Yomi Ṣode Will Bring FIRST FIVE LIVE to The Royal Albert Hall's Elgar Room

What happens when a poet takes the stage not to perform his own work, but to draw a performance out of someone else's life? That is the question at the heart of First Five Live, the cultural series curated and hosted by award-winning Nigerian British poet Yomi Sode, which returns to the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall for a brand new 2026 season. And it is a question we think your readers are exactly the right audience to explore.

First Five is built around a deceptively simple dramaturgical premise: two books, two tracks, one person. Each guest is invited to share the five formative influences that shaped their life and work. In Yomi's hands, that framework becomes something closer to a live portrait, a carefully shaped evening in which autobiography, memory, culture and creativity are drawn out in real time, in front of an audience, and cannot be repeated.

Yomi is not a passive interviewer. As a poet and performer, he brings an acute sensitivity to language, timing and the architecture of a conversation. The result is a form of live storytelling that sits at the intersection of theatre, literature and oral tradition, and that trusts the unrepeatable nature of a live encounter to do its work.

The 2026 season opens on Friday 10th April with AJ Odudu, one of the UK's most recognisable broadcasters, who will trace the journey from a lively Lancashire childhood to fronting some of the biggest shows on British television. Following sell-out debut shows with AJ Tracey and Paige Lewin, the season continues with author and showrunner Candice Carty-Williams in July and entrepreneur and cultural innovator Jamilia Donaldson in October.

Matt Todd, Director of Programming at the Royal Albert Hall, said: "We're thrilled to welcome First Five back to the Elgar Room and build on their previous success. The series shares the same ethos as the space itself - creating an intimate platform for bold voices, fresh perspectives, and truly memorable experiences. We are excited to see the series continue to grow over the coming months."

Yomi Ṣode, Founder, Curator and Host of First Five Live, said: "My vision for First Five has always been to create a space where people could gather, connect and celebrate literature and the many people that shape how we experience words. Ever since that point, we've built a platform that embraces a full range of the arts whether music, literature, and the everyday stories that shape us. It could be actors, authors, or designers. I'm ready and excited to continue this incredible season. For audiences to laugh, reflect, and commune in equal measure. Let's get that live experience back."