Alicja McCarthy previews Southbank Centre’s celebrations for the 100th International Women’s Day festival with music, comedy & debate.
In celebration of the creativity, achievement & innovation of women, the UK’s largest arts centre will host. From March 11th to 13th events all around the 21-acre cultural site of the South Bank will include live music, cinema, talks, free events, markets, comedy and mentoring.
Friday March 11th sees two main events, one is the awareness raising EQUALS Live concert with Annie Lennox, Paloma Faith & VV Brown a the Royal Festival Hall and over at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Birds Eye View Sound & Silents – Bloody Women: From Gothic To Horror, presenting seminal silent films by women pioneering gothic, horror & surrealist cinema, including specially commissioned scores from award winning Imogen Heap & experimental pop act Micachu.
Saturday 12th March (and throughout the three days) we can expect a whole day of WOW festival conferences, talks & workshops from some of the most influential women across all industries, speaking frankly and openly about the things that matter to them. Speakers & mentors include, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, opera director Penny Woolcock, then in the evening, Annie Nightingale, Radio 1’s first female presenter and longest serving one too, talks to Southbank Centre Artistic Director Jude Kelly about her life and work, concluding with a live set in The Clore Ballroom.
On the comedy and theatre side of things, on Sunday 13th March at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Sandi Toksvig & Sue Perkins will host an evening of comedy, stories & music inspired by the suffragette movement, which will also see Perkins conducting an all-female orchestra. (Now we really can do anything!)
For full listings check out :www.southbankcentre.co.uk
