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Darbar Festival 9th – 12th November 2017- A celebration of classical Indian music & dance Sadler’s Wells & Lilian Baylis Studio

A carefully crafted invitation to delve into the best of current classical Indian music, this year Darbar engages its sister art form by presenting classical dance as well as music.

Akram Khan MBE has curated the dance element and will be making a rare appearance onstage before his imminent retirement from full-length pieces.

Darbar Festival this year unites the finest exponents of Indian classical dance with established, Indian classical music, both revered musical masters and new talents of the Subcontinent, for which the festival has been synonymous since its 2006 inception. Co-curated by Sandeep Virdee OBE and master dancer, choreographer and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Akram Khan MBE, the festival will offer an immersive experience for audiences across four days of the finest Indian classical music and dance, marking a first in the history of both genres in the UK.

Thursday 9 November, Sadler’s Wells

The programme will open with a UK Premiere, Akram Khan, Tala and Raga Experience, a triple bill concert. Dance impresario, Khan, will perform a short solo focussing on his kathak tradition, the classical dance form of North India. Patri Satish Kumar, a musician from the great Carnatic tradition, will perform with Triplicane Sekar on the Tavil (the first time this South Asian percussion instrument will be featured in the festival) and Amrit Khanjira on khanjira. Pravin Godkhindi and Supreet Deshpande follow with ragas – one of the key structures of Indian music – on basuri (flute) and tabla, India’s iconic percussion drums.

Friday 10 November, Sadler’s Wells

Ragas, Sarod and Fiery Dance will comprise a triple bill of dynamic new talents, with international star of bharatanatyam, Mythili Prakash, and noted kathak perfomer Dheerandra Tiwari, alongside a music concert by the remarkable Debasmita Bhattacharya on the emotive sarod, joined by Gurdain Rayatt on table.

Friday 10 November, Lilian Baylis Studio

Secret of Midnight Ragas will showcase the inimitable talent of Indrani Mukherjee, one of the finest classical vocalists performing today. In this intimate baithak (traditional floor seated concert), she will perform night-time ragas into the small hours, accompanied by Sanju Sahai on tabla and Milind Kulkarni on the harmonium.

Saturday 11 November, Lilian Baylis Studio

Escape Through Morning Ragas will present Pandit Ram Kumar Mallick and Samit Kumar as they unfold their morning ragas through dhrupad, one of India’s oldest and most evolved art forms, that the Mallick family has evolved over 12 generations of musicians. They will be accompanied by Surdarshan Chana on the jori, a powerful percussion instrument from Punjab.

Afternoon Raga Effect will welcome Arshad Khan, enveloping the audience through afternoon ragas with the esraj, an earthy and soul-stirring string instrument that was revived by the Sikh Gurus and Rabindra Sangeet some 300 years ago. Tabla master, Shabaz Hussain, will accompany.

Benares Rhythm Essentials is a special midnight concert through which stories of the Sikhs’ persecution by Moghul rulers will be evoked by the emerging master, Surdarshan Chana, through the jori and the language of paranth (oral notation). He will be accompanied by Milind Kulkarni on the harmonium.

Saturday 11 November, Sadler’s Wells

Triple bill concert Indian Adventures of Sitar and Dance on  will provide a rare chance to see two, internationally acclaimed dance artists, kathak dancer Aditi Mangaldas, and bharatanatyam soloist, Mavin Khoo, who will perform with vocalist OS Arun, and one of India’s most distinctive sitarists of her generation, Shahana Banerjee, with Supreet Deshpande on tabla.

Sunday 12 November, Lilian Baylis Studio

Spirit of Morning Ragas on  will welcome in the festival’s final day with Indrani Mukherjee’s honeyed, vocal timbre set to envelop the intimate, baithak concert alongside harmonium maestro, Milind Kulkarni, and table performer, Gurdain Rayatt.

Rhythm Unleashed will showcase the talent of Supreet Deshpande, a musician fast emerging as a rhythmic, tabla genius. In his UK debut, he explores traditional rhythmic patterns as he unravels improvised ragas whilst taking inspiration from the audience, accompanied by Milind Kulkarni.

Something Then, Something Now This solo presents classical bharatanatyam repertoire in a contemporary way, through the talent of Seeta Patel. With stunning light design by Guy Hoare, Patel returns with a developed, full evening work, which previewed at Darbar Festival 2016.

Sunday 12 November, Sadler’s Wells

Double bill concert Nishat Khan and the Soul of Khayal will present Pandit Kaivalyakumar interpreting spiritual evening songs from the North Indian khayal tradition, with Gurdain Rayatt on tabla and Milind Kulkarni on harmonium providing resolute accompaniment. The second session will welcome virtuoso sitar player, Nishat Khan, torchbearer of one of India’s most renowned musical families, performing with tabla maestro, Shahbaz Hussain.

Darbar Festval at Sadler’s Wells will also provide masterclass insights into Indian dance, comprising talks and live, one-to-one coaching: Dance Masterclass: Aditi Mangaldas on Friday 10 November, Ashton Studio; and Dance Masterclass: Mavin Khoo on Sunday 12 November, Ashton Studio will provide live coaching and unique insights into Indian dance from these leading artists; while Talk with Akram Khan on Saturday 11 November, Lilian Baylis Studio will present an in conversation with session not to be missed by fans, dance aficionados and performance arts enthusiasts.

Tickets: £12 – £50 Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com

 

Tanusree Shankar’s workshops

Tanusree Shankar’s workshops will explore the unique Creative Process that was formulated by Indian dancer and choreographer Uday Shankar.

Don’t miss-Southbank centre’s Alchemy Friday 19th-Monday 29th May, The largest UK festival of South-Asian Culture returns

Celebrating the dynamic cultural connections and exchange of ideas between South Asia and the UK, Alchemy highlights this year include London premiere of Sukanya, the only opera by world famous musician Ravi Shankar, inspired by his wife and stories from the Indian epics (19 May), Abida Parveen one of Pakistan’s finest Sufi vocalists of the modern era, performs for one night only in Royal Festival Hall, presented by Rafi Peer Mystic Music Sufi Festival (28 May) The Karachi Literature Festival, speakers include Aamer Hussein, Ali Zaidi, Farjad Nabi, Imtiaz Dharker, Kamila Shamsie, Mehreen Jabbar, Mohammed Hanif, Moni Mohsin, Nimra Bucha, Taimur Rahman and Zehra Nigah (20 May), stand-up comedian Tez Ilyas (20-21 May) ,The Nrityagram dance Ensemble, one of the world’s leading Indian Classical dance companies present their first international collaboration in Saṃhära with the Chitrasena Dance Company, a union of two exquisitely detailed dance traditions performed with live music (26 May), Paracosm by London based artiste Faiza Butt (19-29 May), Actor, comedian and YouTube sensation Mawaan Rizwan with a brand new show, celebrating the profound meaninglessness of life (28 May), renowned popular musical duo Vishal & Shekhar take over Royal Festival Hall with their acclaimed modern Bollywood sound, across Hindi, Telugu and Marathi languages (27 May), the Easter Eye arts culture and theatre awards (21 May), Kerb street food pioneers from 30 specialist street-food traders, alongside their cocktail and beer bars (18-29 May)and more. Also enjoy a multitude of free events spanning music, performance and dance.
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/festivals-series/alchemy
Photo credit for the featured images on Abundant Art: Alchemy

BBC Radio 4 – Tune in for multi-award winning comic storyteller Sarah Kendall’s critically acclaimed trilogy-28th Feb / 7th March /14th March

Originally developed as live shows in Melbourne and the Edinburgh Festival, multi-award winning and ‘two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee’ comic storyteller Sarah Kendall is set to bring her critically acclaimed trilogy of funny and moving stories to BBC Radio 4 starting on Tuesday 28th February.
Sarah is a storytelling maestro, and in these three half-hour shows, she gives a unique snapshot of small-town life in Australia in the late 80s and early 90s. At a time when most people were seeing Australians through the filter of ‘Home and Away’ and ‘Neighbours’, Sarah’s shows present a darker underbelly to the stereotype of the sun-loving, happy-go-lucky Aussie teenage
Effortlessly combining comedy and tragedy in equal measure, Sarah’s tales of her teenage life blend intricate narratives with a cast of memorable characters, providing belly laughs along with moments of heart wrenching poignancy.
Episode Guide:
A Day In October: Tuesday 28th February 2017 – 11pm
In 1990, one of Sarah Kendall’s best friends died for exactly eleven seconds. A Day In October is a story about the insights the boy developed into life and death, and the remarkable effect those eleven seconds had on Sarah and her schoolmates.
Praise for “A Day in October” from the Edinburgh Festival
(nominated for The Edinburgh Comedy Award 2015)
“this is an artful, engaging hour, more successful than Kendall’s previous work in this vein at squaring the circles between truth and contrivance, tragedy and comedy”. «««« The Guardian
“Her tale is funny, tender and has a finale that absolutely knocked the wind out of my sails”.
««««« The Herald Scotland
Touchdown: Tuesday 7th March 2017 – 11pm
Touchdown is a captivating narrative of Sarah’s life as a self conscious teenage girl, of being unpopular, having her heart broken and of losing a friend. This is a coming of age story that explores the clumsiness of adolescents, their awkward relationships, and painful need for friendship and love.
Praise for “Touchdown” from the Edinburgh Festival
“Kendall makes sure Touchdown is big on laughs, cramming her tale with understated jokes [and then] gradually invests our interest in her characters, so that by the time the tale becomes too serious to be undermined by pithy jokes the audience is hooked” «««« Time Out
“An incredibly compelling and well-crafted story” «««« Edinburgh Festivals magazine
Shaken: Tuesday 14th March 2017 – 11pm
In 1989, Sarah Kendall told a lie. She told everyone that she was nearly abducted on her way to school. She didn’t know why she said it, she certainly didn’t want or expect the attention that sprung from it, but within hours the situation had spiralled out of control. Her story captured the imagination of her small town, and transformed her life.
Praise for “Shaken” from the Edinburgh Festival
“A mini masterpiece of tragicomic storytelling” «««« The Times
“As with A Day In October, I couldn’t help but feel emotionally manipulated afterwards, whilst appreciating the intricate layering of the narrative and the bittersweet humour derived from being taken for a ride. Or not” «««« The Scotsman

Imagine Children’s Festival,9 – 19 Feb 2017-this half term plenty to do at the Southbank Centre, Share on Abundant Art anything exciting for children that you come across for the half term

Southbank Centre’s Imagine Children’s Festival takes over the Royal Festival Hall during half term with a packed programme of events including theatre, dance, music, theatre and installations, alongside readings and workshops with some of the top children’s authors from the UK and Nordic region.
FULL EVENT LISTINGS BELOW
ADVENTURES IN MOOMINLAND – part of Nordic Matters
Until Sun 20 August, 10am-6pm (10am-7pm, Thurs & Fri), Spirit Level at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, Age 7+, £10-16.50
The world of acclaimed Finnish author Tove Jansson and the Moomins is brought to life in a new immersive, interactive exhibition Adventures in Moominland – the first major UK exhibition dedicated to the Moomins. The exhibition presents new insights into Jansson’s life and the influences behind her work with rare archive objects and illustrations built into the experience. The experience is augmented by a script written by children’s author Laura Dockrill and narrated by Sandi Toksvig. Full press release here.
JASMIN ANOSCHKIN: IMAGINARY FRIENDS – part of Nordic Matters
Thu 9 Feb – Sun 19 Feb, 10am – 11pm, level 2 Foyers at Royal Festival Hall, FREE
From My Little Poro to Baby Bunny, Finnish artist Jasmin Anoschkin’s large-scale, colourful wooden sculptures look amusing at first glance, but show something of the magical world of animals that have spirits. Taking inspiration from pop culture and the toy industry, each character has a story to tell.
NEVERLAND
Wednesday 8th – Thursday 9th February, Spirit Level (Blue Room) at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall,10am, 11.15am, 13.30pm, 14.45pm, 8th: 10am, 11.15pm, 13.45pm
Inspired by J.M. Barrie’s Neverland in Peter Pan, this immersive new show for children aged 1-3 uses 360 degree video projections, as well as original music and performance to tell the story of a child’s imagination. This show has been made for adult/child pairs and each ticket admits one adult and one 1-3 year old.
WTPA GUERILLA POETS
Wed 8th February,11am – 1pm, Foyer Spaces, at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
West Thornton Primary Academy has set up a community based poetry group which produces poetry that questions, challenges and supports events in the world around them, which they perform in unusual and fun places. The Guerrilla Poets hand out poems and make poetry interventions around Southbank Centre.
ROOM FOR CHILDREN – part of Nordic Matters
Thur 9 February 2017 – Tues 2nd January 2018, 11am – 6pm, Foyers Spaces, Poetry Library at Royal Festival Hall, FREE
The National Poetry Library at Southbank Centre presents Room for Children – a unique Swedish library for the young and their adults, adapted to children’s needs and their perceptions of the world. Visitors can find children’s books from all of the Nordic countries represented, both in English and in their original language. The original Room for Children is located in the Stockholm Culture Centre (Kulturhuset Stadsteatern), in Sweden. Activities there are based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – the right of children to participate fully in cultural life, to express themselves freely and to do so together with others.
WOW HOOP – CIRCUS PERFORMANCE FOR FAMILIES – part of Nordic Matters
Fri 10th – Sun 12th February, 11am, 1pm & 3pm daily, Spirit Level (Blue Room) at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £12
In this circus performance for families, the show begins gradually and softly to introduce the liveliness and joy of circus and performing arts to infants. The performance is perfect for babies aged 4 to 12 months, and their parents. Grandparents are also welcome.

GROOVE BABY PRESENTS
Fri 10th February, 1pm – 2pm, The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
At Groove Baby concerts, parents and carers with babies or toddlers can hear high-quality jazz, world, groove and contemporary improvised music.
LEGO® BUILD THE CHANGE: MEET THE LEGO® MASTER BUILDERS – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 11th February, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm, Cloakroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, ages 5+, FREE but ticketed
Imagine festival-goers can listen to the stories of LEGO® Certified Professionals, who have turned their love for building and creating with LEGO bricks into a career. Participants are also encouraged to take part in the creation of a mosaic.
SAFARIUM – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 11th – Sun 12th February, 11am, 12:30pm & 2:30pm, £12
Come and explore, the performance that’s also a workshop, a laboratory and a safari! Children can wander around and transform a tactile landscape together with tree performers. For ages 1 – 3 and children with special needs. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
HELLO HOLLOW – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 11 – Sun 19 February, across Southbank Centre’s site, FREE
Hello Hollow is a creative participation project for children aged 8-9 years old, where children with work with Danish artist Seimi Nørregaard to design and build personalised dens which will explore what a home is. The dens will be made out of reclaimed materials and found objects and will be installed and open to the public in the foyer areas of the Royal Festival Hall between 11 and 19 February.
LEGO® BUILD THE CHANGE: IMAGINE AND BUILD YOUR FUTURE CITY – part of Nordic Matters
Sun 12th – Sun 19th February, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm, Cloakroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, ages 5+, FREE but ticketed
Using thousands of LEGO® bricks and taking inspiration from cities around the world, children at Imagine have the opportunity to build the city of their future, turning the Cloakroom foyer space into a giant LEGO play area. Iconic buildings from across London and Nordic countries are also on display to inspire the future urban planners.
NIMBLE TOTS
Sat 11th – Sun 19th February, 10.30am – 11.15am, The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Led by an experienced cellist, storyteller and workshop leader, Nimble Tots includes interactive songs, puppets and storytelling aimed at children aged 0-5s and their parents and carers
PERNILLA LINDROOS – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 11th February, 10:30am – 11:30am, Sunley Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £6, ages 6-10
Author Pernilla Lindroos shares her two books including a story of a confident anteater and a little mouse called Macaron.
SAMI STORYTELLING AND JOIKU CHANTING WORKSHOP – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 11th February, Level 3 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 10.30am & 12.30pm, £6
Come and hear all about the characters of Sami mythology with Sami writer, Ante Aikio, who joins us from Finnish Lapland. Ante describes and tells stories about the sacred spaces from Sami mythology, such as the amazing Saivo lakes and Seita rocks, along with pictures. Ante is also a joiku chanter and during the workshop he also teaches the children (and adults!) to join in the joiku chants along with him. This workshop is part storytelling and part participatory performance.
NONSENSE POETRY AND RIDICULOUS RHYMES – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 11th February, 10.30am – 12.30pm, Level 5 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £8 adults £4 kids
Icelandic author Þórarinn Eldjárn and Finnish illustrator Linda Bondestram present a workshop all about nonsense verse with a focus on what nonsense means across different cultures.
BIRGITTA SIF: WHERE MY FEET GO – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 11th February, Sunley Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 12:30pm – 1.30pm, £6, ages 0-5
Author and illustrator Birgitta Sif leads a creative workshop featuring interactive storytelling and the chance for children ages 0-5 to make their own puppet.
PAPER CHATTERBOX PRESENTS RAVE-A-ROO
Sat 11th February, 13:00pm – 15:45pm , The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Rave-A-Roo is a brand new clubbing mash-up of festival fun for the whole family, and the ultimate party for kids. This free dance party session features live DJs, madcap hosts, bubble walkabout, hilarious interactive performances and fab giveaways. People of all ages are welcome, from toddlers to grandparents.
BEDTIME STORIES
Sat 11th – Sun 19th February, 3.45pm – 4pm, The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
To end each day of the Imagine Children’s Festival a bedtime story is told in the Clore Ballroom.
LONDON CHILDREN’S BOOKSWAP
Sat 11th Feb, 1pm – 4pm, Level 2 Foyer (Green Side) at Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Children are invited to bring their unwanted books (in good condition only) and go home with some great new stories. Southbank Centre teams up with Discover Children’s Story Centre and other organisations for this drop-in literary event.
MISCHIEF AND MYSTERIES IN MOOMINVALLEY – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 11th – Sun 19th February, 10.30am, 12.30pm, 14.00pm (no 12.30 performance on Sat 18th) Level 4 Green Bar at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, ages 4-7 years, £8
Magical puppetry, original music and interactive play are involved in this Moominvalley workshop.
Tickets are £8 for the child but parents must stay throughout the workshop.
MY FRIEND MANNA WITH BOLATTA SILIS-HØEGH – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 11th February, Sunley Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 2.30pm, £6, £8
Festival-goers can get creative and use their imagination in this workshop with published children’s author Bolatta Silis-Høegh. Born in Southern Greenland in 1981, the part Greenlandic and part Latvian artist now lives and works in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen. Bolatta debuted as an author in 2011, publishing her first children’s book, Aima, which she wrote and illustrated. The follow-up, Aima Shush! was published in June of 2014.
WEST END KIDS
Sun 12th February, The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 11.20am – 12pm, 2.30pm – 3pm, FREE
Elite musical theatre song and dance troupe, West End Kids comprises of 20 talented young performers aged 11 to 18 years from across the country.
DR SEUSS – THE CAT IN THE HAT
Sun 12th February, 12.30 & 2.30pm, The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Children’s Story Centre presents Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat storytelling show.
PIROK THE ORANGUTAN: ADVENTURES FROM INDONESIA
Sun 12th February, 12pm & 2pm, Sunley Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £5 for one child and one adult
An interactive storytelling performance for children aged 4-8 years old. Author Felicia Nayoan Siregar brings her character Pirok and his journeys to life. Each ticket admits one adult and one 4-8 year old.
IMAGINE CHILDREN’S SINGING COURSE
Mon 13th – Friday 17th February, 9am – 3pm, St Paul’s Roof Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £75
In this course, children aged 8 – 12 can spend a week creating a performance for Imagine Children’s Festival by singing and writing songs and stories inspired by classic Nordic children’s tales. The days start at 9am and finish at 3pm and Southbank Centre staff and chaperones are present at all times. There are a limited number of free and subsidised places available; for information on eligibility, please email voicelab@southbankcentre.co.uk
CHITRA SOUNDAR: CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS
Monday 13th February, 10.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, Sunley Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £6
Chitra Soundar presents creative writing workshops including Out of Thin Air (10.30am) for ages 6+, Design a Dossier (12.30pm) 7+, and Story on a Board (2.30pm) 7+.
RUG RHYMES FOR UNDER 5’S
Mon 13 February, The Poetry Library at Royal Festival Hall, 10.30-11am, FREE, 0-5 years
The Poetry Library puppets Federico and Firebird sit on their poem rug with a short session of nursery rhymes, poems and rhyming stories.
STORIES THROUGH SOUND – SOUND DESIGN WITH SCHOOL OF NOISE
Mon 13th February, 10.15am, 11.15am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm & 2.30pm, Weston Roof Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £5
School of Noise presents an experimental workshop teaching foley sound design and how to recreate sound effects in an accessible, fun and educational way. Tickets £5 per child, accompanying adults go free and do not need to purchase a ticket.
MICHAEL DE SOUZA
Mon 13th February, 10.30 – 11.30am, Level 5 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, ages 2+, £8, £4
Creator of the Rastamouse book and TV series, Michael De Souza introduces a new character, Lil Bruv, and give an introduction to poetry thorough rhyme.
HOLLY STERLING: STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS
Tues 14th February, Sunley Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 10.30am, 12.30pm, 14.30pm, £6
Holly Sterling presents storytelling workshops including Creating Characters (10.30am) for ages 4-6 years; Hiccuping Puppet (12.30pm) for 6-8 years and 14.30pm: Hiccuping Hilarity (2.30pm) for 4-6 years.
SENSATIONAL SENSORY POETRY
Mon 13 February, The Poetry Library at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 11.30am – 12.30pm, Free but ticketed (one ticket admits one child and one adult), 6-10 years
Poems are not just for the pages of books. Shelley Boden hosts a workshop which uses all of our senses to explore poems from The Poetry Library collection. This session is suitable for blind and partially sighted children.
CHRISTIAN O’CONNELL: RADIO BOY
Mon 13th February, 12:30pm – 13:30pm, Level 5 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, ages 8+ £4 for children
£8 for adults
Absolute Radio presenter Christian O’Connell introduces ‘Spike’ aka Radio Boy: a new character for the internet generation.
PJ PARTY WITH TEA DANCE FOR LITTLE PEOPLE
Mon 13th February, 12.00pm – 3.30pm,The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, Free, ages 2-8
Tea Dance for Little People create an exciting interactive afternoon including storytelling, music, film and creative play activities is based around a PJ party and the bedtime routine.
AMAZINGLY MAGICAL POEMS
Mon 13 February, The Poetry Library at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 1.30-2.30pm, £4 for children
£8 for adults, ages 5-7 years
The Poetry Library presents a special Imagine poetry reading for five to seven-year-olds and their grown-ups. Featuring one of our favourite picture book poets Peter Bently and teller of tall tales Andra Simons.
THE GRUFFALO & ROOM ON THE BROOM
Mon 13th February, 1:30pm, Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £20 adult £10 child
Terry Davies conducts Aurora Orchestra in René Aubry’s inspired scores for this delightful double-bill of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, based on the books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
INCREDIBLY INCORRIGIBLE POEMS
Mon 13th February, The Poetry Library at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 3pm-4pm, £4 for children
£8 for adults
The Poetry Library present a poetry reading for eight to 11 year olds and their grown-ups. Featuring Liz Brownlee, John Lyons and Kate Wakeling.
PERO THEATRE: ASTON’S STONES – part of Nordic Matters
Mon 13th – Wed 15th February, 11am, 2pm, Spirit Level (Blue Room) at Southbank Centre’s at Royal Festival Hall, £12/£6 conc, ages 3-6 years
Pero Theatre present Aston’s Stones, a tenderhearted performance piece about a dog who values the smaller things in life.
DEBUSSY AND THE SNOW ELEPHANT
Tues 14th & Thu 16th February, 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, Level 5 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, ages 0-4, £5,
Blending beautiful chamber arrangements of Debussy’s piano music with a specially-commissioned story from writer Kate Wakeling, this immersive musical adventure from Aurora Orchestra is designed for children aged 0-4 years (dur: 30 mins).
NORDIC TOP TRUMPS – part of Nordic Matters
Tue 14th February, 11.30am – 12.15pm & 1pm – 1.45pm,The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Four storytellers share folklore tales from across the Nordic region. Each storyteller introduces participants to iconic Nordic mythological creatures.
ABBA JUKEBOX: SINGING AND DANCING WORKSHOP – part of Nordic Matters
Tue 14th February, 1.45pm, The Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall
Sing along and get loving to classics from the ABBA jukebox, in this workshop led by experienced singing and dancing leaders. Ages 7+
BOOKTRUST PRESENTS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Wed 15th February, 10:00am – 13:00pm,The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Chris Riddell and a host of authors and illustrators celebrate the career of 2017’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner. The name of the winner won’t be announced until just before the event, but previous winners include Tiger Who Came to Tea author Judith Kerr, and Dame Shirley Hughes who wrote and illustrated the Alfie books. Recommended for ages 5 – 8.
HEVISAURUS – part of Nordic Matters
Wed 15th February,11.30am – 12.15pm, Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £12 adults, £6 kids, ages 3+
Finnish children’s heavy metal band Hevisaurus make their London premiere at Imagine Children’s Festival. Four insanely popular Finnish dinosaurs (and a dragon) that play power metal for all the children around the world. Since their formation they have become a Finnish institution, selling over 170,000 albums in their home country, and spawning tribute versions in countries around the world.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Wed 15th February, 12pm, The Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Join host Chris Riddell and other authors and illustrators as they celebrate the career of 2017’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner, who will be announced just before the event. Ages 3+
STEP INTO THE WORLD OF PRINCESS ARABELLA
Wed 15th February, 2pm, Sunley Pavilion at Royal Festival Hall, £6 (one adult and one child)
Join author and illustrator Mylo Freedman for story time, author Q&A and a demonstration of how she brings her lively princess to life on the page, Ages 4-7.
HACK HERITAGE
Thur 16th February, 10.30am – 4pm, £30 (free for accompanying adult)
Join a day-long workshop of hacking heritage, where we explore stories from the past and new content for the future – and perhaps a little coding too. All children must be accompanied by an adult throughout. Ages 7-10.
CHRIS RIDDELL & FRIENDS
Wed 15th February, 2.30pm, Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £12 adults, £6 children,
Children’s Laureate illustrator Chris Riddell is joined by VIP mystery guests to celebrate the world of children’s books. The Waterstones Children’s Laureate and his friends incorporate stories and illustrations in this children’s event. All artists appearing in the event are donating their fees to Amnesty. This event is British Sign Language-interpreted. Recommended for ages 7 – 11.
THE LITTLE MERMAID
Thur 16th February, 12 – 2pm, The Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Electric Pedals presents a special screening of The Little Mermaid. The film is entirely powered by bicycles, Guests are to expect surprises along the way and a prize for the best underwater costumes.
GAME JAM – part of Nordic Matters
Fri 17th February, 10.30am – 4pm, Sunley Pavilion at Royal Festival Hall, £30
In this day-long, hands-on workshop, children work with professional game designers to get an introduction to game design and have the chance to try it out themselves.
WHY THE WHALES CAME BY MICHAEL MORPURGO
Fri 17th February, 11:00am, Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £12 adult £6 child
Multi-award-winning performer and storyteller Danyah Miller presents Why the Whales Came by Michael Morpurgo.

JULIAN CLARY AND DAVID ROBERTS

Fri 17th February, Level 5 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 12.30pm – 1.30pm, £8 £4, for ages 7+
Comedian, entertainer and writer Julian Clary joins award-winning illustrator David Roberts as they introduce their latest book, The Bolds on Holiday. An unmissable event packed with wildly hilarious readings in Julian’s unique style, live-drawing from David.
ODDJOB: JAZZOO – part of Nordic Matters
Fri 17th February, 1pm – 2pm, The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
One of Sweden’s highest ranked jazz groups, MTA Production and Southbank Centre presents the interactive music performance and projection show. Illustrations are by British illustrator Ben Javens with the original text written in Swedish.
FRANCESCA SIMON
Fri 17th February, Level 5 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 2pm-3pm, £8 / £4, 10+
Join Horrid Henry creator Francesca Simon as she introduces her acclaimed new book for older children, a dark and very funny tale based on the mythical Norse goddess of the underworld, ‘Hel’.
SONGS TO TELL STORIES – part of Nordic Matters
Fri 17th February, 2.30pm, The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Children aged 8 – 12 on the Imagine Children’s Singing Course have taken songs and stories inspired by classic Nordic children’s tales, to create this performance especially for the festival.
SIR CHRIS HOY
Fri 17th February, 3-4pm, Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, £12 adults, £6 child
One of Team GB’s most successful Olympic athlete, cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, introduces his new fiction series for young readers, Flying Fergus and his first non-fiction book for children, On Your Bike. Chris and the Flying Fergus team, co-author Joanna Nadin and illustrator Clare Elsom, talks about the inspiration behind the books, with live drawings.
WORKSHOP OLL & (IM)PRESS WITH ILLUSTRATOR KAATJE VERMIERE – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 18th February, Weston Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 10.30am&12pm, Ticketed, £6, 7+
Flemish illustrator Kaatje Vermeire creates illustrations in this interactive workshop using recycled materials (old wallpaper, bizarre textures…), ink rolls and ancient printing technique.
HANS CHRISTIAN, YOU MUST BE AN ANGEL – part of Nordic Matters
Fri 17th – Sat 18th February, Spirit Level (Blue Room) at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 12pm & 2pm, Ticketed, £14, 7+
The production was Awarded Danish Reumert of the Year, however the audience in this spectacular promenade performance is not allowed to sit – for the real guests are the ones from the fairytales.
LPO FUNHARMONICS: CONDUCTING SCIENCE
Sat 18h February, Royal Festival Hall, 12pm, adults £18 – £10, children £9 – £5
Music meets science as we discover the secrets behind the extraordinary sounds of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. With on-stage experiments and lots of chances to join in.
READY, STEADY, GO
Sat 18 February – Sun 19 February, St Paul’s Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 11am, 1pm & 3pm, Ticketed £10 Adult £5 Concession, 3 – 9 years old.
Ready Steady GO! is an immersive theatre show for 3-9 year olds and their families which allows the audience to create, decorate and drive cardboard cars. Presented by A Line Art, Ready Steady GO! – a live creative musical storytelling art show, that invites all the audience to individually colour their own cut-out car. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
SWEDISH BABY RAVE – part of Nordic Matters
Sat 18th February, The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 1pm-3.45pm, FREE
Swedish Baby Rave is almost exactly like a grown-ups rave, except the club music is played at a lower volume, it’s held during the daytime, and has good accessibility and pram parking.
POEMS THAT THINK, LAUGH AND HOWL WITH JOSEPH COELHO
Sun 19th February, Level 3 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 2:30pm, £6 one adult and one child
Performance poet Joseph Coelho (CBeebies Rhyme Rocket, winner of the 2015 CLPE Poetry Award for Werewolf Club Rules) showcases a dynamic session where young poets get to create worlds made of paper, sing and learn poetic devices and use fun active game play to create fantastic poetic adventures.
THE STORY POT – part of Nordic Matters
Sun 19th February, Sunley Pavilion at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 12noon & 2pm £5 for one child and one adult
International Storyteller Cassandra Wye presents The Story Pot – interactive storytelling performances for all the family. Please note: Different stories are featured at each performance. Each ticket admits one adult and one 4-8 year old.
PICTURES MEAN BUSINESS WITH SARAH MCINTYRE AND FRIENDS
Sun 19th February, The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall,11:30am- 12:30pm Free
Co-creator of Pugs of the Frozen North, Jinks and O’Hare Funfair Repair, Jampires and The Prince of Pants Sarah McIntyre is joined by special guests and discuss illustration. This event includes live interactive drawing, cartooning, and is followed by a book signing and doodling session. Suitable for all ages
LEAPS AND BOUNDS
Sun 19th February, 1pm -3.30pm,The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, FREE
Leaps and Bounds is an afternoon of accessible activity especially designed for all the family.
Candoco Dance Company lead dance workshops specially designed to be inclusive and focuses on movement. BSL Interpretation. The day’s activities are British Sign Language-interpreted.
LAUREN CHILD
Sun 19th February, Level 5 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 12.30pm, ticketed £8 / £4, 9+
Lauren Child the creator of Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean talks about the influences behind her books and some of her best-loved characters and her latest book, the amazing Ruby Redfort.
Suitable for children aged 9+
KANGAROO KISSES – INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING SESSION WITH NANDANA SEN
Sun 19th February, Level 3 Function Room at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 12.30pm – 1.30pm, £6, Under 7
Award-winning actor, writer, and child-rights activist Nandana Sen brings an interactive storytelling session, with fun games, animal masks, play-acting, and colouring activities.
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Tickets www.southbankcentre.co.uk / 020 7960 4200
About Nordic Matters
Nordic Matters is a year-long programme of Nordic art and culture in 2017 at London’s Southbank Centre, featuring music, dance, theatre, visual arts, participation, talks and debates, and gastronomy. Chosen from a number of international applicants, Southbank Centre is the sole recipient of a grant from The Nordic Council of Ministers for a new festival celebrating the very best of Nordic art and culture throughout 2017 – one of the biggest cultural-political partnerships of its kind. A particular emphasis will be placed on the idea of play fostering curiosity and creativity, for people of all ages but especially children and young people. Moving beyond popular perceptions of ‘Nordic Noir’ the programme is designed to embed Nordic culture and artists in Southbank Centre’s year-long artistic offer and offer a platform to some of the more ‘hidden voices’ from Greenland, Åland and the Faroe Islands.
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/nordicmatters

Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch – Masurca Fogo at Sadler’s Wells 9 – 12 February, Thursday – Saturday at 7.30pm, Sunday at 4pm

The absurd and delightful Masurca Fogo, an international co-production with EXPO 98 Lissabon and Goethe-Institut Lissabon, takes on the subject of desire and the desperate, achingly human need for love, treated to Bausch’s tongue-firmly-in-cheek wit. Dancers fling themselves down water slides, breathe into microphones, feed watermelon to a live chicken and cram into a crowded beach hut for a party, always with “Bausch’s sharp mudlarker’s eye for social ritual” (The Guardian).
Set to a soundtrack that features a gloriously eclectic mix of k.d. lang, the Balanescu Quartet’s reinvention of German electronic band Kraftwerk, and traditional African and Portuguese music, the production is an upbeat piece of dance theatre with all of Bausch’s trademark ingenuity on display.
Renowned as the inventor of tanztheater, and widely regarded as one of the most significant influences in contemporary dance, Pina Bausch has inspired generations of audiences and artists all over the world, nurturing an ensemble of vivid imagination and grand scale. Since her death in 2009, the company has continued to tour with her choreographic works around the world. Adolphe Binder will be Intendant and Artistic Director of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch from May 2017.

2017 London International Mime Festival

The London International Mime Festival, directed by Helen Lannaghan and Joseph Seelig is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Contemporary visual theatre including cutting edge circus-theatre, mask, physical theatre, object theatre and puppetry at its best.
17 invited companies will give 120 performances across London at the Barbican, Southbank Centre, Central Saint Martin’s Platform Theatre, Jacksons Lane, The Peacock, Soho Theatre, and, for the first time, Shoreditch Town Hall. Artists from Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain, Finland and New Zealand, will be joining some of Britain’s fast emerging talents, as well as established names.
The Festival line-up will be complemented by workshops, films and artists’ talks.
Full programme details, including workshops and after-show discussion dates available online at www.mimelondon.com