The Southbank Centre today announces a programme to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Taking place across Wednesday 1 – Sunday 5 June 2022, the Southbank Centre’s eclectic programme of Jubilee events encompasses both “Official” and “Alternative” Royal Command Performances alongside classical music, punk, dance, performance and parties, to appeal to diverse and wide-ranging audiences. The Southbank Centre also presents an exclusive live screening of Academy Award®-winner Danny Boyle’s new series Pistol, which charts the rise of the Sex Pistols and the punk revolution in Britain, as well as a panel discussion with Danny Boyle about the series, the punk movement’s explosion in the summer of ’77 and its enduring legacy.
Mark Ball, the Southbank Centre’s Artistic Director, said: “We’re marking Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a range of events across a multitude of art forms with wide-ranging appeal – from the jazz of Duke Ellington’s The Queens Suite, to exploring punk and the clash of cultures at the time of the Silver Jubilee, to re-imagined folk-dance and a party for 2-5-year-olds. We wanted our Jubilee to be an open programme – for anyone of any age, background or cultural interest to be inspired to attend and to celebrate the long weekend.”
ROYAL MUSICAL CELEBRATIONS
To mark the occasion, musical celebrations take place across the Southbank Centre’s Jubilee weekend. Nu Civilisation Orchestra, presented by Tomorrow’s Warriors, perform a selection of Duke Ellington’s compositions in the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 3 June, including The Queen’s Suite, which was inspired by Ellington’s meeting with Her Majesty The Queen in 1958. BBC Radio 2 and the BBC Concert Orchestra present a concert on 1 June in the Queen Elizabeth Hall of distinctly royal music from the big and small screen, including soundtracks from The King’s Speech, The King and I, The Last Emperor and The Queen. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Choral Society and The Bach Choir also honour the Jubilee with a celebratory concert, presented by BBC Radio 3’s Katie Derham, in the Royal Festival Hall on 4 June.
The Southbank Centre also presents a right royal knees up on Friday 3 June from London’s most glamorous daytime club, The Posh Club – a performance, dance and social club for older people created by the LGBTQI+ club Duckie. The “Official” Royal Command Performance for The Posh Club takes place in the daytime in the Clore Ballroom, hosted by Prince Azara, Lady in Waiting Rhys’ Pieces and a grand line-up of cabaret acts including Black Elvis, TBone, Kate Conway and the Posh Club Dance Club for an aristocratic afternoon tea dance. Later into the night, Duckie presents The “Alternative” Royal Command Performance in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer. The line-up includes Marie Lloyd, Travis Alabanza, Midgette Bardot, Thick & Tight, Vidya Patel, Lasana Shabazz, DJs Readers Wifes, along with (just out of retirement) the Bloolips performance legend Bette Bourne as HRH The Queen.
DANNY BOYLE’S PISTOL
The Southbank Centre presents an exclusive live screening of Danny Boyle’s new six-episode limited series Pistol, about a rock and roll revolution. Produced by FX Productions and streaming from 31 May on Disney+ in the UK, Pistol is based on the memoir of the legendary Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones (Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol), who was at the heart of the punk explosion in 1977 — the year of Her Majesty The Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Pistol is created by Moulin Rouge! writer Craig Pearce and stars Toby Wallace as Steve Jones, Jacob Slater as Paul Cook, Anson Boon as John Lydon, Christian Lees as Glen Matlock, Louis Partridge as Sid Vicious, Sydney Chandler as Chrissie Hynde, Talulah Riley as Vivienne Westwood, Maisie Williams as punk icon Jordan, Emma Appleton as Nancy Spungen and Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Malcolm McLaren.
The Purcell Room hosts a free screening of the entire series of Pistol on Sunday 5 June (1:00-6.00pm). This follows a discussion in the Queen Elizabeth Hall (7:30-8:30pm) with Danny Boyle about his new series, the wider punk movement and how its legacy has impacted on our cultural life 45 years later. Danny Boyle is joined by an expert panel for the conversation, chaired by author Andrew O’Hagan, which includes director and film-maker Julien Temple, actor Maisie Williams and poet John Cooper Clarke, who will also read from the stage. Additionally, two female punk acts will perform live in the evening in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer – Bedford-based artist Vanity Rose and the London-based four-piece band The Franklys – alongside an incredible seven-metre-long mural created by the legendary Sex Pistol’s designer Jamie Reid chronicling the story of punk.
FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY
The vibrancy and high energy of the punk movement comes to life with the London premiere of Moxie Brawl’s family show Punk Alley in the Purcell Room from 1-3 June. Punk Alley is loud and wild featuring original punk music and high energy dance and is a fun space for young people (aged six and over) to explore their voice and journey of self-expression. Everyone is invited to participate and create songs, write placards, play music and dance. All performances are Relaxed Performances and feature integrated BSL.
Focussing on celebrations little ones (aged two to five) are invited to Party in the Southbank Centre’s Blue Room from 2-4 June. Afonso is invited to his best friend’s birthday party, and the excitement and nerves become too much to handle. What should he wear? Will they have balloons? Will anyone play with him? Heartfelt, provocative and full of quirky humour, Party presented by Half Moon immerses families with striking designs and a glorious soundtrack, taking them to a place where difference is celebrated. The digital production of Party was nominated for a 2021 OffWestEnd OnComm Award, recognising the best work presented online or broadcast during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
The Southbank Centre’s Riverside Terrace is transformed into a dancefloor on 2 June with a colourful collision of traditional and hip-hop dance. Presented by Folk Dance Remixed, Step Hop House is a free event that mixes traditional folk formations and traditions, such as maypole, clogging and ceilidh, with street, house and breakdance, with a hint of African and Bollywood thrown in, all to a live soundtrack of fiddle and beatboxing. Alongside their Step Hop House performance, Folk Dance Remixed also hold two workshops – Ceilidh Jam and Street Dance the Maypole – where attendees of all ages can get on their feet and dance to the beat.
