26 September 2017
Newsdesk
Wintertime at Southbank Centre is announced today with a feast of offerings capturing the magic of winter from 10 November 2017 to 4 January 2018. The final season of Southbank Centre’s year-long exploration into Nordic arts and culture, Nordic Matters, Wintertime sees a one of a kind Finnish Rooftop Sauna in the picturesque roof garden of the Queen Elizabeth Hall overlooking London’s iconic River Thames (10 Nov – 30 Dec). Danish children’s theatre company Teater Refleksion and theatre artist Andy Manley invite families and young children on a magical, poetic journey through the dark and beautiful night with Night Light (19 – 31 Dec), Norwegian musician and the pioneer of ice instruments Terje Isungset presents a stunning live performance of his ethereal ice music (15 Dec) and an afternoon of Nordic themed activities, with music, storytelling and craft for all the family, brings the year-long Nordic Matters programme to a close (23 Dec).
The 17-acre site will be transformed into a winter landscape and the ever-popular Wintertime Market sees alpine chalets lined across Queen’s Walk offering the very best in global street food, artisan gifts and more. Dubbed London’s pop-up King, Jimmy Garcia presents his pop-up alpine lodge dining experience and The Hoplocker Bar returns for a second year with their Nordic inspired Wintertime Bar, serving local and international hearty craft ales (10 Nov – 30 Dec). The Rooftop Bar, sat above the bustle in the roof garden of Queen Elizabeth Hall, is the perfect spot to enjoy panoramic views across London following a Finnish Rooftop Sauna experience (10 Nov – 30 Dec). A giant festive tree surrounded by clusters of smaller trees will take centre stage on the Festival Terrace, twinkly lights will run along Queen’s Walk and giant glittering baubles will shimmer in the Clore Ballroom.
Festive fun and entertainment will be in abundance including the brand new immersive exhibition ABBA: Super Troupers, a journey through the world of the Swedish chart-topping sensation (14 Dec 2017 – 29 April 2018) and the return of the multi award-winning international clowning sensation Slava’s Snowshow (18 Dec 2017 – 4 Jan 2018). A jubilant programme of choirs and classical music includes the ever-popular Messiah by Candlelight (15 Dec) and the chance to join a carol singalong with the magnificent Royal Festival Hall organ (14 Dec.) The spectacular A Vintage New Year’s Eve created by HemingwayDesign also returns for another unmissable year with five floors of entertainment and a private view of London's world-famous fireworks (31 Dec).
There will be an array of free events to get everyone involved from dances to music performances including: an afternoon of Tango featuring introductory classes, tango performances, DJs and live music from La Terra Tango Band (28 Dec); a day inspired by ABBA with ABBA-oke and a fancy dress screening of the hit film Mamma Mia! (17 Dec); and the return of Rave-a-Roo Winter, an all inclusive dance party for the whole family (21 December). East London Drag Star Ginger Johnson presents Glamorous Gran! And other tall stories, a family Christmas show packed with music, dancing and glitter (30 Dec), Our Lady J, celebrated by Dolly Parton herself, performs some of the Queen of Country’s most beloved music, accompanied by The Train-To-Kill Gospel Choir (29 Dec) and Danish keyboardist and composer Morten Schantz performs futuristic electronic jazz from his Godspeed album (22 Dec).
Wintertime at Southbank Centre is guaranteed to warm the cockles this festive season.
Twitter: #SCWintertime
Tickets go on sale to members on Tuesday 26 September and on general sale Wednesday 27 September, for more information or to buy tickets click tickets button above or call 0203 879 9555.
FINNISH ROOFTOP SAUNA
Celebrating a key part of Finnish culture, Southbank Centre brings a unique sauna experience to the heart of London for a limited time only (10 Nov – 30 Dec) as part of Southbank Centre’s Nordic Matters. This year the Finnish capital Helsinki honoured ‘Sauna’ as its “cultural act” of the year, with public saunas becoming the hottest trend sweeping across the country. Set within the picturesque roof garden of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, visitors will be transported to Finland in a Nordic sauna overlooking London’s iconic river. Combining beautiful Nordic design with a bespoke artistic commission, the sauna is a collaboration with MA students from Aalto University, Helsinki (Pedro Pablo Garcia Alcazar, Markus Holste, Monica Romagnoli and Miki Sordi) and Finnish sculptor Jaakko Pernu. Specially designed with translucent walls, the complex filters light through, brightening up dark winter nights. Changing rooms and showering facilities are located on each side before entering the sauna. Inside the sauna, visitors can warm up and wind down with temperatures reaching 90 degrees celsius, then cool down in the open air, or with cold water buckets, whilst enjoying exclusive views over the Thames. The sauna sessions will be for sixteen people at a time, lasting seventy minutes (including a time to change) and a sauna expert will be on hand with demonstrations, introducing visitors to the one-of-a-kind sauna experience. For those who wish to have a post sauna drink, The Rooftop Bar, a cosy hideout with blankets and warming drinks, will be open. Talks, debates and performances will also take place inside the sauna in the special Sauna Sundays series. An up-close experience into Finnish culture, the Rooftop Sauna is an oasis for those wanting to escape the hustle and bustle this Winter.
WINTERTIME MARKET AND ATTRACTIONS
The Queen’s Walk will see an offering of dining experiences and a bustle of pop-up street food stalls and bars for visitors of all ages to enjoy, including the return of Jimmy Garcia with his pop-up Alpine lodge dining experience (10 Nov – 30 Dec) and hot chocolate experts Beltane & Pop (10 Nov – 30 Dec). This year sees The Rooftop Bar, a cosy hideout sat above the bustle of the riverside in the roof garden of Queen Elizabeth Hall, where visitors can enjoy panoramic views across London with blankets and warming drinks following a Finnish Rooftop Sauna experience (10 Nov – 30 Dec). The Hoplocker Bar returns for a second year with their new Nordic inspired Wintertime Bar, celebrating feasting with local and international hearty craft ales along with special guests Parm Star completing the feast (10 Nov – 30 Dec). Top traders from across London, and the UK, return for the Wintertime Market (10 Nov – 30 Dec) bringing an array of festive treats and gifts, alongside delicious street food favourites from across the globe.
ABBA: SUPER TROUPERS
Southbank Centre and Entertainment Exhibitions International AB, in association with ABBA The Museum in Stockholm bring to life the world of chart-topping Swedish pop sensation ABBA in a brand new, immersive exhibition (14 Dec 2017 – 29 April 2018). ABBA: Super Troupers recreates the extraordinary rise to worldwide fame and lasting legacy of ABBA (Agnetha Fältskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad), set against the shifting socio-economic and political conditions of the time. The guided exhibition transports audiences on a journey through previously unseen archive material including ABBA’s original costumes, handwritten notes and sketches, personal photographs, music and instruments, plus album artwork, photography and film.
Celebrating the opening weekend of the exhibition, there will be a day of free events inspired by the Swedish pop sensation including ABBAoke, a special ABBA themed karaoke evening and a fancy dress screening of the hit film
Mamma Mia!. Fans of the Swedish pop group can also learn parts to some of their favourite ABBA tracks in a special Voicelab Big Sing and learn a series of dance routines in the Dancing Queens session (17 Dec).
PERFORMANCES AND FAMILY EVENTS
Danish children’s theatre company Teater Refleksion and UK Theatre artist Andy Manley present Night Light, a magical and poetic journey through the dark and beautiful night for young children aged 3 - 6 and their families (19 – 31 Dec). The multi-award-winning international sensation Slava’s Snowshow returns for a fifth season of festive magic combining theatrical clowning and stunning visual spectacles (18 Dec 2017 – 4 Jan 2018). Pram Jam returns for the season with singing and dancing sessions for children under 5 (13 & 20 December), Rave-a-Roo brings a clubbing mash-up of fun for the whole family with old skool rave tracks and kids chart toppers to get all ages dancing (21 Dec) and East London's Drag Star Ginger Johnson brings her unique take on storytelling with Glamorous Gran! and other tall stories, a free family show with songs, sequins and a load of glitter (30 Dec). An afternoon of Nordic themed activities for all the family brings Southbank Centre’s year long exploration into Nordic arts and culture to a close, with music, storytelling and craft (23 Dec).
GIGS & SOCIAL DANCING
Free music, social dances and workshops take place across the season, including a stunning performance by Norwegian musician and composer Terje Isungset, the pioneer of Ice instruments, who will perform a live set with his ethereal ice instruments including ice horns, an iceofon and ice percussion, joined by Norwegian vocalist Maria Skranes (15 Dec). Live music, demonstrations, workshops and social dancing take over the Clore Ballroom on Boxing Day with Strictly Winter Ballroom (26 December). The Nest Collective returns with some of the finest folk music (20 Dec) and the Ceilidh Liberation Front swing everyone into 2018 with their New Year’s Day party (1 Jan). Free Friday Tonic concerts include Danish keyboardist and composer Morten Schantz performing futuristic electronic jazz from his applauded Godspeed album (22 Dec), Our Lady J performs a selection of Dolly Parton's most beloved music, accompanied by The Train-To-Kill Gospel Choir (29 Dec) and care home residents join together with Southbank Centre’s audiences for an afternoon of music and cocktail fun in the Cocktails in Care Homes experience by charity Magic Me, with music from Friday Lunch performers Ninebarrow (15 Dec). Southbank Centre’s Youth Jazz Company in Residence Tomorrow Warriors welcome in Wintertime, led by MOBO-award-winning musician and composer Binker Golding performing The Nutcracker Suite by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn (10 Dec). Along with some classic festive Big Band treats they will also perform a special end-of-year Winter showcase featuring all of the group’s frontline performance ensembles (10 Dec) and warm up a winter evening with their House Band featuring Floetic Lara and special guests from the Warrior past and present (21 Dec). Dance sessions include Five Go Jiving, an extravaganza of swing and jive (24 Dec), Swing, Hop and Shuffle, an afternoon of Charleston and swing lessons, accompanied by a mix of recorded music and live jazz (27 Dec) and Tango Time, an afternoon of Argentinean tango with a taster class for beginners, social dancing and performances from tango professionals with live music from La Terra Tango Band (28 Dec).
CHOIRS AND CLASSICAL MUSIC
A festive programme of choirs and classical music includes Carols at Christmas, a traditional concert of seasonal classics, carols and readings performed by Philharmonia Orchestra (14 Dec), the return of Mozart Festival Orchestra’s Messiah by Candelight (15 Dec), an evening of Christmas classics with Philharmonia Orchestra and The Bach Choir (10 Dec) and a night of pandemonium and untraditional festive cheer with Meow Meow and London Philharmonic Orchestra (4 Dec). There is also the chance to Carol Sing with the Royal Festival Hall Organ (14 Dec) and pop-up performances from choirs of all styles singing seasonal songs across choral, pop, jazz and gospel (4 – 22 Dec). Over 250 school children perform holiday songs old and new with Southwark Winter’s Splash (12 Dec), the young musicians of In Harmony Lambeth celebrate the season with their winter show (13 Dec) and a large group of children from Lewisham primary schools perform a mass singing of festive songs (14 Dec). The choir from award-winning creative arts company and charity Heart n Soul perform a selection of pop classics (18 Dec).
A VINTAGE NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY
Southbank Centre’s annual vintage extravaganza created by HemingwayDesign returns for another unmissable year on Sunday 31 December 2017. The eagerly-awaited event curated by Wayne, Gerardine and Jack Hemingway and the Vintage Festival team will transform Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall into five floors of entertainment with vintage night clubs, delicious dining, a vintage hair and beauty salon and photo studios capturing the fun as it unravels. The Torch Club celebrating the 20s, 30s and 40s big band sound with live music throughout the night from Alex Meedham & his 18 piece orchestra, with DJ Daddy Rich spinning original vinyl and Mark & Hoc on hand to guide guests through the steps of some light-hearted period party dances. Bar Bonkers sees a world of 80s and 90s pop, rock and dance anthems with musical bingo and karaoke thrown in for good measure. Disco dancing DJ Anna Greenwood bounces partiers into 2018 while Jess Indeedy, DJ Helix and their hilarious dancing grannies deliver an unforgettable NYE edition of Indeedy Musical Bingo. The TIKI Bar will be serving colourful cocktails against the backdrop of the River Thames, with exotica expert Martin Green, DJ Martin Karminsky and guests spinning sambas, mambos and limbos. The Jive Romeros keep the dance floor full with their infectious swinging mix of classic American and early British rock ‘n’ roll in Let it Rock, with top Jive Dance Teacher Andrew Hall and DJ Mr Jinx. The Studio will trace some of the legendary disco club nights from the mid 70s through to the most culturally influential and eclectic nightclubs of the early 80s, to now, treating partiers to everything from funk and disco, to electro. Revellers also have an exclusive opportunity to a private view of London’s world famous New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Royal Festival Hall terrace away from the general public crowds (weather permitting). The ultimate evening of entertainment, A Vintage New Year's Eve Party is the perfect way for merry makers to ring in 2018.
