If you fancy catching the West End debut of the stars of the future, now’s your chance. From tonight, the latest young people to follow Helen Mirren, Matt Lucas and Daniel Craig to stardom through the auspices of the National Youth Theatre will be demonstrating their talent at the Soho Theatre.

The season of work includes three new plays on subjects ranging from homosexual young Tories — in tonight’s opening play, Tory Boyz, by 25-year-old James Graham — to life in the Middle East in Eating Ice Cream on Gaza Beach by Shelley Silas. In Out of Me, by Jane Bodie, four young women with very different lives fall pregnant and share the same decision on whether to have an abortion. The final evening is a programme of comedies and sketches on the NHS at 60, including a one-act play by the comedian Sean Hughes.

Tickets are selling strongly and Paul Roseby, the NYT’s artistic director, promises the works will be entertaining, rather than worthy. And no concessions need be made for the 120 young people involved, on or off stage.

“The one thing we don’t want to do is put people off going to theatre in general. I view it that we’re competing with the other key stakeholders in the West End. We’re on the same listings pages so judge us and treat us the same as them,” he says.

“What we’re offering is a really exciting, innovative selection of new work. When people ask ‘Where are the new plays in the West End?’ the answer is — we’re doing them. We can do them because we’re not asking for a six-month run but for four weeks. We’re telling good, thought-provoking stories and showcasing the best of new British talent with great ensemble performances that rival anything else you’ll see in the West End.”

Hopes are high of success — last year, Tanika Gupta’s White Boy sold out and was asked to return for a second run. How can you not give a night of talent-spotting a whirl?

Until Saturday 13 September. Box office: 020 7478 0100.