The West End’s first new venue for 50 years, @sohoplace Theatre on the corner of Charing Cross Road and Tottenham Court Road, opened last night, Thursday 21 October 2022.
The brainchild of Nimax Theatres owner Nica Burns, who owns a number of West End venues including the Garrick and Palace Theatres, the new 602-seater venue opened with joyous new play Marvellous by Neil Baldwin and Malcolm Clarke.
Nica Burns told the Press Association that the opening was “glorious and thrilling” and that she felt an “enormous sense of relief”.
“At the start of the evening it was a potent mix of adrenaline and fear… the attention to detail has been literally millimetre by millimetre – a great deal of passion and thought and care has gone into it. But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what I think, we will be judged by the public. People loved the building, which of course for me is a ‘thank goodness and wow’ – because when you work this close on something you can lose perspective,” she said.
The venue has a swanky new restaurant and bar – called Stars Restaurant and Bar – on the ground floor, with the new multi-purpose venue on the first floor.
The auditorium has been constructed to be completely flexible in terms of its configuration, and is starting off as an in-the-round venue.
Earlier this week @sohoplace announced its next two productions following Marvellous – both of which feature high-profile stars. Josie Rourke is to direct a new production of As You Like starring Rose Ayling-Ellis, Martha Plimpton, Alfred Enoch, Leah Harvey; and Dominic Cooke will direct Medea starring Sophie Okonedo and Ben Daniels.
Book tickets to Marvellous @sohoplace Theatre in London
