An Evening with Rough Trade Books
Drop by for a night full of surprises, laughs and emotional jolts with a bumper crop of authors and their friends.
As part of Rough Trade’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Rough Trade Books’ authors take their writings off the page through unique collaborations with musicians and performers.
Sam Reid brings his incredible book The Pin Jar to life with the help of musician Elspeth Anne, and writer Will Burns.
The one and only Max Porter is accompanied by This Is The Kit’s Kate Stables for a richly sonic performance of his All of this Unreal Time.
Anna Whitwham reads from her beautiful memoir Soft Tissue Damage, while Sylvie Poppy O’Brien and Francesca Thakorlal conjure the book’s physicality and embodied power through a dance performance.
The award-winning poet Ella Frears collaborates with the legendary Arab Strap musician Aidan Moffat on an original take on the amazing Goodlord.
Jen Calleja performs sections of their daring work Goblinhood with the aid of puppetry – is there anything she can’t do?
Encounter Owen Williams and Kirsty Gunn reading from their recent Rough Trade Books masterpieces, and Babak Ganjei bringing his surrealist magic to the stage in a physical manifestation of his book, On the Bus Without a Phone.
The stellar line-up is all held together by esteemed host Lily Blacksell.
Need to know
Line up
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
17 Jul 2026, 7.30pm
Run time
2 hours and 30 minutes (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
from £17 + £4 booking fee
Concessions
Learn more about concession discounts
Refunds and exchanges
Find out more about our refund and exchange policy
Become a Member
Members get free entry to the Hayward Gallery and the first chance to book our entire programme of events, including go-down-in-history gigs, concerts with world-class orchestras, and talks from cultural icons and political giants.
Join today from £60
For your visit
This event is held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is home to both our second-largest auditorium and the Purcell Room.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.