Soho Theatre Walthamstow is opening this week in a blaze of glory. And that’s no exaggeration as anyone who casts their eye of the latest pictures of its interiors; a 1930s Grade II listed building revamped as the hottest new entertainment venue in town. And not just that either. While comedy, cabaret, and theatre - the winning mix from the original Soho Theatre - will be present and correct, the place will also be a genuine community hub, with tutorials and classes taking place, studio spaces, a restaurant and four bars No wonder Alessandro Babalola (Top Boy actos and co-chair of Soho Theatre Walthamstow) and Mark Godfrey (co-exec director) are buzzing with the excitement of all this. “I just sat in the foyer this week, as all of these people are coming into the building,” Babalola says, “Because I wanted to see them taking in the beauty of the building. You can just see how they are taken aback by the aesthetic gorgeousness. When you've got such beauty around you, it just improves the quality of your experience tenfold.” The building was originally built as a 2700-set cinema, from the golden age of picture houses, but says when he moved to the area 15 years the building was at the centre of protests; having closed in 2002, it was going to be converted into a church until the campaign intervened. He eventually was part of a group who collaborated with Soho Theatre to save the building, before Waltham Forest Council came onboard and after a long process they bought it in partnership with the Theatre in 2019 and the restoration could begin. This gleaming 1000-seat wonder is the result. “It was a building that meant a lot to local people and there was this really kind of passionate campaign to save it,” says Godfrey, “Our vision was that we can respect the heritage of the building, but reinvent it for the future, as a local theatre with a national profile. So this is building that feels really locally owned and has a good sense of its place, but it can also attract an audience. We made it into a venue with 1000 good seats rather than rather than the old cinema and make it a venue for live performance. There's beauty, but there's also comfort. All the seats are new and really comfortable, and they've all got great legroom, and they've all got a cup holder! I hope it'll be like a premium West End experience, but at a much lower cost.” Babalola was born in the area and knows full-well what such a venue can mean to people, not simply as a gathering point but as an inspirational symbol. “East London, and particularly this borough has got two special things about it, “ he says, “Number one, it's one of the most multicultural parts of the city, and number two, it's got more creatives, residentially-speaking than any other parts of London as well. When you think of that combination of multi-culture and creatives, what they utterly need is a place where all of that can explode, and the best way that explosion can take place is entertainment. Being born and raised in this borough, I'd always wanted a theatre in our borough. We used to go to the Stratford Theatre for pantomime or the Hackney Empire. But what I really wanted was a theatre in my borough. Quite frankly I would have been happy with a hall, but we were given ninth of wonder of the world! But the fact is, for all of the people like me who've grown up doing creative things, street dance classes, music classes, but not actually having a base, it's amazing.” One scheme they’ll be running here on this level is Primary Playwrights, where schoolkids can put their work on stage. There’ll be writing workshops, in-conversation sessions, and those all-important panto coming at Christmas. “We haven't had a pantomime in the borough for over 50 years, and it’s something that has been needed for a very long time.” But it’s not just the creative inspiration taking place, it’s the economic benefit coming to the area as well. Says Godfrey, “One of the real drivers is economic regeneration and job creation. We've created 100 new jobs in the borough and 70% are local people. We had a training day the other day, and it was just fantastic to see so many local people getting a first job in the in the in the cultural sector. Another example is that we have a lot of bars here, and our own lager called Neon Lager, and that is brewed for us locally in the borough by a family firm of brewers. The order that we've been able to give them for both Soho Theatre bar in Dean Street and here means that they've been able to invest in in new equipment in their brewery and also create an apprenticeship scheme. That’s culture-led regeneration, and I think that's a really important part of it.” Indeed, and as the programme begins with Natalie Palamides’ acclaimed romantic-dramedy, Weer, you can bet all eyes will be turned to Walthamstow. “It’s only 20 minutes from Oxford Circus!” reminds Babalola. Take a look at the full event programme for Soho Walthamstow.