Working in the West End

The majority of West End players get started by working as deps. Deps are booked by the chairholder players, and not by fixers/contractors.

Prior to seeking work as a dep, it’s a good idea to try and get a few “sit ins” under your belt. If you have any friends or acquaintances on shows, you can ask to “sit in” and watch from the player’s perspective. You can research who the chair players are on shows (or players that regularly dep on shows) and contact them to see if you can organise a sit-in or two, with a view to becoming a dep. Social media can be handy for seeing if you've got any friends in common who might be able to recommend you or introduce you.

You could also approach touring theatre companies, to see which shows are in the planning stages and which might come to the West End.

Open auditions are becoming a more frequent occurrence these days, so it’s worth following upcoming shows on social media so you’re more likely to hear about these.

Read our Navigating the Pit Guide to learn more about getting work in theatre.

If you’d like to book a one-to-one careers chat, please contact your Regional Office.