Book tickets
Join us for an evening of live poetry to celebrate the launch of Chris McCabe’s new collection, Hedonism. Featuring readings by McCabe, London legend Iain Sinclair and leading voices in contemporary poetry.
Hailed as a “masterpiece” by American poet CAConrad, Hedonism is Chris McCabe’s most daring and polyphonic work to date – a collision of grief, memory and imagination, written in Scouse dialect, invented languages and voices both real and imagined.
This special evening will feature live readings from McCabe and a stellar lineup of contemporary poets, including Iain Sinclair, Erica Hesketh, Isobel Dixon, Karenjit Sandhu, Richard Scott, Sarah Crewe, Simon Barraclough, and Ziba Karbassi. Together, they explore the radical possibilities of language, pleasure and resistance in a post-Brexit world.
We hope you’ll join us for an evening of bold, vibrant and explosive poetry.
Hailed as a “masterpiece” by American poet CAConrad, Hedonism is Chris McCabe’s most daring and polyphonic work to date – a collision of grief, memory and imagination, written in Scouse dialect, invented languages and voices both real and imagined.
This special evening will feature live readings from McCabe and a stellar lineup of contemporary poets, including Iain Sinclair, Erica Hesketh, Isobel Dixon, Karenjit Sandhu, Richard Scott, Sarah Crewe, Simon Barraclough, and Ziba Karbassi. Together, they explore the radical possibilities of language, pleasure and resistance in a post-Brexit world.
We hope you’ll join us for an evening of bold, vibrant and explosive poetry.
Bios
Chris McCabe’s work spans artforms and genres including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, drama and visual art. His work has been shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award and the Republic of Consciousness Prize. His latest books are Dreamt by Ghosts: Notes on Dreams, Coincidence, & Weird Culture (Tenement Press) and Hedonism (Nine Arches Press).
Erica Hesketh is a poet and editor, originally from Japan and Denmark, now based in London. From 2016 to 2024 she was Director of the Poetry Translation Centre. Her debut collection In the Lily Room is published by Nine Arches Press and explores early motherhood.
Iain Sinclair has lived in Hackney since 1968, working at a variously titled London project. Alongside mainstream publications such as Lights Out for the Territory and London Orbital, he has always respected the value of underground and independent activity. Poetry books include Lud Heat, Suicide Bridge and Fifty Catacomb Saints.
Isobel Dixon grew up in South Africa, where her debut, Weather Eye, won the Olive Schreiner Prize. Her fifth collection, A Whistling of Birds (with illustrations by Douglas Robertson), was published in 2023 by Nine Arches Press, who have also published A Fold in the Map, The Tempest Prognosticator and Bearings.
Karenjit Sandhu, poet and artist, has published gestalt and young girls! (the 87 press), Poetic Fragments from the Irritating Archive (Guillemot Press), and Baby 19 (Intergraphia Books). She is currently collaborating with Chris Sarantis, musician and composer, whose practice spans avant-garde classical and electronic composition.
Richard Scott is the author of Soho (Faber & Faber, 2018) and most recently That Broke into Shining Crystals (Faber & Faber, 2025).
Sarah Crewe is a working-class feminist poet from the Port of Liverpool. She is the author of three poetry collections from Aquifer Books, a letter to uncle alexei (2024), garn (2021) and floss (2018).
Simon Barraclough’s first book, Los Alamos Mon Amour (Salt 2008), was shortlisted for the Forward First Collection prize. Other works include Bonjour Tetris (Penned in the Margins 2010), Neptune Blue (Salt 2011), Sunspots (Penned in the Margins 2015), Iarnród Éireann (Broken Sleep Books 2021) and Divine Hours (Broken Sleep Books 2024). He was writer in residence at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory and is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow.
Ziba Karbassi was born in Tabriz. She is an International Iranian and the author of 12 books. She was chair of Exiled Writers Ink in UK year 2012 to 2014 and in 2009 she won the Golden Apple Poetry Prize for Azerbaijan. Chosen by Contemporary Poetics Research Centre (CPRC), Birkbeck, University of London.
Book tickets
07:00 pm
Wed, 24 Sep 2025
Cinema 1
£12.50 full price / £8.50 concessions
Ticket information
- All tickets that do not require ID (full price, disabled, income support) can be printed at home or stored in email
- For aged-based concession tickets (under 25, student) please bring relevant ID to collect at the front desk before the event.
Access information
Cinema 1
- Both our Cinemas have step free access from The Mall and are accessible by ramp
- We have 1 wheelchair allocated space with a seat for a companion
- All seats are hard back, have a crushed velvet feel and they do not recline
- These are our seat size dimensions: W 42 x D 45 x H 52
- Arm rest either side of the seat dimensions: L 27 x W 7 x H 20
for the following requirements:
- We have unassigned seating. If you require a specific seat, please reserve this in advance
- Free for visitors where ticket prices are a barrier, please email
Members+ and all Patrons gain free entry to all cinema screenings, exhibitions, talks, and more.
Join today as a Member+ for £25/month.
Iain Sinclair by Joy Gordon
Chris McCabe
no. 236848.