The Southbank Centre‘s Spring 2024 Literature and Spoken Word programme sees an exceptional line-up of internationally acclaimed authors, artists, historians and journalists. This season taps into today’s topical issues, ranging from disinformation to capitalism. Brand new fiction and non-fiction is presented with unique events, including comedy acts, live music and DJ sets, so audiences can discover what is current in contemporary literature through celebratory and creative experiences.
Ted Hodgkinson, Head of Literature and Spoken Word, says “From Salman Rushdie to RuPaul, Kazuo Ishiguro to Maggie Nelson, this is a season brimming with must-see moments, shedding new light on iconic cultural figures and, in turn, the world around us. This programme offers unique events interweaving spoken word and music, alongside talks illuminating the historical underpinnings of the present and uplifting storytelling about experiences which are often underrepresented in literature.”
Southbank Centre Spring 2024 Season of Literature and Spoken Word
Here are some of the events taking place:
Discussions on Down’s syndrome and mental illness
Brothers Manni and Reuben Coe present brother.do.you.love.me, a tender story of lived experience with Down’s syndrome. Shortlisted for the Book of the Year, this book explores the trials and strength of familial ties, hope, resilience and the power of brotherly love.
Mental Health Awareness Week is marked with a celebration of Will You Read This, Please?, a book which pairs award-winning authors with mental health service users in the UK to tell their story, made in collaboration with the Royal College of Psychiatrists. In a London-exclusive event, editor Joanna Cannon chairs a conversation between contributing authors Rhik Samadder, Kathryn Mannix, Jenn Ashworth and storyteller Nicola Knight to shine a light on illnesses less often discussed.
Drag superstar RuPaul reveals new intimate memoir
International drag superstar RuPaul brings his most revealing and personal work to date. The House of Hidden Meanings is a poignant and intimate memoir of growing up Black, poor and queer and his journey discovering the power of performance, finding family and self-acceptance.
This event includes speech-to-text transcriptions and BSL interpreters.
Salman Rushdie discusses his new memoir Knife
Salman Rushdie discusses his new memoir Knife in which, for the first time, he candidly shares an account of the attack on 12 August 2022 — and its aftermath. This event, in partnership with English PEN, will see Rushdie speaking virtually, combined with live readings from actors and chaired by author and critic Erica Wagner live on stage. Audiences can join the hybrid event in the Queen Elizabeth Hall or for free through a global live stream. There is also speech-to-text transcriptions available.
An evening with Kazuo Ishiguro and Stacey Kent
In a unique event, An Evening With Kazuo Ishiguro and Stacey Kent, the Nobel Prize-winning novelist Kazuo Ishiguro will discuss his 17-year-long collaboration with world-renowned jazz singer Stacey Kent, revealing how integral music and songwriting have been to his fiction writing. The event celebrates the publication of The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain: Lyrics for Stacey Kent with a wide-ranging interview with the author and Kent performing a selection of Tomlinson-Ishiguro songs, with Jim Tomlinson on woodwinds and Art Hirahara on piano.
Experts explore key cultural moments and topical debates with non-fiction releases
In the Royal Festival Hall, the genre-defying author Maggie Nelson presents Like Love in conversation with writer and journalist Shon Faye. A raucous new collection of profiles, conversations with friends, critical essays and reviews, Like Love draws on twenty years of Nelson’s work and offers a window into her thinking while writing some of her most iconic work. This event includes speech-to-text transcriptions and BSL interpreters.
In the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring presents a tour of algorithms, trolls and online polarisation in Among the Trolls. Based on first-hand interviews and original reporting, this eye-opening book reveals the very real consequences of disinformation.
Political commentator and economic thinker Grace Blakeley brings a searing and timely discussion, pinpointing exactly where capitalism has gone wrong with Vulture Capitalism.
Turning to the past, international bestselling author and historian Peter Frankopan presents The Earth Transformed, which shows how the natural environment and changing climate is a crucial factor in global history and the fate of civilisations across time.
Author Sheila Heti and critic Lauren Oyler also discuss Heti’s experimental, autobiographical book about change, Alphabetical Diaries.
You can view details of all 27 events happening between March and June 2024 by downloading the Literature and Spoken Word Season Spring 2024 Event Listings.
Accessibility information
Accessibility information, including wheelchair access, concession tickets, queuing exemptions and other facilities, can be found in each of the Literature and Spoken Word event details on the Southbank Centre website. Simply, click on the event you’re interested in, scroll down to Venue and select Access.
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