Southbank Centre News

See the UK premiere of this retelling of a beloved family fairy tale, reimagined with lashings of magical mayhem, rocking music and supreme silliness.

After an exhaustive search, State Theatre Company South Australia has announced Mitchell Butel as its new Artistic Director.

Arts Centre Melbourne is inviting music-lovers to rock out at Hamer Hall as part of a massive, free community concert featuring Aussie music icons in March 2019. Those Who Rock, a participatory arts project led by internationally-acclaimed artist Joseph Farrell (JOF), invites members of the community of all skill levels and ages to grab a guitar and join free community rehearsals across Melbourne in February. The project will culminate in a huge concert featuring hundreds of guitarists and some of Australia's beloved rock heroes at Arts Centre Melbourne's Hamer Hall on March 24, 2019.

The WOW Foundation has today announced plans for London 2019, in the build up to further activity across the UK and the rest of the world over the next two years. The London events, taking place 8-9 March, over International Women's Day, include talks with legendary activist and writer Angela Davis, award-winning journalist and author Naomi Klein as well as the launch of major new international anthology New Daughters of Africa edited by Margaret Busby. The programme also features events with Jo Brand and Catherine Mayer, and two global conversations WOW presents: What Now? and WOW presents: What Next? bringing together thousands of women from across all industries and communities to imagine and debate the future of gender equality. Tickets are on sale to Southbank Centre Members from today and to the public tomorrow, 6 December. There will be over 500 tickets available to schools.

World-renowned dance music innovator Judge Jules has been announced as a special guest DJ for the world premiere of Ministry of Sound's The Annual Classical at the Royal Festival Hall, London on January 26th.

As part of a country-wide tour, a 14-foot-high illuminated Peace Poem by artist and poet Robert Montgomery will be parking up at Rothbury Hall in Greenwich from 6th - 13th December (not 9th & 10th). The mobile artwork is the start of Paper Peace, a year-long programme of art and events from renowned outdoor arts company, Emergency Exit Arts.

Poet Simon Mole and musician Gecko have joined forces to collaboratively write and perform a new show for children and families, Mole & Gecko: THE SHOW, which will tour theatres in, and around, London in Spring 2019.

There are plenty of seasonal treats served up in the capital this year, from pantos and plays to opera and dance. Here are some of the tastiest morsels for the 2018-19 festive period.

Following two sold-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Dave's Joke Of The Fringe winner Ken Cheng is hitting the road in 2019 on his debut UK tour. As one of the most exciting up-and-coming talents on the UK circuit, Ken will be travelling the UK with his critically acclaimed show Best Dad Ever - one of The Guardian's Best Shows of the Edinburgh Festival 2018.

The Bush Theatre has announced that Lynette Linton will become their new Artistic Director in January 2019.

Baz Bamigboye of The Daily Mail has just reported that world famous soprano, Renee Fleming, will make her London debut portraying Margaret Johnson in Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas' A Light In The Piazza. 

London is to host the first arts festival in the UK dedicated to British-Chinese performance and culture in 2019. The festival, which runs from 19 January to 2 February 2019, is produced by Chinese Arts Now (CAN), the new Arts Council funded body working with Chinese artists, both British born and from the Chinese diaspora. CAN Festival will showcase a diverse range of art forms (music, drama, live art, dance, films, digital arts) with over 60 events across London. The festival presents high-quality contemporary and innovative Chinese arts and aims to raise the representation of Chinese artists in the UK.

The Bush Theatre today announce their 2019 season, the last programmed under the Artistic Directorship of Madani Younis who after seven years at the theatre will become Creative Director at the Southbank Centre in January 2019.

The Yard has announced a new season of work to kick off 2019.

The inventive chamber music collective Decoda-an affiliate ensemble of Carnegie Hall that features alumni of Ensemble Connect-makes its debut on Carnegie Hall's concert schedule with two creative concert programs in Weill Recital Hall. Both concerts showcase signature works from Decoda's repertoire and include interactive activities with the audience.

The world's most iconic dance brand Ministry of Sound have announced The Annual Classical, an orchestral tour which celebrates and reimagines their legendary dance music compilation The Annual.

Following a remarkable period of success and growth in recent months, acclaimed South Australian theatre company Windmill Theatre Co today launched its 2019 live theatre season for toddlers to teenagers, young adults and families.

Southbank Centre and WOW, the global gender equality movement and festival, celebrated the UN International Day of the Girl atop the Coca-Cola London Eye this morning. 150 girls aged between 11-18 from 25 schools across London and beyond were paired with 150 successful women mentors from across a range of professions and industries including film, media, engineering, sport, politics, transport, fashion and campaigning for 15-minute mentoring sessions celebrating the power and potential of girls. Mentors included: campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, former Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard, actor Gillian Anderson, Co-Founder of the Women's Equality Party Catherine Mayer, MPs Dawn Butler, Justine Greening, Chi Onwurah, Jess Phillips and Jo Swinson, TV Presenter Dr Zoe Williams, gal-dem Editor-in-Chief Liv Little and writer Kathy Lette.

Bristol Old Vic's Seeds of Change Week (8-12 Oct) will reach its pinnacle with an evening of cabaret, music and poetry in the brand-new Weston Studio.

The BBC Concert Orchestra presented the world premiere of Tristan and Isolde by composer Julian Joseph and librettist Mike Phillips on Friday 5 October at Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall. See photos from the event below!