London’s Seven Dials Playhouse is entering an ambitious new chapter, strengthening its commitment to artistic development with a bold, curated programming model and expanded support for theatre makers and performers. The organisation is redefining its role as a dynamic hub for creative collaboration, artist training, and innovative live performance in the heart of the West End.
At the heart of this new direction are pioneering artist development initiatives, designed to provide crucial resources and opportunities not only for emerging theatre makers, but also for those at any age or stage who continue to build sustainable creative careers, recognising that talent and the need for support do not disappear with age or experience.
We sat down with Katie Pesskin, creative director of the venue, to learn more about this new chapter for the venue.
Where did your time with Seven Dials Playhouse begin?
I run London Youth Theatre; a youth charity aimed at making performing arts more financially accessible for young people across London. In 2022, we started a partnership with Seven Dials Playhouse, and two of our three shows each year are now rehearsed and performed there. It’s an incredible opportunity for our members to be in the heart of the West End each week. That was how my relationship with the organisation began, and over time I got to understand how focused Seven Dials Playhouse is on creating opportunities for artists in a financially accessible way - something that really aligns with our ethos at London Youth Theatre. When I came in to work as part of the team, it felt like a natural continuation of that shared vision.
What was it about this venue and the role that drew you in?
The opportunity to create pathways for artists to develop work and get it staged in a small theatre space in such a central location really stood out. That kind of opportunity is something I had been craving earlier in my own career, so being in a position now to offer it to others is hugely exciting.
Why did you decide to shift to a fully curated model?
This chapter started with asking what artists need right now. In so many conversations, the barriers weren’t just about affording space - it was about being able to take time off work to even be in that space. So, we’ve put a focus not just on providing opportunities but also offering fees to artists to do that work. It costs money to come up with an idea, and people need the time and space to do that. We’ve also seen a clear shift over the last decade: more and more artists want to make their own work. It’s how the industry is evolving, and we want to support that by meeting artists where they are and creating infrastructure that makes the process possible.
We have always been mostly curated - I’d say around 90% - but the shift to season-based programming has allowed us to be more transparent. It gives us a clearer way to communicate what we’re looking for at any given time. Artists often say they don’t know how to get programmed in a venue, and this approach allows us to say: “Right now, we’re looking for work that fits this theme, if that’s you, please apply.” It’s about opening up that process as clearly and accessibly as possible.
How important is it for the venue to continue to work with new and upcoming creatives?
It’s really important and that’s not to say we won’t work with experienced artists as well. But we’re especially excited to see work that comes through our development initiatives, and hopefully to see some of that work on our stages too. Supporting people to create work will always be part of our ethos. That support isn’t limited to younger artists either - we want to engage with people at all stages of their career.
It’s really important and that’s not to say we won’t work with experienced artists as well. But we’re especially excited to see work that comes through our development initiatives, and hopefully to see some of that work on our stages too. Supporting people to create work will always be part of our ethos. That support isn’t limited to younger artists either - we want to engage with people at all stages of their career.
How do you go about making the work accessible in terms of both cost and diversity?
Transparency is key. We run open calls for at least three seasons each year, with a clear brief and a simple application process. None of our submissions - whether for programming or development - are overly labour-intensive. We’ve tried to make it easy and accessible for artists to engage with us.
In terms of cost: we pay people through our development initiatives. Workshops are either heavily subsidised or free. Shows we programme don’t aren’t charged upfront hire costs. That’s about reducing the financial pressure artists face, especially around cash flow.
Transparency is key. We run open calls for at least three seasons each year, with a clear brief and a simple application process. None of our submissions - whether for programming or development - are overly labour-intensive. We’ve tried to make it easy and accessible for artists to engage with us.
In terms of cost: we pay people through our development initiatives. Workshops are either heavily subsidised or free. Shows we programme don’t aren’t charged upfront hire costs. That’s about reducing the financial pressure artists face, especially around cash flow.
How does this season fit alongside the long term goals for the venue?
I guess our goal is to have a stream of really diverse artists continually moving through the Playhouse. in our current Pride Season alone, it feels like we have an incredibly diverse range of performers, shows and styles of performance for audiences to attend as well as the artists that are involved. We've got everything from comedy and clowning to theatre and drag as well as networking opportunities and play readings. So, there's a really broad range of ways for artists and audiences to engage with the organisation and I think that's going to be really key for us.
How do you view the current landscape for theatre?
It’s a really challenging time to be making theatre. Audiences are understandably more cautious - cost of living pressures mean people are less willing to take a chance on something unfamiliar, which makes it harder for artists to develop bold, original work. There’s a growing sense that people will only go to shows with major stars or well-known titles, which is frustrating when you're trying to champion fresh, exciting voices.
It’s a really challenging time to be making theatre. Audiences are understandably more cautious - cost of living pressures mean people are less willing to take a chance on something unfamiliar, which makes it harder for artists to develop bold, original work. There’s a growing sense that people will only go to shows with major stars or well-known titles, which is frustrating when you're trying to champion fresh, exciting voices.
What’s interesting is that people do recognise that breakout hits like Fleabag and Baby Reindeer started as small, solo shows at places like the Edinburgh Fringe. But there’s often a disconnect between that understanding and the decision to take a risk on something new. It can feel easier or more ‘worth it’ to spend hundreds of pounds on something star-led, even when the reviews aren’t great, than to spend £15 on an unknown artist’s debut. But in reality, that smaller investment can have a huge impact, both for the artist and for the future of theatre.
That’s why I think it’s so important for small arts organisations to nurture work at its earliest stages. Shows that have gone on to shift the cultural landscape started in tiny venues with tiny budgets. Supporting that kind of grassroots work is essential if we want to discover the next Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Michaela Coel or Richard Gadd. At Seven Dials Playhouse, we’re really focused on placing value in those early stages, on supporting the artists and stories that have the potential to change everything.
What was the first piece of theatre you saw that had a big impact on you?
Well, this is an interesting question. I was taken to see Noddy live on stage as a toddler and I had recurring nightmares about it. So, I think that definitely had an impact on me, but it luckily it didn't put me off!
Well, this is an interesting question. I was taken to see Noddy live on stage as a toddler and I had recurring nightmares about it. So, I think that definitely had an impact on me, but it luckily it didn't put me off!
That was probably the very first piece of theatre that I saw that genuinely had a real impact on my mental state as a two or three-year-old. But as an adult, there's a piece of theatre that always comes to mind when I think about this kind of question. It was 2011 and it was called Skittles, written and performed by a performance poet and actor called Richard Marsh and it was just this incredible piece of storytelling. If I remember correctly, it was all told in rhyming couplets. And it was just a really beautiful powerful piece and I think it was the first really small piece of theatre that I'd seen that had really struck me and it gave me this incredible belief in the power of just excellent storytelling. I think that's something I’ve taken with me through my career.
So that, or Noddy I guess!
What keeps you inspired?
Collaborating with artists really excites me and inspires me and always has. I'm someone that loves being in the rehearsal room. If I could just be in rehearsals for something forever, I would
be so happy. I love being in a room with actors’ brains and a writer’s brain and other creatives’ brains just making something and telling a story and kind of creating a world and getting to know the characters that you're working with. A lot of the work I do is developing scripts from a really early stage and collaborating with the writer through that process, and that's something really great about the kind of work we're doing at Seven Dials Playhouse; we're able to collaborate with artists at varying stages of their work and that feels really exciting to me.
Collaborating with artists really excites me and inspires me and always has. I'm someone that loves being in the rehearsal room. If I could just be in rehearsals for something forever, I would
be so happy. I love being in a room with actors’ brains and a writer’s brain and other creatives’ brains just making something and telling a story and kind of creating a world and getting to know the characters that you're working with. A lot of the work I do is developing scripts from a really early stage and collaborating with the writer through that process, and that's something really great about the kind of work we're doing at Seven Dials Playhouse; we're able to collaborate with artists at varying stages of their work and that feels really exciting to me.
You can find out more about Seven Dials Playhouse by checking out their Website https://www.sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk/. Artists keen to get involved can visit https://www.sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk/artists
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