, with judges including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Arinze Kene, Lolita Chakrabarti and Laura Wade.

Soho Theatre’s theatre producer and newly appointed Creative Director David Luff said: “I’m extremely excited by the quality of new-writing and diversity of voices; world premieres, debut plays, Edinburgh transfers and returning Soho favourites – it’s a season of surprise and subversion. Our Associate Director Lakesha Arie-Angelo directs the brilliantly original new play Shuck ‘n’ Jive, we bring back anarchic fringe favourites Sh!t Theatre and Lucy McCormick and we’re delighted to announce the Soho debuts of Richard Blackwood in Typical and Alan Davies in David Baddiel’s superbly smart tragicomedy God’s Dice.”

Following his many appearances on stage at Soho Theatre and his Olivier-nominated show My Family: Not the Sitcom, Soho Theatre and Avalon present David Baddiel’s first original stage play God’s Dice, a tragicomedy about the power of belief and our quest for truth in a fractured world directed by James Grieve and starring Alan Davies (Jonathan Creek, QI).

After an award-winning world premiere run at the Traverse Theatre What Girls Are Made Of, written and performed by Cora Bissett, has its London premiere at Soho Theatre. Directed by Orla O’Loughlin, Cora’s rollercoaster journey from Fife schoolgirl to indie rock star celebrates the euphoric highs and epic shitstorms of her young life with the personal losses and gains of her adult life. Cora returns to Soho Theatre for the first time since the critically acclaimed romantic comedy Midsummer (a Play with Songs).

With music, laughter and searing honesty comes Shuck ‘n’ Jive, the debut play by Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong and Simone Ibbett-Brown, directed by Soho Theatre Associate Director Lakesha Arie-Angelo. Desperate to be seen as they are, not as the colour of their skin, Cassi and Simone decide to seize back control and write their own play. This is that play.

A devastatingly powerful new play by award-winning writer Ryan Calais Cameron, Typical uncovers the man and the humanity behind the tragic real-life story of Christopher Alder. Starring Richard Blackwood (EastEnders) and from Nouveau Riche, the makers of the award-winning 2018 hit Queens of Sheba, with Soho Theatre and HOME, Manchester, supported by Talawa and tiata fahodzi. Directed by Anastasia Osei-Kuffour.

From our small island in the sea, to Malta, another small island in the sea Sh!t Theatre Drink Rum with Expats find mystery and murder in the fight to be European. Following its premiere this year at the Edinburgh festival, Soho Theatre in association with Show and Tell present a playful and political show about Europe by Sh!t Theatre’s Becca and Louise, with Soho Theatre Associate Director Adam Brace as direc-turg and Nala the dog.

Our autumn season rounds off with another festival show – the Edinburgh transfer of Lucy McCormick’s brand-new show, Post Popular. Join Lucy in a late-night crawl through the annals of history in this enthusiastically humiliating exploration of power and purpose. Featuring friends-with-benefits Samir and Ted and directed by Ursula Martinez, produced by Soho Theatre, Johnson & Mackay and United Agents.

And finally, the search is on. Soho Theatre and Character 7, producer of The Night Manager, are looking for extraordinary plays from extraordinary new voices. It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you’re from or what you do. If you’ve never written before, that’s fine too. What matters is that great stories are told – human, inspiring and urgent stories which can only exist in this moment. The Verity Bargate Award is Soho Theatre’s flagship new-writing award with the winning play produced in a full production on our stages. The Verity Bargate Award has helped launch the careers of some of Britain’s most established playwrights and screenwriters, including Matt Charman (Bridge of Spies), Vicky Jones (Run for HBO) and Toby Whithouse (Doctor Who).

Judges for Verity Bargate Award 2020 include Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Arinze Kene, Lolita Chakrabarti and Laura Wade with more to be announced. The Verity Bargate Award is open to any playwright who has had fewer than three professional productions and lives in the UK or Ireland, submissions will open between 20 November to 20 December this year and the winner will be announced as part of Soho Theatre’s 20th anniversary on Dean Street. Soho Theatre will present a series of workshops and information sessions in Dean Street and around the UK and Ireland in the lead up to submissions opening. All that matters is that great stories are told.

Tickets for all shows announced are on sale now to Soho Theatre Friends, on sale to Soho Theatre Members from 12 noon Friday 14 June, and on general sale from 12 noon next Monday 17 June.