The Young Playwrights Award is a free, open-access competition for any teenager in the UK interested in writing a play.
Your play can be about anything you want or imagine: something that inspires you, a story not told before, or ideas that challenge the world around you. To help you get the most out of the experience, we also offer support and advice at every step - including dedicated resources for schools and groups getting involved, and a free workshop at the Royal Court on Tuesday 31 March.
Sponsored by Character 7, the Verity Bargate Award is Soho Theatre’s flagship new writing award with the winning play produced in a full production on our stages.
This award is for everyone. First-time writers, late starters, people who’ve been sitting on an idea for years. We don’t care about your background or your credentials—we want a great play. If you’re in the UK or Ireland and you’ve got a story burning a hole in your brain, something urgent or funny or devastating that won’t leave you alone, send it to us. Just a brilliant idea, a bold voice, and the guts to put it on the page.
The winner will receive £12,000 and a full production at Soho Theatre. Alongside the winner of the Award, we will also be selecting another writer to receive the Character 7 Commission. This writer, selected by our sponsor Character 7 in consultation with Soho Theatre, will be commissioned by Soho Theatre and join the 2027 cohort of writers on Soho ReDraft.
Submissions open on Monday 12 January, 11am and close on Monday 13 April, 11am.
Perfect for anyone aged 18+ interested in acting for screen.
This two-day course will introduce you to the techniques and skills required for acting in film and television. Learn key techniques including how to prepare for a scene, be present and how to connect with your scene partner, to give authentic and truthful performances.
You can expect to: Explore the differences between acting for stage and screen; Learn how to analyse a scene quickly and accurately; How to prepare for a scene; Work on short, scripted scenes; Learn about visual storytelling; Draw on your own life experience using the mindset technique; Utilize your imagination to bring an inner life to characters; Develop your confidence in front of a camera.
Some preparation work including reading and learning short, scripted scenes, will be required as part of the course.
Dates: Sat 18 – Sun 19 Jul 2026
Cost: £285
Deadline to book: 5pm, Friday 3 July 2026
Perfect for anyone aged 17+ who has an interest in acting and would be interested in applying for Drama School or an equivalent programme. It is also open to actors who are interested in improving their general audition technique.
Whether you are interested in developing a speech for drama school or university or just generally improving your audition technique, this two-day course will give you an insight and introduction into the tools you need to succeed.
You will look at: How to choose a speech and what to look for; Practical exercises that can be used to unlock the speech and enhance understanding; Discussion on the audition environment and techniques to encourage relaxation and readiness; Tips and techniques to bring the speech to life.
You will be expected to engage in practical tasks on the speeches that you bring to the course to work on. The atmosphere will be informal and welcoming. You will need to choose a Shakespeare speech and a modern speech that you connect with in advance of the course.
Dates: Sat 1 – Sun 2 Aug 2026
Cost: £285
Deadline to book: 5pm, Friday 3 July 2026
Perfect for anyone aged 17+ who has an interest in acting and would be interested in applying for Drama School or an equivalent programme. It is also open to actors who are interested in improving their general audition technique.
Whether you are interested in developing a speech for drama school or university or just generally improving your audition technique, this two-day course will give you an insight and introduction into the tools you need to succeed.
You will look at: How to choose a speech and what to look for; Practical exercises that can be used to unlock the speech and enhance understanding; Discussion on the audition environment and techniques to encourage relaxation and readiness; Tips and techniques to bring the speech to life.
You will be expected to engage in practical tasks on the speeches that you bring to the course to work on. The atmosphere will be informal and welcoming. You will need to choose a Shakespeare speech and a modern speech that you connect with in advance of the course.
Dates: Sat 11 – Sun 12 Apr 2026
Cost: £285
Deadline to book: 5pm, Thursday 9 April 2026
Perfect for anyone aged 18+ who wants to write a solo show to perform.
The new course is a dynamic two-day course designed to help you create a one-person performance from scratch. Whether you have a story, a character, or simply the desire to perform your own work, this intensive course will guide you from idea to page — and ultimately to stage.
Over two days, you’ll gain a practical toolkit for creating and putting on your work, in a supportive group of like-minded creatives. A practical and inspiring course that equips you with the skills to write a one-person show.
Dates: Sat 11 – Sun 12 Apr 2026
Cost: £285
Deadline to book: 5pm, Monday 30 March 2026
Perfect for anyone aged 14 to 17 with an interest in creative writing. No experience is required, just interest and enthusiasm.
Put pen to paper, let your imagination roam free and conjure your creativity with this new two-day course, led by London writer Annie Hayter.
Working with Annie, you will explore a range of literary texts including poetry and fiction, and will use artwork, photographs and songs to inspire your own creative writing. You will learn to draft and develop your own stories and explore the best ways to present, perform and publish them.
Maybe you want to write about your pet goose Doris, an imagined day in the life of your favourite popstar or whatever is important to you, this course will be a warm and open space for you to freely express yourself and delve into the depths of your imagination.
Dates: Sat 18 – Sun 19 Jul 2026
Cost: £230
Deadline to book: 5pm, Friday 3 July 2026
Perfect for anyone aged 14 to 17 with an interest in creative writing. No experience is required, just interest and enthusiasm.
Put pen to paper, let your imagination roam free and conjure your creativity with this new two-day course, led by London writer Annie Hayter.
Working with Annie, you will explore a range of literary texts including poetry and fiction, and will use artwork, photographs and songs to inspire your own creative writing. You will learn to draft and develop your own stories and explore the best ways to present, perform and publish them.
Maybe you want to write about your pet goose Doris, an imagined day in the life of your favourite popstar or whatever is important to you, this course will be a warm and open space for you to freely express yourself and delve into the depths of your imagination.
Dates: Sat 11 – Sun 12 Apr 2026
Cost: £230
Deadline to book: 5pm, Thursday 9 April 2026
Perfect for anyone aged 15–17 (years 10–12) with a passion and curiosity for acting, whether you’re new to acting or building on previous experience.
This new three-day intensive acting course delves into modern industry practice, building upon traditional Stanislavsky-based methods. The course draws on aspects of Utah Hagen, Susan Batson and Meisner providing an efficient toolkit of tips to lift your text from the page to the stage.
Participants will explore a number of different scenes and monologues through the lens of various acting tools.
The course is practical and fast-paced. You will gain a strong toolkit to unpack and analyse a variety of texts in preparation for performance and auditions. By the end of the course, you will have practical skills to apply the theory that you have learned in the course to your acting.
Dates: Fri 10 – Sun 12 Apr 2026
Cost: £450
Deadline to book: 5pm, Monday 30 March 2026
Perfect for anyone aged 11–14 (years 7–9) with a passion and curiosity for acting, whether you’re new to acting or building on previous experience.
This new three-day intensive acting course delves into modern industry practice, building upon traditional Stanislavsky-based methods. The course draws on aspects of Utah Hagen, Susan Batson and Meisner providing an efficient toolkit of tips to lift your text from the page to the stage.
Participants will explore a number of different scenes and monologues through the lens of various acting tools.
The course is practical and fast-paced. You will gain a strong toolkit to unpack and analyse a variety of texts in preparation for performance and auditions. By the end of the course, you will have practical skills to apply the theory that you have learned in the course to your acting.
Dates: Tue 7 – Thu 9 Apr 2026
Cost: £450
Deadline to book: 5pm, Monday 30 March 2026
