Amazon and Soho Theatre team up for 20 new stand-up specials
- Amazon Prime Video has bought the rights to stream Soho Theatre Live specials
- Eleven existing specials - which include Joel Dommett and Josie Long - will be available from 3rd December
- Series 2 and 3 - featuring 20 new specials between them - will be filmed and launched later in 2021
Amazon Prime Video has inked a deal with Soho Theatre that will see the venue's eleven comedy specials made available on the streaming platform, plus the production of twenty new shows for 2021.
The venue says: "Soho Theatre is delighted to today announce it has signed a three-series deal for Soho Theatre Live with Amazon Prime Video, bringing the company's signature comedy to Prime Video's UK audiences from next month. Soho Theatre Live Series 1, available from 3 December, will feature 11 existing comedy films from Soho Theatre On Demand and Series 2 and 3 will each feature 10 new shows, to be announced, filmed and broadcast in 2021."
Series 1 of Soho Theatre Live features Aditi Mittal, Dane Baptiste, Jen Brister, Jessie Cave, Joel Dommett, Josie Long, Lazy Susan, Nish Kumar, Panti Bliss, Rhys James and Shappi Khorsandi.
Four of the specials have previously been screened on Comedy Central, whilst all eleven are available on demand to Virgin Media customers, and via sohotheatreondemand.com
The central London venue's on demand platform has helped it to mitigate the financial impact of the coronavirus lockdowns. They explain: "Soho Theatre ordinarily plays to live audiences of 250,000 a year in its iconic Dean Street venue [in London], at the Edinburgh Fringe and beyond. Since its temporary closure due to covid-19, Soho Theatre relaunched its online platform, Soho Theatre On Demand globally in Spring 2020 when Phoebe Waller-Bridge and the National Theatre brought back the live recording of the original Fleabag play to both Soho Theatre On Demand and Amazon Prime Video (UK and US) for a limited time to benefit communities affected by coronavirus."
Speaking about the new deal, Mark Godfrey and David Luff from Soho Theatre say: "We're thrilled to sign this three-series deal with Amazon Prime Video. It's part of our commitment to connect the work of the brilliant performers on our Soho stages to much wider audiences. We're looking forward to introducing some of our existing filmed shows to Amazon Prime Video audiences now, and to invest in a further 20 new comedy shows to be filmed for Series 2 and 3."
The comedians taking part in Series 2 and Series 3 will be revealed in due course.