This month, Fairfield Halls will host a landmark literary event as two of the world’s most celebrated authors — Booker Prize-winner Margaret Atwood and internationally bestselling novelist Elif Shafak — come together for a one-night-only conversation, Words Like Fire, on Friday 14 November 2025 at 5pm.

Delivered by The Trouble Club, this exclusive event marks the first time these two literary powerhouses will share a stage. In a live and unscripted discussion, Atwood and Shafak will explore themes of writing, power, freedom, truth, and the spellbinding force of storytelling that has shaped their extraordinary careers.

Whether you are a devoted reader, a budding writer, or someone who believes in the power of story to inspire change, this event will be an unforgettable celebration of language, creativity, and connection.

About the authors
Margaret Atwood’s prolific career spans decades of genre-defying fiction, with seminal works including The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments, Oryx and Crake, and Alias Grace. Her writing has both defined and defied the boundaries of contemporary literature for more than half a century.

Elif Shafak, author of The Bastard of Istanbul, The Forty Rules of Love, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, and The Island of Missing Trees, is one of the most widely read writers in the world today. A fearless storyteller and public intellectual, she has faced trial in Turkey for the words of her fictional characters and continues to advocate for freedom of expression, women’s rights, and global solidarity.

Event highlights
The evening will kick off with a Fantastic Women & Fantastic Stories panel, featuring some of the finest female authors in Britain today. Its panellists include Bolu Babalola (Love In Colour, Honey and Spice), Lucy Fley (The Hunting Party, The Guest List, The Paris Apartment) and Emilia Hart (Weyward).

Following the main discussion, attendees will have the opportunity to attend a book signing from 8:30pm. Tickets are available via thetroubleclub.com, with a range of ticket packages on offer, including discounts for members of The Trouble Club. Advanced booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

This event marks one of the first literary highlights in Fairfield Halls’ expanding cultural events and entertainment calendar. Alongside world-class performances and orchestral recordings and rehearsals, the venue also hosts conferences, gala dinners, and community celebrations throughout the year.

Fairfield Halls is also a popular venue for private hire. From business events to family celebrations, the venue’s meeting rooms offer excellent service and beautiful spaces for all kinds of events.

Fairfield Halls is operated by the registered charity and social enterprise BH Live, in partnership with Croydon Council.

On behalf of BH Live, Steve Turner, Director of Venues, shared;

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome two of the world’s most inspiring literary voices, Margaret Atwood and Elif Shafak, to Fairfield Halls and Croydon. This event represents everything we strive for as a venue, bringing together culture, conversation, and creativity that resonate across generations and communities.”

The Trouble Club champions brilliant women on and off the stage, creating spaces where ideas, community, and connection thrive. Through world-class talks, member dinners, news round-ups, and virtual events, The Trouble Club brings people together in London and beyond to inspire, inform, and engage

On behalf of The Trouble Club, Ellie Newton, CEO & Owner, shared;

"We are incredibly excited to host this unique event at Fairfield Halls. The venue is beautiful, historic and lends itself perfectly for this extraordinary conversation. Margaret Atwood and Elif Shafak will discuss their overlapping work and the concert hall will provide the perfect backdrop. It's wonderfully located for our London members and we hope this is the first of many collaborations."

More information about Fairfield Halls, including what’s on, is available at fairfield.co.uk. Contact groupsales@bhlive.org.uk for more information on tickets, booking, and group rates.

More information about The Trouble Club can be found online at thetroubleclub.com.