Soho Theatre Walthamstow reveals opening productions

First programming announced for Soho Theatre Walthamstow…

The venue is a major new 960-seat theatre opening in May 2025 that will house the very best UK and international comedy, theatre, cabaret and panto, alongside a lively creative engagement programme.

“Locally, to celebrate the opening, Soho Theatre Walthamstow will offer 15,000 tickets for £15 across the first year of shows – up to May 2026 – to those who live, work or study in the borough as part of Soho Theatre’s partnership with Waltham Forest Council.” – Soho Theatre

Beautifully restored from the 1930s former Granada Cinema and Theatre by Waltham Forest Council in partnership with Soho Theatre, the new venue includes a refurbished Grade II* listed auditorium, brand-new studio spaces, backstage facilities, four bars – Main Foyer, Ziggurat, Cross Hall and Circle – and a restaurant. Recreating the buzzing atmosphere of Soho Theatre Bar within a magnificent heritage surrounding, Soho Theatre will run the food & beverage offer in-house, featuring Neon, Soho Theatre’s own lager with Adnams and East London Brewery brewed locally in the borough.

A local theatre with a national profile, Soho Theatre Walthamstow will feature a world-class line-up for audiences from across London and beyond and will sit alongside Soho Theatre Dean Street as the iconic central London venue celebrates 25 years at the forefront of cutting-edge new theatre, comedy and cabaret.

The opening season at Soho Theatre Walthamstow boasts an impressive lineup of comedy and cabaret performances.

Natalie Palamides returns to London with “WEER”, and solo shows from Dara O’Briain, Sarah Keyworth, and local award-winning comedian Mark Watson are set to entertain. The venue will host the US alt-comedy superstar and Emmy-nominated comedian John Early, with Ahir Shah (who wrapped up his Soho Theatre India tour this last weekend), Suzi Ruffell, and Josie Long also stopping by on their respective tours.

The new lineup show, “Neon Nights,” will be a great night out featuring a stellar cast of performers, many who have been regulars to Soho Theatre Dean Street over the years, including Thanyia Moore, Sara Pascoe, Rosie Jones, Janine Harouni, Larry Dean, Catherine Bohart, Jin Hao Li, Olga Koch, Sindhu Vee, Tom Davis, Josh Pugh, and Phil Wang. International acts Rahul Dua, Dale Elliott, Biswa Kalyan Rath, and Jack Tucker will perform their largest UK shows to date.

Alessandro Babalola (Creative Associate and Co-Chair, Soho Theatre Walthamstow), Rosie Jones (comedian, writer and actor) and Mark Godfrey (CEO, Soho Theatre and Co-Executive Director, Soho Theatre Walthamstow) photographed at Soho Theatre Walthamstow. Photo by David Jensen.

Additionally, the theatre has commissioned Bryony Kimmings to present her first show in five years as “Bogwitch” opens this October, and renowned cabaret stars The Tiger Lillies will deliver a specially curated Soho-themed performance for one night only.

The inaugural pantomime, “Aladdin & The Magic Lamp” written and directed by award-winning actor, director, and writer Susie McKenna, promises festive fun. Adding to the excitement, the season includes the live version of the critically acclaimed podcast “Brown Girls Do It Too,” where Poppy and Rubina bring their candid discussions on British Asian women’s experiences to the stage. Alt-comedy legends Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington will present “On Cinema Live,” bringing the full-stage show of their popular web series and podcast to the UK for the first time.

The season also features CHRISTEENE, in an all-new, powerfully imagined theatrical backed by band and dancers. Additionally, Jonny Woo’s Un-Royal Variety Performance will offer a subversive take on the traditional variety show, showcasing a diverse range of acts and talents. For further programme details see listings in Notes to Editors.

Chair of Soho Theatre, Dame Heather Rabbatts DBE:

“It’s been an incredible journey for Soho Theatre. We’re a small theatre, always managing to creatively punch above our weight and with an impact that has been felt in TV, film and commercial theatre. The fantastic array of artists that we’ve worked with, together with our presence at Edinburgh Fringe, in India and elsewhere is testament to that. But we’re no longer a small theatre. Alongside the creative powerhouse that is our Dean Street home, we’ll be presenting world class artists to even larger audiences in our new and gloriously refurbished venue in Walthamstow, East London.”

Soho Theatre Walthamstow is a vibrant new theatre steeped in a rich history.

A performance venue since 1897, in 1930 the site was redeveloped and opened with exteriors designed by Cecil Masey and extraordinary ornate interior decoration by Theodore Komisarjevsky, inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain.

Majestic and awe-inspiring, the new Granada Cinema and Theatre hosted comedy, panto, drag, music and film. From the mid-1950s artists including The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbinson, Dusty Springfield, The Who, The Ronettes, Chuck Berry, Duke Ellington and the Rolling Stones performed there, and a pantomime was presented each Christmas. The last live performance took place in 1973, and the Granada became a cinema, changing owners until it became known as the EMD Cinema sadly closing its doors in 2003.

Sam Hansford (Co-Executive Director, Soho Theatre Walthamstow), Rosie Jones (comedian, writer and actor) and Mark Godfrey (CEO, Soho Theatre and Co-Executive Director, Soho Theatre Walthamstow). Photo by David Jensen.

In 2003 the building was sold to the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God and for more than a decade it lay empty as they sought planning permission to turn it into a church whilst it fell into disrepair.

Concerned about the loss of this much-loved cultural space, local grassroots groups including McGuffin Film Society and Save Walthamstow Cinema led a passionate campaign against losing its use as an entertainment venue and to preserve its heritage. In 2010 the Waltham Forest Cinema Trust joined the campaign, a newly established local group to bring a clear new vision for the venue’s viable future, working closely with Soho Theatre.

Joining forces with Waltham Forest Council, they successfully demonstrated to a Public Inquiry that the venue could be reinvented as a new theatre for live performance, with a focus on comedy, panto and theatre. This led to the church’s planning application being decisively rejected for the final time.

UCKG sold the building on to pub chain Antic in 2014, who briefly ran the bar Mirth, Marvel and Maud, opening up the magnificent historic foyer to the public for the first time in over 10 years.

Having continued to develop the vision and detailed plans, Soho Theatre reached an agreement with Waltham Forest Council to operate the venue, and in 2019 the council, in partnership with the theatre company purchased, and invested into the restoration of the former Granada Grade II* listed building as part of the council’s London Borough of Culture 2019 legacy commitment.

They have worked with developers Willmott Dixon Interiors, Bond Bryan Architects Ltd to renovate, refurbish and breathe new life into the historic building, alongside Soho Theatre. The Soho Theatre team inputted into operation, architecture (with support from Matthew Baker, MAD-Design Ltd), design (with support from Jane Wheeler, JaneJaney Design) and how to make the venture successful. Together creating a major new cultural hub for London at the heart of the local community of Waltham Forest.

Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council:

”We are thrilled, that after years of dedicated restoration, the former Granada Cinema building will soon reopen its doors as Soho Theatre Walthamstow this May! This exciting development promises to enrich our community with a diverse array of performances throughout the year. Beyond the stage, the team will continue to foster strong connections through community outreach, offering local job opportunities, dedicated spaces and special benefits for our residents and businesses. Together we look forward to creating a thriving place for everyone!”