Ensemble Festival 20252

DLR Royal Victoria – The site is a 10-minute walk from Royal Victoria DLR station. This is an accessible station. 

Elizabeth Line Custom House 

Buses 325, 474, 241 and 129 (from Lewisham and Greenwich through the new Silvertown Tunnel) 

IFS Cable Car from the O2 Centre

ACCESS FOR ALL

We aim to offer an unforgettable and accessible festival for everyone, and inclusion is at the heart of Certain Blacks. 

The Royal Docks have step-free access, accessible toilets, and a festival Access Team ready to help you navigate the site and find out what access options are available for each performance. Head to our website for detailed information on access provisions. If you would like to discuss your access needs, please get in touch through our website or visit the Information Tent during festival hours. 

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT

Certain Blacks recognises its responsibility to protect the environment. We’re working hard to make Ensemble Festival more sustainable and less wasteful—and we’d love your help: 

• Choose low-carbon travel when you can.
• Bring your water bottle and reusable cutlery.
• Dispose of waste responsibly and look out for recycling stations.

We approach our access and environmental efforts with empathy, openness and kindness, and we welcome your feedback as we continue to learn. Share your ideas with our team—we’re listening. 

Certain Blacks presents

Ensemble Festival 2025

26 and 27 July 2025

Free and suitable for all age groups

This July, Certain Blacks presents Ensemble Festival 2025 in London’s historic Royal Victoria Docks. Now in its sixth edition, this outdoor celebration of circus, dance, physical theatre and street art returns on two full days, including all-new work from groundbreaking UK artists. It’s free, suitable for all ages, and strives to be accessible for all. 

Taking place across East London’s spectacular waterside destination, Ensemble Festival highlights include Hydropunk, an interactive water installation by outdoor arts veterans Artizani and sustainability-focused Tenderfoot Theatre; HUG by Levantes Theatre, a visually arresting aerial performance exploring the simple act of a hug; and Waiting Song by circus director Mish Weaver, a moving trapeze duet about how hopes for the future shape the way we speak and move. Returning Olivier-winner Francesca Bagioni (aka Miss High Leg Kick) brings a multi-sensory and wacky flashback to a night out in late 1950s dance halls in PALAIS DE DANSE, while Nandita Shankardass’ Roots to Rise blends dance and poetry in a call to ecological and ancestral reconnection. The acclaimed physical comedian Tiago Fonseca performs NoMo, a clown show about the contemporary addiction to screens and TELL ME by Sadiq Ali Co. tackles stigma around HIV through circus, blending breathtaking Chinese pole and physical storytelling. Theatre legend and director David Glass and internationally renowned Vidya Thirunarayan co-present HOLY DIRT, uniting earth, myth and movement in a visually stunning piece featuring Indian performance styles and modern physical theatre forms, such as bouffon and melodrama. Tilly Ingram’s The Hide offers an audio-led birdwatching installation that reflects on hidden disabilities and what not be immediately obvious to the eye.  And closing the weekend with radical joy, TRUTH by outdoor artists Ramshacklicious and inclusive theatre company Hijinx transforms the docks into a revolutionary street theatre celebration that questions societal norms.

With something for everyone—whether you’re drawn to dazzling circus acts, thought-provoking theatre, or playful outdoor installations—Ensemble Festival 2025 promises to be a joyful, inclusive celebration of creativity and community. And this is just the beginning. We’ll be sharing full schedules, artist spotlights, and accessibility updates in the coming weeks. Keep checking back for the latest announcements and behind-the-scenes stories as we build towards a festival that’s free, open to all, and unforgettable.