Our Autumn season is well underway, with highlights ahead including bold solo performances with Dance Umbrella, powerful family stories from curious directive, and the return of the iconic DARKFIELD. This weekend brings Little Bulb Theatre’s London premiere of Listen Dance, plus free events with Fun Palaces and New Earth Theatre, and more. Dive into October’s #FriendsAtSTH blog – your monthly roundup of unmissable events and inspiring people coming to our building.

Autumn Season

Little Bulb: Listen Dance

3 & 4 October

Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to spin to the music as the Olivier Award-winning Little Bulb takes you on an exciting adventure of joy, laughter and dance in their London premiere of Listen Dance in our Assembly Hall this Friday and Saturday. Accompanied by a genre-hopping 9-piece live band, you’ll be invited onto the dance floor to explore a range of dance styles – from ceilidh to candy, disco to drum & bass, and even a beginner’s guide to moshing! We’ll also be joined by Laurie K-A, founder of STRUT – a sell-out sensation of London’s queer scene, bringing a fresh, fabulous twist to line-dancing, with moves set to your favourite pop tracks. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes moving, always joyful, every dance is opt-in and beginner-friendly, welcoming all to immerse themselves in this extraordinary event. Book your tickets now.

Shoreditch Town Hall is a Fun Palace!

4 October

This Saturday, we’re bringing communities from across London (and beyond!) together for Fun Palaces – a full day of creativity and activities that spark new connections and inspiration. You’ll have the opportunity to play board games in our Front Room, join in a protest singing workshop with Filament Theatre, Hula Hoop with The Majorettes, experience an immersive audio show from Dens & Signals, and lots more. Free entry, booking is advised for some of the experiences. Find out more.

Town Hall Tea Dance 

20 October

Mr Wonderful is back to bring you an afternoon of groovy moves and tasty cakes as you dance the afternoon away in the magnificent surroundings of our Assembly Hall. Grab your friend and come on down to meet people from all over London and beyond as our iconic tea dance lights up our space once more. Want to brush up on your moves before the event? Book the Beginners Dance Class with former world champion Raymond Root to get you in the mood. Find out more on our website.

Dance Umbrella: LANDSCAPE by Elena Antoniou

24 & 25 October

Dance Umbrella returns to Shoreditch Town Hall this October with a bold and intimate performance by Cypriot performer, Elena Antoniou, who transforms her body into a living stage, daring you to watch. Oscillating between pleasure and pain, LANDSCAPE invites us into a world where self-objectification becomes a radical act. With striking physicality and unapologetic presence, the show explores how personal experience can become a shared space – a landscape shaped by desire, exposure and resistance. Head to our website and explore more about the show. 

curious directive: Black Sheep

24 October – 1 November

Multi-award-winning curious directive are back at Shoreditch Town Hall with their razor-sharp new family drama, Black Sheep. Exploring the impact of the climate emergency and geopolitics, through a poignant and hopeful story, Black Sheep was made in collaboration with 12 Norfolk farmers and the National Theatre to shine a light on the dilemmas facing generations of farming families in rural Britain today. Find out more.

Learning for Artists

Darkfield Masterclass: Making Immersive Audio Experiences

14 & 21 October

Delve into DARKFIELD‘s unique creative practise, and explore how they bring experiences to life through in-depth storytelling and binaural equipment. Learn how to place the audience at the centre of your work and how to heighten immersion and interactivity in this popular masterclass for artists. With limited availability, book now to secure your slot. 

Theatre Re’s Monthly Training Classes 

19 October

Town Hall favourites, Theatre Re return with their Monthly Training Classes for artists. Exploring Corporeal Mime technique, these sessions allow participants to learn the creative process behind the company’s work, including conditioning the body in preparation for rigorous training, improvisation and composition inspired by the company’s current projects. Find out more about Theatre Re and the workshop by clicking here. 

Music & Exhibition

New Earth Theatre’s: Living Archive Exhibition 

1 – 11 October

Visit New Earth Theatre’s 30th Anniversary Living Archive taking up residency in our Artist Workspace. The UK’s first ever archive dedicated to British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) theatre, it features photos, scripts, programmes, oral history excerpts and new writing, as it shines a light on the changing arts landscape in the UK since 1995. At its heart, it celebrates the creativity and resilience of BESEA artists while telling the story of New Earth Theatre itself. Entry is free but booking is advised. Click here to find out more and book.

Sofar Fringe

11 October

Sofar Sounds heads to Shoreditch Town Hall this month for their very first Sofar Fringe – a festival reimagined. A day of grassroots culture and diversity celebrating the very best of UK art & talent across Music, Comedy, Dance, Spoken Word, Thought Leadership, and Culinary Experiences. This will be an epic event of creativity, inspiration and art. Tickets are currently on 5th release so get booking to avoid disappointment. Head to their website to find out more.

Hackney Singers’ Autumn Concert

12 October

Taking place in our Assembly Hall, Hackney Singers’ Autumn Concert features a programme of moving and contemplative music. Originating in 1973 as an evening class at Hackney Institute, Hackney Singers has grown from strength to strength. Proudly cherishing its community roots, the choir – now 150-strong – puts on 3 or 4 concerts a year, often in Hackney venues, but also at the Royal Festival Hall. This time they will be accompanied by three exceptionally talented young musicians: mezzo soprano Niamh Kearney, baritone Alex Bower-Brown and organist James Orford. Explore more about the performers and the event here. 

Supporting our Artistic Community

Peut Etre Theatre rehearses The Sleep Show

1 – 3 & 20 October

Award-winning children’s dance theatre company Peut Etre are back at Shoreditch Town Hall to rehearse their dreamy dance-theatre experience. The Sleep Show is a heartfelt and poetic exploration of sleep, where the wonders of dreaming, soothing rhythms of lullabies, and secrets of the body clock come to life through dance. A playful adventure which softly explores the challenges children face around bedtime, this show encourages meaningful conversations between parents and children about the importance of a good night’s rest. Explore more here. 

Butch Heroes: Research & Development

3, 16, 23 & 30 Oct

The Ditch is being used as a rehearsal space for Lydia Higman and Rachel Lemon‘s new show – Butch Heroes. As a part of an artist residency, Higman and Lemon have been given the space in-kind to support the work’s development.

Heather Jones rehearses her new show

10 October

“We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it: and I guess that’s now” is a play about the end of all things. In this haunting meditation on memory and mortality where two lifelong friends reunite at the end of all things. On at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre from 14 – 18 October, this beautiful feminist piece “A poignant tale of strength, resilience, and the enduring power of familial love.” 4/5 Stars – Curtain Call Reviews. Find out more about the show and book here. 

Local Lounge Returns

Local Lounge is back this Autumn and you’re the first to know about it! Launching next Wednesday 8 October, you can be a part of our Local Lounge initative which offers free use of our Front Room space for Hackney-based grassroots organisations, charities and not-for-profits to use for meetings, social events, training sessions, creative workshops, and more. If you’re looking for free space to host your next community event, Local Lounge is available to book for dates falling between the Monday 20 October – Friday 19 December.

From Paint N Sip nights to focus groups, mindfulness sessions to networking, there is an endless possibility of what you can use our Local Lounge for. For more information on Local Lounge and to submit your interest, head to our website on the afternoon of Wednesday 8 October. We look forward to welcoming you back!