HACKNEY EMPIRE ANNOUNCES NEW SHOWS FOR THEIR 25/26 SEASON
- ely01123
- Jun 1
- 5 min read
NEW SEASON 25/6 TICKETS ON SALE AT HACKNEY EMPIRE
THE BLESSING: POWER OF COMMUNITY – A CELEBRATION MARKING WINDRUSH DAY AND REFUGEE WEEK, WITH R&B AND SOUL LEGEND TERRI WALKER HEADLINING – 22 JUNE
CITY OF LONDON SINFONIA PARTNERS WITH HACKNEY EMPIRE FOR NEW FRONTIERS SEASON
CARLOS ACOSTA’S NUTCRACKER IN HAVANA PLAYS HACKNEY EMPIRE – 4 – 6 NOVEMBER
Plus, stand-up, live podcast recordings, televised events and new theatre including Oliver Samuels’ Di Prodigal Pickney
The whole team at Hackney Empire today announces details of forthcoming shows in the 2025 season, with new work, returning artists and a wide-ranging programme of music, theatre, comedy and live events.
The Blessing: Power of Community
Coming up in June is The Blessing: Power of Community, a spectacular celebration marking Windrush Day (22 June) and Refugee Week 2025 (17-23 June) that will bring together musicians, artists and our local community.
The event on Sunday 22 June starts with a Caribbean blessing for Hackney, featuring drumming, spoken word, steel pan and singing, and finishes with massed choirs taking the stage alongside an exciting line up of musical headliners including R&B and soul legend Terri Walker and more to be announced.
A partnership between Hackney Empire, Counterpoints Arts and Rising Tide, The Blessing will be guided by conversations and creative collaboration between young people and their elders.
Counterpoints Arts’ Associate Curator, Kristine Tan, said, “The Counterpoints Arts team is delighted to be partnering with Hackney Empire to harness the superpower of community, and create a space for Windrush Day and Refugee Week to come together in solidarity and imaginings of a shared future. Everyone involved will play a vital role in creating a shared space of belonging, making it a day to remember.”
All ticket sales will go towards supporting Hackney Empire and Counterpoints' wider engagement programmes. The event is funded by the Windrush Day Grant Scheme, supported by Ministry of Housing Community and Local Government administered by Near Neighbours, and is supported by Hackney Council.
CITY OF LONDON SINFONIA’S NEW FRONTIERS SEASON, IN ASSOCIATION WITH HACKNEY EMPIRE
City of London Sinfonia launches its New Frontiers season, in association with Hackney Empire, with three orchestral performances taking place between September 2025 and March 2026, as well as a fourth at Hackney Church.
The season starts on Wednesday 17 September with New Frontiers: Explorers, a thrilling musical journey through high seas, wild landscapes, and imagined worlds.
This cinematic concert features music from Jurassic Park, Moana, Master and Commander, and Indiana Jones; showcasing soundtracks that evoke survival, mythology, and the power of discovery. Audiences will experience the sweeping drama of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sheherazade, inspired by ancient tales and the composer’s visions of deep blue seas. Hear Hannah Kendall’s Tuxedo, a fierce response to Basquiat’s paintings and the legacy of colonial exploration.
Following this, on Wednesday 22 October, New Frontiers: Trailblazers will celebrate musical pioneers who broke the mould. Led from within by violinist Alexandra Wood, the orchestra performs without a conductor, turning it into a living, breathing heartbeat to create a different and exhilarating experience for the audience. Full on tension and the thrill of the unknown, with no one keeping time from the podium, this is orchestral music at its most alive and risky!
City of London Sinfonia will transform the beautifully restored Hackney Church, Hackney’s iconic 18th-century church-turned-contemporary arts venue, into a space of shifting light and shadow for New Frontiers: From Dusk ‘til Dawn, on Thursday 6 November for the third concert in the season. This atmospheric evening will take audiences on a journey through sound, sleep, and starlight, moving from William Herschel’s Symphony No.2 to Messiaen’s ‘Interstellar Call’ and Debussy’s ‘Clair de Lune’. A space made for bold sounds and voices, every note resonates through timeworn stone and contemporary stillness in the church.
Closing the season at Hackney Empire, THE EXOPLANETS takes place on Friday 13 March, 2026. At the heart of THE EXOPLANETS is composer Audrey, rebuilding her life after bereavement by opening her home to seven foster children. Each child becomes a planet of their own, reshaping her life with unique energy, challenges and joy. Over three decades, their lives unfold in tandem with a growing symphonic suite, a musical tribute Audrey composes to the galaxies they build together.
Inspired by the discovery of planets beyond our solar system, THE EXOPLANETS blends live orchestral music, theatre, and real data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Created by City of London Sinfonia and award-winning theatre company curious directive, it features music by seven visionary composers, each exploring the sound of a different and newly discovered exoplanet.
Hackney Empire Executive Director and CEO Jo Hemmant says: “We are thrilled to be working with City of London Sinfonia on this series of concerts over the coming year. At Hackney Empire we believe that everyone should be able to experience and create extraordinary art and culture and this ties in perfectly with City of London Sinfonia’s ethos that music should be part of everyone’s life. Together we hope that these concerts will introduce new and existing audiences to Hackney Empire and City of London Sinfonia, as we invite you on a journey of exploration through nature, early composers, the planets and the unknown.”
Tickets and information for the concert season can be found here.
Following a hugely successful premiere sell out tour, Carlos Acosta’s Nutcracker in Havana will play Hackney Empire from Tuesday 4 – Thursday 6 November. This Cuban take on the favourite festive classic features new choreography by Carlos Acosta CBE and performed by his Cuban company, Acosta Danza.
Set to an exuberant Cuban version of the magnificent Tchaikovsky score, the timeless story is brought to life with ballet at its core, enriched with Acosta Danza’s unique style and with Cuban dance traditions woven throughout the much-loved and joyful family tale.
Comedy
Comedy shows now on sale for the autumn/winter 2025–26 season include Phil Hanley: Spellbound (Friday 12 September 2025), offering a new hour from the Canadian comic known for his dry wit and sharp observational style. Kojo Anim returns to Hackney Empire on (Saturday 28 September 2025) with Married to the Game, celebrating 25 years in comedy. Kane Brown brings Don’t Listen to Me (Saturday 12 October 2025), a new live set from the stand-up regular across Hackney stages. White Yardie makes his solo debut at the venue with Straight Outta Jamaica (Sunday 27 October 2025).
A new show from Michelle de Swarte, The Afters (Saturday 21 February 2026), is also announced. Known for her work in The Duchess and Spitting Image, this will be her latest stand-up offering. Bridget Christie: Jacket Potato Pizza (Friday 20 March 2026) brings the Taskmaster Series 13 contestant and creator of Channel 4’s The Change back to the stage, in a new show covering topics from kidney stones to stray cats and eye-themed fetishes.
Podcasts & Live Events
The season also includes a range of live events and podcast-related shows. The British Soap Awards 2025 will be broadcast live from Hackney Empire on (Saturday 31 May 2025). Matty Matheson, the Canadian chef and actor best known for his role in The Bear, appears on (Wednesday 11 June 2025) for a special live event. Oxventure: Tales From the Guild (Friday 30 January 2026) brings the popular Dungeons & Dragons podcast to Hackney Empire for the first time, as part of a UK-wide tour. No experience with D&D is required – the show is designed to welcome newcomers and long-time fans alike.
Other Highlights
Theatre highlights include a new production from Oliver Samuels, Di Prodigal Pickney (Sunday 13 October 2025), from the acclaimed Jamaican actor and comedian.
Tickets for all performances are on sale now.
Website: www.hackneyempire.co.uk / Facebook @HackneyEmpire / Bluesky- @HackneyEmpire / Instagram - @HackneyEmpire
