Shoreditch Town Hall has announced its fantastic Autumn programme, celebrating the local community, the Drag Scene, the sisterhood, and the history of the building itself. With a jam-packed season filled with VR, visual art, cabaret, history, music, and more, there’s something for everyone at the iconic East London venue.
From Tuesday, 24th September to Saturday, 28th September, Shoreditch Town Hall will host the Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best VR Immersive Work at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, Goliath: Playing with Reality. Through mind-bending animation and heartfelt dialogue, Anagram’s latest offering explores the power of gaming communities in this true story of so-called ‘schizophrenia’. Echo (narrated by Tilda Swinton) guides small groups of participants through the many realities of Goliath, a man who spent years isolated in psychiatric institutions but finds connection in multiplayer games. Combining heartfelt dialogue, mesmerising visuals and symbolic interactions, journey through the multiple worlds to uncover Goliath’s poignant story.
Grab your birthday crowns – Pecs: A Drag King Festival will celebrate its 10-year anniversary at Shoreditch Town Hall! A love letter to the Drag community, Pecs will present a full day-long extravaganza on Saturday, 23rd November, filled with drag king masterclasses from the stars of the scene, panels with legendary kings and drag practitioners, exhibitions showcasing drag king history and a queer market. The evening will centre around a special anniversary cabaret at the East London venue, supported by Arts Council England. Audiences can expect some of our greatest hits, highlights, and even a few delicious new treats to tickle your tastebuds. Dance with us into the next decade of Pecs at Shoreditch Town Hall.
For two weeks in September, the Open House Festival will highlight some of London’s homes, architecture and neighbourhoods for free! Now in its 7th edition at Shoreditch Town Hall, Guided Tours will educate participants about the architecture and design of the building, as well as show participants some of the building’s best-kept secrets. Refreshments will also be available!
Explore behind the scenes at the iconic Grade II Listed venue with History Tours on Saturdays throughout Autumn. Discovering spaces typically closed to the public, attendees can learn about Shoreditch Town Hall’s development, from a 19th-century municipal building to holding the inquest into the murder of Jack the Ripper’s last victim, Mary Kelly in 1888 to becoming one of the East End’s premiere boxing venues in the 60s, hosting colourful trance nights with the now infamous Whirl-Y-Gig in the 1990s, to the leading arts venue it is today. The Shoreditch Town Hall staff team will also showcase the filming locations of recent fan favourites Baby Reindeer and A Quiet Place: Day One. Watch out for ghosts in “The Ditch,” the versatile basement space recently home to Summer in the Ditch.
This year, Shoreditch Town Hall is participating in the annual Fun Palaces weekend. Come and be part of what happens in our building as we open our doors to our community for a family-friendly day of creativity and chat. Meet the local groups who visit us regularly, participate in crafty workshops, and celebrate the history and the arts that make up Shoreditch Town Hall.
Commissioned by Home Live Art for their 25th anniversary, I’ve Been Looking For Things That Last is an evening of performance curated by the acclaimed artist and choreographer SERAFINE1369, showcasing a cyclical programme of works from invited artists and set amidst a pile of dirt. Reimagining Home Live Art’s legendary Performance Salons, this three-hour programme of performance invites the audience to view the works from various angles and perspectives, encouraging audiences to look again, readjust, and engage with the experience at their own pace.
To My Sisters Live Podcast on Saturday, 9th November, is the annual gathering of the sisters in the city where it all started: London. Shoreditch Town Hall will host the podcast’s fourth live show of the year, with an incredible line-up featuring inspiring women and men from various fields who will share their stories, insights and tips. This is for women from all walks of life to come together with a shared purpose: to uplift and empower one another through friendship. This event is a call for all women to embrace their power and chase their dreams together. Bring a sister with you!
Shoreditch Town Hall will host Theatre Re’s one-week intensive, Beginnings, which will take participants through the process of making visually striking theatre with original live music. Unpacking how the work starts and evolves, participants will learn how to uncover and play with physical details to enhance their performance skills, develop new material, and push the boundaries of what theatre, without a playwright, can do. They will also learn how to respond to a live musician, honing the balance of leaning into and challenging the music. Monthly Training Classes will also run during Autumn (22nd September, 20th October, 17th November, 15th December), as Theatre Re’s Guillaume Pigé (Theatre Re Director and RADA Associate) offers artists a fresh approach to developing their skills and creativity in an open, playful and generous environment.
Regular favourite Town Hall Tea Dances continue throughout the year (9th September, 7th October, 4th November), delighting audiences with an opportunity to dance the afternoon away in the magnificent surroundings of the Assembly Hall.
Julie Flavell, CEO of Shoreditch Town Hall, said, “We’ve got an exciting line-up coming this autumn that really captures the heart and soul of our community. From the return of our beloved Town Hall Tea Dance and Open House to our first Shoreditch Town Hall Fun Palace, we’re opening up our building for family-friendly events to host our regular visitors and meet new ones, too. In November, we’ll celebrate ten years of our favourite drag kings, Pecs, with a building-wide festival that will truly be a love letter to the drag king community. And we’re welcoming new friends too, with innovative VR experiences from Anagram, a live podcast from To My Sisters and an incredible evening of performance presented by Home Live Art and curated by SERAFINE1369, celebrating their 25th anniversary. After starting as interim CEO in January, I’m delighted to be stepping into the role permanently. I can’t wait to welcome everyone for what promises to be a fantastic season.”
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