Hackney Empire Announces 125th Anniversary Plans for Hackney 2026

Key Points

• Landmark Anniversary: Hackney Empire has officially announced its first phase of plans to celebrate its landmark 125th anniversary, marking over a century of cultural contributions since its founding in 1901.
• Strategic Vision: The venue is launching a major new chapter under the banner “Hackney:Central,” aimed at supporting artists and young people, building new partnerships, and premiering new productions.
• 16-Month Programme: The celebrations will feature a comprehensive 16-month programme kicking off with a special launch weekend on 19 and 20 September.
• High-Profile Collaborations: Planned events include a 10th-anniversary tour performance by Theatre Re, Talawa Theatre Company’s 40th-anniversary showcase, and a new “Empire Nights” variety series hosted by Jamali Maddix.
• Comedy Royalty Returns: Legendary alternative comedy figures Sir Lenny Henry and Jo Brand will return to the historic stage in November.
• Pantomime and Future Co-Productions: Clive Rowe will return to direct and star as Dame in Jack and the Beanstalk, followed by the world premiere tour of Nanny of the Maroons in 2027.
• Heritage Funding Secured: The theatre has confirmed developmental support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to plan future capital works and preserve its community history.

Hackney (East London Times) June 17, 2026 – The historic Hackney Empire theatre has officially unveiled the initial details of its landmark 125th anniversary celebrations, establishing a major new artistic framework titled Hackney:Central. As detailed in the official launch documentation released by Chief Executive Officer Chris Sudworth and the venue’s executive team, the celebrated East London institution will embark on a comprehensive 16-month programming schedule designed to honour its cultural legacy since 1901 while securing its future position within the local, capital, and national theatrical landscapes.

The extensive celebratory season is scheduled to commence with an expansive public launch weekend on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September. This opening phase will incorporate an outdoor festival stage curated by the theatre’s Young Producers, a dedicated retrospective exhibition highlighting seminal moments from the building’s 125-year history, and a unique cross-sector collaboration with the London College of Fashion to launch a new football kit for Hackney Women’s FC. Additionally, the venue will open its doors to invite local residents and international visitors to explore the Grade II* listed building, historically described by media titles such as Time Out as “London’s most beautiful theatre.”

What Are the Initial Plans for Hackney Empire’s 125th Anniversary?

According to the official announcement published by the Hackney Empire communications team, the celebratory framework has been constructed around the core ethos of “Hackney:Central.”

The initiative seeks to reposition the venue as a primary creative anchor for under-represented creatives, global majority artists, and local youth demographics.

The anniversary period will officially culminate around the theatre’s formal birthday in December 2026, though the programming will stretch across 16 months to integrate extensive community projects, co-productions, and archival research.

In an official statement detailing the executive vision, Hackney Empire CEO Chris Sudworth stated:

“Hackney Empire is a unique and magical venue, delivering iconic experiences of theatre, comedy, music and cultural change with the people of Hackney since 1901. Our 125th anniversary is a moment of huge celebration, and a moment to look forward, imagining what is possible.

“Hackney:Central builds on our history and looks to the future – central to supporting the ambitions of artists and young people, central to the development of a more representative arts workforce, central to new partnerships, productions and collaborations, central to the lives of local people and ever-more central to the local, London and national arts narrative.”

Sudworth further expressed his professional sentiment regarding the milestone, noting that he felt “excited, proud and honoured to be leading Hackney Empire into its 125th year, alongside our committed, caring and talented team.”

Which Theatrical Productions Form the October Anniversary Line-Up?

Following the opening weekend in September, the month of October has been designated as a period of shared artistic milestones with external touring companies.

As reported in the seasonal programme, the internationally renowned physical theatre company Theatre Re, under the leadership of Hackney-based Director Guillaume Pige, will occupy the venue on Thursday 8 October.

The performance will mark the launch of the 10th anniversary tour of their globally acclaimed, award-winning production, The Nature of Forgetting.

The theatrical schedule intensifies on Tuesday 13 October, when Hackney Empire acts as both host and co-producer for Talawa Theatre Company’s 40th Anniversary Showcase.

This specific event is designed to celebrate four decades of Talawa’s work in pioneering Black excellence within British theatre.

The evening is set to feature a high-profile, star-studded line-up of performers, which organizers state will be formally announced closer to the event date.

Representatives for the venue emphasized that the partnership directly reflects Hackney Empire’s long-standing institutional commitment to championing global majority creatives and community sectors.

What Is the “Empire Nights” Live Variety Series?

On Thursday 22 October, the theatre will formally introduce Empire Nights, a newly conceived live performance series intended to recontextualise the venue’s historic roots in traditional variety theatre.

The series aims to bring together prominent contemporary figures from the spheres of comedy, music, and wider British culture under the curation of rotating guest hosts.

The inaugural edition of Empire Nights will be led by comedian Jamali Maddix. As confirmed by the venue’s programming department, Maddix’s personally selected line-up will feature notable performance artists including:

• Guz Khan
• Michelle de Swarte
• Kyrah Gray
• Manga St Hilare
• DJ Lex Blondin

The organizers have also indicated that a high-profile, unannounced special musical guest will participate in the opening night, with details remaining strictly confidential until the performance week.

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Which Comedy Icons Are Returning to the East London Stage?

The month of November will shift focus toward celebrating Hackney Empire’s legacy as a foundational hub for the British live comedy circuit. Historically, the venue played an influential role during the 1980s renaissance of alternative comedy in the United Kingdom, serving as a launching pad for numerous household names.

To mark this specific heritage, the theatre will welcome back two of its most prominent early headliners for dedicated retrospective evenings:

• Sir Lenny Henry: Scheduled to appear on Tuesday 3 November.
• Jo Brand: Scheduled to perform on Thursday 5 November.

These performances are designed to celebrate the venue’s historical significance in shifting the paradigms of mainstream British comedy during the late 20th century.

What Details Have Been Revealed for the 2026 Pantomime and 2027 Co-Productions?

The winter season will conclude with the presentation of the traditional Hackney pantomime, which for the 125th anniversary year will be a production of Jack and the Beanstalk. The production will feature the return of Olivier Award-winner Clive Rowe in the traditional role of the Dame.

Rowe will also assume directorial responsibilities for the production, following his critically acclaimed and award-nominated work on the 2025 staging of Cinderella. Marketing representatives for the theatre have noted that specialized, anniversary-specific content will be integrated into the run, with precise details to be made public later in the year.

Looking forward into the calendar year of 2027, management confirmed that plans are well advanced for a series of high-profile co-productions, which are intended to signal the expanded creative scale of the Hackney:Central era. Full details of these ventures are scheduled for a formal press release in September.

However, the theatre has confirmed the scheduling of Nanny of the Maroons, a major new co-production between the Belgrade Theatre, Hackney Empire, and the touring theatre company tiata fahodzi.

The piece is written by Corey Campbell and Lucia Haynes, directed by Corey Campbell and Justine Themen, and features music and lyrics by Corah Fowles. Nanny of the Maroons is scheduled to receive its world premiere at the Belgrade Theatre in June 2027 before transferring to Hackney Empire for a limited run from Wednesday 7 to Sunday 11 July 2027. The production will utilize localized performance ensembles alongside the primary touring cast.

How Will the National Lottery Heritage Fund Support the Venue?

To facilitate the long-term infrastructural and community goals of the anniversary, Hackney Empire has secured development funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

This capital injection is allocated specifically for preparatory work addressing the physical building’s future structural requirements and historical preservation.

The scope of this funded development phase includes:

1. Logistics and planning preparations for upcoming major capital works on the Grade II* listed structure.
2. Extensive public consultation frameworks involving local audiences and community groups.
3. Dedicated academic and archival research into the diverse arrays of artists, patrons, and distinct community demographics that have influenced the venue since its opening in 1901.

Furthermore, this heritage initiative is tasked with documenting and celebrating the long-term social impact, artistic output, and skills legacy of Hackney Empire’s flagship youth outreach project, the Creative Futures programme, which is scheduled to mark its own 25th anniversary milestone in 2027.

The executive team concluded their briefing by stating that additional announcements regarding fundraising targets, community engagement activities, and supplementary programming updates will be systematically released over the coming months.

Background of the Hackney Empire and the Hackney:Central Development

The Hackney Empire was originally designed by the renowned theatrical architect Frank Matcham and opened its doors as a premier music hall in December 1901. Throughout its early operational history, it hosted legendary performers of the variety era, including Charlie Chaplin, Marie Lloyd, and Stan Laurel.

The architecture itself remains one of the few surviving examples of Matcham’s grand Edwardian style in East London, eventually earning it a Grade II* listed status to protect its ornate interior and cultural value.

As the traditional variety era declined mid-century, the building underwent significant operational shifts, serving as a television studio for ATV between 1956 and 1963, and subsequently functioning as a local bingo hall.

The modern era of the theatre began in 1986 when the building was purchased by the Hackney Empire Theatre Trust, returning it to its original purpose as a live performance space and establishing it as the spiritual home of the alternative comedy boom.

Over the past three decades, the venue has evolved from a commercial entertainment space into a community-led arts charity. The establishment of the Creative Futures programme 24 years ago marked a permanent shift toward youth inclusion and social mobility through the arts.

The current introduction of the “Hackney:Central” strategy represents an institutional response to shifting funding landscapes and gentrification within East London, seeking to formalize the theatre’s role not just as a receiving house for commercial tours, but as an active incubator for local talent and diverse creative workforces.

Predictions: How This Development Can Affect Young Creatives and the Local East London Community

The transition of Hackney Empire into its Hackney:Central operational model is highly likely to generate measurable socioeconomic and cultural impacts, particularly affecting young aspiring creatives and the broader East London community.

Effects on the Broader East London Community

For the wider community in the borough of Hackney—which historically experiences stark pockets of economic disparity alongside rapid urban regeneration—the 16-month programming schedule serves as an important socio-cultural anchor.

The deliberate integration of local ensembles into major national touring productions, such as the 2027 staging of Nanny of the Maroons, prevents the institutional isolation often seen in gentrified urban centers.

By maintaining its identity as a cultural home that champions under-represented voices, the theatre provides a vital platform for social cohesion.

Furthermore, the successful acquisition of National Lottery Heritage Funding means that future capital works will likely focus on improving physical accessibility and community utility within the historic space.

The planned localized consultations ensure that neighborhood residents retain direct agency over how the historic site is utilized, guaranteeing that the 125-year-old institution remains a highly accessible, community-driven space rather than transitioning into an exclusive commercial entertainment venue.