Ella Al-Shamahi’s free Norwich talk is on June 11

Amira Collins Author 2026-06-11 16:46 3 min read

A stone fern fossil rests beside an open vintage notebook on a wooden table.

Norwich Theatre will host Ella Al-Shamahi: Becoming Human on Thursday, 11 June 2026, with the free talk scheduled from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.

The event is billed as a live Talk for people interested in human origins, evolution, science storytelling and Al-Shamahi’s work as a palaeoanthropologist, TV presenter, explorer and stand-up. The venue listed for the event is Norwich Theatre, and the price is given as free.

For Norwich audiences, the appeal is straightforward: this is a two-hour evening built around one of the biggest questions in science, told by someone whose work spans fossil-hunting, television, writing and live performance. The source listing places the event under Creative Quarter Over the Water and categorises it across Arts & Culture, Culture, Entertainment & Nightlife, Events, Talks and Theatres.

Human origins told from the stage

Becoming Human is framed around the story of Homo sapiens: how a species with comparatively humble beginnings became the only human species left on the planet.

The source description sets up the talk with the idea that humans once shared Earth with several other kinds of human. Homo sapiens, it says, were not always the obvious success story. The evening will look at how the species survived, spread, innovated and became associated with everything from cities and modern technology to major works of art.

That makes the Norwich event more than a straight science lecture. Al-Shamahi is expected to combine research into human evolution with personal reflection, including her own route into studying evolution after starting out as a creationist. The listing says the talk will also explore tribalism, both in the human past and in the present.

Latest discoveries, fieldwork and expedition stories

The talk is expected to draw on recent discoveries in human evolution, along with expedition stories from difficult and hostile territories.

Al-Shamahi is a National Geographic Explorer whose work specialises in searching for fossils in Palaeolithic caves in politically unstable, hostile and disputed territories. She is also the presenter of HUMAN, a BBC/PBS science series, and has presented other television and radio programmes.

Her background gives the event a broad frame: fossil evidence, field research, human behaviour and the stories scientists tell about where modern humans came from. The source material says audiences should expect heart, humour and wild expedition stories alongside the science, so the evening is likely to suit readers who prefer science events with narrative and personal experience as well as research detail.

Al-Shamahi is also the author of The Handshake: A Gripping History, named in the source as a Times/Sunday Times book of the year.

Event details for Norwich audiences

Detail	Information
Event	Ella Al-Shamahi: Becoming Human
Type	Talk
Date	Thursday, 11 June 2026
Time	7:30pm to 9:30pm
Venue	Norwich Theatre
Price	Free
Listed area	Creative Quarter Over the Water
Listed theme	Arts & Culture, Culture, Entertainment & Nightlife, Events, Talks, Theatres

The event listing does not provide a venue address, accessibility information, transport notes, food details or booking conditions. Anyone planning around access needs, arrival times or ticket requirements should therefore check directly with Norwich Theatre before travelling.

For practical enquiries, the source listing includes Norwich Theatre contact details: 01603 630 000 and an email contact shown as the published contact details. The source also lists norwichtheatre.org as the event website signal.

Source: Visit Norwich Events

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