About Threads
In the heart of a close-knit community, a small tailoring shop quietly hums with the rhythms of everyday life.
At its centre is Mama, the steady hand who holds everything together. She’s a protector, organiser, and the glue of the community. But while she’s always looking out for everyone else, her own dreams have slowly been pushed to the side.
Her shop, Snip & Stitch, is more than a business. It’s a safe space, a meeting point, and a place where people connect. Through fabric, fittings and everyday chats, we get to know the people who come through its doors, their kindness, their conflicts, their love stories, and the small, quiet ways they keep going.
But as the textile industry shifts, Snip & Stitch starts to feel the pressure. What once felt permanent now feels fragile. The community is forced to face difficult questions: what are they holding on to, and what might need to change?
Threads will be created and performed by a company of over 50 of Hackney Empire’s next generation of young artists and creatives. Concept created by Joelthomas Coleallison, presented by Hackney Empire and Creative Futures. Directed by award-winning director Stef O’Driscoll, with a creative team bringing together returning ADP alumni and collaborators alongside new artists for 2026.
Contact list of staff members
Ameena Hamid
- Role
- Producer
Stef O’Driscoll
- Role
- Director
Ellie Fulcher
- Role
- Dramaturg
Joelthomas Coleallison
- Role
- Writer in Residence
Jessica Kaliisa
- Role
- Assistant Director
Alana Chin
- Role
- Assistant Dramaturg
Nate Owusu-Ansah & Jamal Abdul
- Role
- Drama Assistants
Khalif Shakeil Edwards
- Role
- Movement Director
Hanna Dimtsu
- Role
- Choreographer
Ruben Alridge
- Role
- Dance Assistant
Ashton Moore
- Role
- Musical Director
Tjai Coleallison
- Role
- Assistant Musical Director
Vivienne Isebor
- Role
- Vocal Director
Elijah Aduu
- Role
- Band Director
Joedane Brown
- Role
- Trainee Band Assistant
Ariane Jeffrey
- Role
- Trainee Vocal Assistant
Hannah Schlenker
- Role
- Designer
Sherna Simpson-Thomas
- Role
- Lead Scenic Fabricator
Heleina Stefanos
- Role
- Trainee Design Assistant
Sylvia Darkwa Ohemeng
- Role
- Company Stage Manager
Mercedes Dean
- Role
- Trainee Company Stage Manager
Applied Scripted Arc
- Role
- Pre-production dramaturgy support
Nadia Musah & Freya Proudlock
- Role
- Co-Company Managers
Lorna McGinty
- Role
- Executive Producer
