Iconic Performance Artist Taylor Mac Brings Two Landmark Performances to London this Winter: A 24-Decade History of Popular Music with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Holiday Sauce at Soho Theatre Walthamstow

• Taylor Mac and the Philharmonia Orchestra perform the UK orchestral premiere of Mac’s A 24-Decade History of Popular Music on 26 November 2026. Taylor Mac’s boundary-pushing performance presents a personal exploration of society and identity across 240 years of American history, combining popular song, interactive theatre, extraordinary costumes and poignant storytelling.

• Following this in December, Taylor Mac’s alternative festive extravaganza Holiday Sauce comes to Soho Theatre Walthamstow, blending music, burlesque and random acts of fabulousness for an irreverent take on the season, 17 - 23 December 2026.

• Download assets for A 24-Decade history of Popular Music here and Holiday Sauce here

Trailblazing New York artist Taylor Mac brings two groundbreaking performances to London this November and December.  Taylor Mac and the Philharmonia Orchestra will perform the UK orchestral premiere of A 24-Decade History of Popular Music at the Royal Festival Hall on 26 November 2026, 7:30pm. This will be followed in December by alternative festive treat Holiday Sauce, performed live and in-person for the first time in the UK at Soho Theatre Walthamstow from 17 - 23 December 2026 and featuring musicians from the Philharmonia Orchestra in the live band.

Taylor Mac is a MacArthur fellow, Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Tony nominee for Best Play, and the recipient of the International Ibsen Award. Known for ambitious works that combine music, queer history, political critique, and participatory performance, Taylor Mac creates theatrical experiences that are as celebratory as they are subversive. Previous work includes Hir, Bark of Millions, Joy and Pandemic, Gary:  A Sequel to Titus Andronicus, The Walk Across America for Mother Earth and The Lily’s Revenge. Films include Whitman in the Woods (directed by Noah Greenberg) and Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music (a concert documentary directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman).

A 24-Decade History of Popular Music

After bringing the first three decades of A 24-Decade History of Popular Music to the Barbican in 2019, the new orchestral version of Mac’s acclaimed show journeys through the soul of America, reimagining history as a dazzling, deeply personal musical experience. Produced by Pomegranate Arts & Nature’s Darlings, the show challenges social structures and responds to current events while celebrating the communities and voices that have helped shape America’s history.

A 24-Decade History of Popular Music is one of the Philharmonia Orchestra’s three projects this season acknowledging the 250th anniversary of American Independence, as Taylor and the Philharmonia host a Thanksgiving Day celebration of history, identity and humanity.

Taylor Mac says: “Performing A 24-Decade History of Popular Music during the American250 is an act of resistance; it’s a reminder that America, and her parent country, are best when transforming tyranny into freedom. And doing it with songs.”

A 24-Decade History of Popular Music builds on the Philharmonia’s commitment to cross-genre concerts and artist collaborations, following projects including Gilbert and George: Sex, Money, Race, Religion and Forged in Sound: Heavy Metal Orchestrated.

Mac’s genre defying work tells a subjective story of America in a fusion of popular song, epic storytelling and theatre, and unforgettable interactive moments. Performing pop ballads, anthems and disco tunes, Mac’s glittery yet poignant exploration of history features costume design by Machine Dazzle. A 24-Decade History of Popular Music is conducted by Alan Pierson, with musical direction by Matt Ray, and orchestral arrangements by Ted Hearne.

Thorben Dittes, Chief Executive of the Philharmonia Orchestra, says: “Collaborative, genre-defying performances have become a regular feature of the Philharmonia’s annual concert season. Taylor Mac’s bold, visionary project, A 24-Decade History of Popular Music, is an extraordinary musical take on American history and identity, which will attract a diverse spectrum of audiences to the concert hall. We are thrilled to present the UK premiere of the orchestral version of this project as a special Thanksgiving treat, and the players in the orchestra and the team cannot wait to work with Taylor to bring Mac’s unique, interactive vision to life in the Royal Festival Hall.”

Holiday Sauce

Taylor Mac’s Holiday Sauce, produced and co-presented with Pomegranate Arts, will be performed live in person for the first time in the UK at Soho Theatre Walthamstow (17 – 23 December 2026) and will also feature musicians from the Philharmonia Orchestra in the band.

Bedazzling, moving and politically stirring, Holiday Sauce is a delightfully irreverent work exploring Christmas as calamity.  Taylor Mac blends music, burlesque and random acts of fabulousness in the most subversive and cathartic event of the season. There is more to the holidays than rampant gift giving – in Taylor’s world, creativity and imagination are their own spirituality.

On bringing Holiday Sauce to Soho Theatre Walthamstow this Christmas, Taylor Mac says: “My mantra during the holiday season is: when the sun gives less, the heart gives more. In a time of darkness (greed, fascism, and isolation), we gather to laugh, recognize, and sing the light back to us.”

With extraordinary costumes by long-time collaborator Machine Dazzle and a spectacular band led by music director Matt Ray, Taylor Mac reframes the classic songs you love and the festivities you hate.

Steve Lock, Soho Theatre’s Head of Comedy, said: ‘‘We first saw the remarkable Taylor Mac perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006 and presented Taylor’s London debut at Soho Theatre the following year. 20 years later, with Taylor having blossomed into one of the most acclaimed and exciting theatre artists in the world, we are bringing Holiday Sauce to Soho Theatre Walthamstow – a brilliant and very Soho way to celebrate the end of the year.’

This collaboration further cements the Philharmonia Orchestra and Soho Theatre Walthamstow’s continuing creative partnership, alongside the Philharmonia’s festive performance of Philharmonia Brass at Christmas at the venue on 20 December 2026. Holiday Sauce and A 24 Decade History of Popular Music are produced by Pomegranate Arts.

Additional forthcoming UK activity for Taylor Mac includes the UK publication of Mac’s debut book with longtime collaborator Matt Ray, Bark of Millions: Queer Songs for the Living Library of the Deviant Theme. The book will be released in the UK on 29 October 2026, published by Black Dog & Leventhal.

For further press information please contact:

 A 24 Decade History of Popular Music

Rebecca Driver Media Relations | www.rdmr.co.uk

Rhiannon Turton | rhiannon@rdmr.co.uk | 07946 130905

Holiday Sauce

Laura Myers | laura@aboutgracepr.com | 07896 548180

Millie Adams | millie@aboutgracepr.com | 07507 992614

LISTINGS

A 24-Decade History of Popular Music

26 November, 7:30pm

Royal Festival Hall

Running time: 2 hours

Age Recommendation: from 12+

Download assets here

Watch the trailer for HBO’s documentary Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music, based on Mac’s original 24-hour version, here

Pomegranate Arts and Soho Theatre present

Taylor Mac’s Holiday Sauce17 – 23 December, 8pm (+3pm Saturday matinee)

Running time: (2 hours including an interval)

Age Recommendation: 14+

Download assets here

Soho Theatre Walthamstow

Address: 186 Hoe Street, E17 4QHWebsite: sohotheatre.com / http://sohotheatre.com/walthamstow

Box Office: 020 7478 0100Socials: Instagram / TikTok / YouTube: @sohotheatre