Southbank Centre Archives - North West End UK

14Dec

By Eleanor HallNo Comments

London

Evita Too – Southbank Centre

A joyously inventive dissection of Isabel Perón’s life, 'Evita Too' is an unforgettable piece of theatre. Questing to write a musical about Isabel - who is still alive, according to Wikipedia - Rebecca Biscuit and Louise Mothersole artfully interweave historical facts with the comic iconography of 'Evita'. Having already completed a run at Soho Theatre, this show was ambitious in its use of the Southbank’s more spacious Purcell Room to explore power dynamics with a playful approach. Clowning and music were the instruments of choice in this interrogation of the legacy of a woman forgotten, despite being the world’s first female president. Thrown to the wind was the invention of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, with Sh!t Theatre's original songs embargoing any familiar intrusions. ...

Sung Im Her: 1 Degree Celsius – Southbank Centre

8Nov

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

Sung Im Her: 1 Degree Celsius – Southbank Centre

An empty stage. Neutral lighting. A square mat. Suddenly, a woman (Sung Im Her, the choreographer and company director) finds her way onto it and begins to move — in silence, cautiously at first, then with growing boldness. Nothing tells you the show has started. No lights dimming, no cue. Like life itself, it just begins — without asking for permission. As she leaves the stage, six performers arrive. They are the constant of the piece, the small society around which everything revolves. Their presence shapes the next fifty minutes: movement as language, relationships as rhythm. There’s something intriguing in watching them evolve, not through character but through tension, proximity, imitation. The soundscape by Husk Husk and Lucy Duncan is kept to a disconcerting minimum — alternat...

1Jan

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

The Creakers – Southbank Centre

What a way to end 2024 and bring in the new year than to spend it with Tom Fletcher's stage adaptation of ‘The Creakers’. Following Lily, the ‘bin girl’ to all the children on the street whose Dad works as a bin man and clears up all the rubbish on Clutter Avenue. One night, there’s a rumble under her bed and in the morning, her dad is nowhere to be seen. Along with the rest of the street’s parents. All the kids are now by themselves, much to their surprise and enjoyment. Lily takes it upon themselves to find out where the parents have gone and how to get them back. As this show opened, we are introduced to an incredibly interesting and beautiful set, explosive with colour and light and never for a second left a dull moment on stage. The cast enter with the opening number, the character...

27Jul

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

Afrique en Cirque – Southbank Centre

"Afrique en Cirque," hailing from Guinea and making its debut in London, is a jaw-dropping riot of flexibility, tradition, and fun. With Guinean culture as a vibrant tapestry, the evening is a lively mix of thrilling circus acts, music, dance, and scenes from rural life. If you've ever thought your yoga class was tough, think again. For 90 minutes straight, the performers' flexibility and athleticism are on full display, making even the most dedicated yogis in the audience flinch at their spine-bending, gravity-defying feats. The acts flow one after another—high-flying gymnastics, balancing, juggling, and mind-boggling contortion—peppered with clowning bits and audience participation that are quickly to melt any hardened London little heart. The whole crew deserves a mention—from the...

New show Chisholm for President! celebrates the life of a civil rights legend

2Mar

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

New show Chisholm for President! celebrates the life of a civil rights legend

New soul/funk musical Chisholm for President! tells the inspiring story of the first Black woman to be elected to Congress and to run for the nomination of the President of the United States. Through live music and performance, it recalls the life of Shirley Chisholm who struggled against the political machine and made her trailblazing run for the Democratic US presidential nomination in 1972. Shirley Chisholm was a trailblazer as the first Black woman to be elected to Congress in 1968 and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, before making history as the first African American to make a serious bid for the Presidency of the United States of America in 1972. She was known for her advocacy on behalf of women and minorities, standing with the Gay com...

6Nov

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Nutcracker – Tuff Nutt Jazz Club

Drew McOnie's latest choreographic endeavour, ‘Nutcracker’, is a contemporary dance show that breathes new life into the beloved festive classic. In a bold departure from tradition, McOnie's production takes audiences on a wild-spirited adventure that is as delicate and sophisticated as it is daring and mature, offering a fresh perspective on the iconic holiday ballet. This reimagining, staged at the brand-new venue, Tuff Nutt Jazz Club within London's Southbank Centre, is not only a feast for the eyes but a celebration of diversity and self-acceptance that opens the door to those who may have previously felt excluded from the magic of "The Nutcracker." One of the most striking features of McOnie's rendition is its redefined cast of characters. Clara, typically portrayed as an upper-cla...

Love In Mind – Star-studded charity concert at Southbank Centre

17Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Love In Mind – Star-studded charity concert at Southbank Centre

A star-studded line-up of artists across classical, pop, jazz, and dance music join forces in a symphony of sounds to support the mental wellbeing of young creatives. An illustrious line-up of special guest artists including Grammy award-winning Clean Bandit, internationally recognised cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Chineke! Orchestra, Europe’s first ethnically diverse professional orchestra, award-winning jazz organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors, hitmaker Charlie Deakin Davies aka Charlieee and many more headline artists still to be announced, will join forces with Mark Rylance to take part in this special charity concert at London’s Southbank Centre to launch The Harvey Parker Trust. The night, which also includes performances from members of the National Childre...

<strong>Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol – Southbank Centre</strong>

14Dec

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol – Southbank Centre

Dickens' tale of poverty, inequality and transformation has been a staple of the holiday season since it was first published in 1843. While Dickens was highlighting the terrible deprivation of the London slums, Dolly Parton's new musical takes the audience to the Appalachian Mountains in 1936, at the height of the Depression. As in the original tale, Ebenezer Scrooge owns everything in the town, having taken over ownership of the mine, shop and bank from his partner, Jacob Marley. The inhabitants of the town work all hours for a pittance for Scrooge, struggling, scrimping and saving, but finding joy in their families, and in their hopes and dreams. There's no such joy in Scrooge's life, and he focuses all his time and energy on making and saving money. He has no-one and regards Christmas a...

Figs in Wigs: Little Wimmin – Southbank Centre

14Mar

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Figs in Wigs: Little Wimmin – Southbank Centre

Pitched somewhere between anarchic performance art and chaotic high-concept mockery of theatrical and literary analysis, the Figs in Wigs' satirical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" veers from Greek chorus, avant-garde dance to groan-ful puns and visual humour. Alcott's work, given an unnecessarily deep and pretentious analysis of the text can, the Figs suggest with tongues stuck firmly in cheeks, be linked to climate change, astrology, the future of humankind and the patriarchy. And cocktails. The five Figs in Wigs (Alice Roots, Sarah Moore, Suzanna Hurst, Rachel Gammon and Rachel Porter), rounding out the Southbank's Women of the World Festival in recognition of International Women's Day, give the show their all in their various roles, with impeccable chore...