Celebrated arts venue Hoxton Hall has curated its vibrant new season #CLASS. Inspired by conversations about what class means in 21st century London, this incredible anthology of theatre, music, debate, film and comedy is firmly rooted in the celebration of working class voices and brings fresh and dynamic entertainment to Hoxton’s doorstep.
Artistic Director of Hoxton Hall Karena Johnson says, The #CLASS season is a timely provocation in this post-pandemic moment where class disparities were amplified. At Hoxton Hall we are committed to doing our part to build the arts back more equitably. Making the arts accessible to a wider demographic as artists, audiences and participants is essential to the resurrection of the survival of unique local venues like Hoxton Hall. At our heart is the drive to be relevant and respond to what our communities need. I have curated these events in #CLASS to have a conversation with and to empower audiences to explore their creativity, and create safe spaces to disagree and celebrate what we mostly have in common. Hoxton Hall unashamedly embraces entertainment and insists that also means high-quality art.
At the heart of #CLASS is Hoxton Street, a story of love, secrecy and desperation inspired by the unbelievable reality of local stories. Based on the concept from Karena Johnson, talented working-class writing duo Oladipo Agboluaje and Lil Warren have captured the vibrancy of Hoxton by weaving neighbourhood anecdotes with the thrill of the beloved British soap opera. Each ‘episode’ invites the audience to steer the story by asking them to vote on what happens next in this gripping tale. The full cast includes EastEnders star Linda Marlowe (Casualty, BBC; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, StudioCanal), Helen Pearson (Hollyoaks, Channel 4; EastEnders, BBC; Emmerdale, ITV;), Hannah Traylen (Boiling Point, Ascendant Films; Ridley Road, Call the Midwife, BBC) and Nathan Welsh (Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; Macbeth, Chichester Festival Theatre; Trust Me, BBC) as the infamous Maynards in this innovative, interactive drama. Hoxton Street’s live performances will be accompanied by a free soundwalk, introducing audiences to the characters in the real-life Hoxton locations that inspired them.
Celebrating Hoxton Hall’s music hall roots, the music programme for the season features an eclectic mix of grime, rap, folk and jazz. In collaboration with Dr. Martens Tough As You campaign, MOBO-nominated artist Kojey Radical presents Sound Out, a night of homegrown young musical talent from Hoxton. The season also features 7-time All-Ireland champion Lisa Canny, who has toured extensively with groups Celtic Crossroads and The Young Irelanders, playing to live crowds of over 50k and appearing on PBS specials to millions. The legendary Fatman Sound will host a night of good times, old school vibes and nostalgia from one of London’s oldest and most established sound systems. Established over 5 decades ago in 1967, Fatman Sound has deep roots in London’s time-honoured music scene and continues to grow with the founder’s two sons at the helm.
#CLASS also creates space for vital debates with its C-Word Debates series in partnership with Queen Mary University of London. These genre-defying conversations are led by prolific theatre figures and commentators in the arts. The series will begin with a showing of Zed Nelson’s award-winning The Street, screened for the first time within the community it is set. The Guardian called the film “an unmissable portrait”, with Time Out saying it’s “a revealing portrait of how gentrification is transforming everyday life.” The series also includes a Working Class Representation in Theatre panel helmed by Lyn Gardner (The Guardian, The Stage) and featuring Manchester International Festival Artistic Director John McGrath and Artistic Director of Tara Arts Abdul Shayek. Following that, the Cancel Culture – Class and Comedy panel, chaired by Eddie Nestor (BBC Radio London, The Real McCoy), and including comedian Suzi Ruffell (Mock the Week, The Last Leg) and academic Dr Huw Marsh, will discuss authenticity, cancel culture and finding the humour there within.
Celebrating talented performers of stage and screen with working class routes, The Proper Class Podcast is recording its first ever live episode as part of the season, hosted by working-class and queer actor Laura Checkley (King Gary, Military Wives) and working-class theatre director Hannah Chissick (Little Wars).
All further details about the #CLASS Season from Hoxton Hall are available on hoxtonhall.co.uk/event/class-season/, with more acts to be announced.
ACEO are proud to be #CLASS’s season sponsor, with funding from Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Hello Again Hackney, Hackney Council, Cockayne Foundation, Queen Mary University, and Dr Martens.
