Josephine
With passion, wit and jazz, this play tells Josephine Baker’s story, from the slums of St Louis via the bright lights of Paris and into the hearts of the world.
Josephine Baker. The little girl from Missouri who became an original 20th Century icon.
Dancer, actor, activist, campaigner, spy and mother to the multicultural Rainbow Tribe, Josephine broke the mould and high-kicked the pieces to the curb.
But, almost 50 years after her death, Café Josephine, a down-at-heel New York diner dedicated to her memory, faces closure.
Nobody remembers Josephine, who she was, what she did, what she stood for.
Was it the menu? The decor? Or Jack and Marie, siblings and co-owners of the café, who have run her legacy into the ground? Either way, Josephine just can’t allow that.
With a sultry, Harlem Renaissance-inspired score, spring-heeled Charleston dancing and a hatful of historical figures, Josephine blurs the real with the imagined.
Written by Leona Allen and Jesse Briton, directed by Jesse Briton and designed by Debbie Duru; with composer and musical director Nadine Lee, composer Simon Lee and movement director and choreographer Ingrid Mackinnon.
The Egg, Wales Millennium Centre and Oxford Playhouse’s co-production of Holm Theatre’s Josephine.
Need to know
For ages 8+
The performance at 12.30pm is a Relaxed Performance (RP).
A Relaxed Performance is perfect for anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed audience experience. Relaxed Performances are adapted in a number of ways to reduce anxiety and create a supportive atmosphere, including adjusting light and sound effects, and having a relaxed attitude towards audience noise and movement in the auditorium, with the option to leave and re-enter.
There is a visual story available for audience members who may benefit from preparing for the performance.
View visual story
To join our free Access Scheme, email [email protected]
Find out more about our Access Scheme
Dates & times
Wed 16 Feb, 12.30pm & 3.30pm
Price
- Standard entryFrom Adult £12, Child £9
- Concessions25%**
* Excludes £3.50 booking fee.
Book as early as you can to ensure the best choice of tickets. Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
** Limited availability. Read about concessions.
Tickets can only be sold through the Southbank Centre and our authorised agents, and can't be resold. You can return your tickets to the Southbank Centre for a credit voucher up to 48 hours before the event. Tickets resold on any third-party platforms will become invalid.
Get presale tickets
Members get 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.
Venue
Purcell Room
Our number one priority is the health and wellbeing of our visitors and staff.
Open 90 minutes before an event until the end of the event. Closed at all other times.
Our address is: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. The nearest tube and train stations within 5-7 minutes walk are Waterloo (Northern, Bakerloo, Jubilee and Waterloo & City lines) and Embankment (District & Circle lines). There are also lots of bus routes with stops 2-5 minutes from our venues. For more information on getting here by road, rail or river.
Pre-booking online is recommended. Check our website on the day for returns. There’s no need to print your e-ticket – just show your phone to our Visitor Assistants on entry.
Some free events don't require a ticket. Found an event labelled FREE on our website with no way to book? Simply turn up on the day.
If you don't receive your e-ticket
Your e-ticket will be sent to you seven days before the event date from [email protected]. If you don't receive your e-ticket, and it's not in your junk or spam folder, please get in touch.
More information
Find out all you need to know about tickets, including concessions, group bookings, returns, credit vouchers and more, via the link below.
Get an overview of the seating layout of the Purcell Room by downloading our seating plan.
Toilets
An accessible toilet is located in the foyer.
A Changing Places toilet is located on Level 1 Royal Festival Hall next to the JCB Glass Lift, for the exclusive use of disabled people who need personal assistance to use the toilet.
The facility includes a height-adjustable bench, tracking hoist system, a centrally-placed toilet, a height-adjustable basin and a shower.Please visit the Welcome Desk on Level 2, Royal Festival Hall, where a member of staff can provide you with the key. You can also use the phone next to the Changing Places toilet to speak to a member of staff. The facility is open daily 10am – 11pm.
Cloakroom
The Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room cloakroom is closed. You won’t be able to bring any bags over 40 x 25 x 25cm into the venues, so please leave large bags at home.
We're cash-free
Please note that we're unable to accept cash payments across our site.
Purcell Room is located in Queen Elizabeth Hall. For step-free access please use Royal Festival Hall JCB glass lift to Level 2 and enter via Riverside Terrace.
Talk to a member of staff at the auditorium entrance if you have a disability that means you can’t queue, or you need extra time to take your seat. They can arrange priority entry for you as soon as the doors open.
Please bear with us while we update our access map to reflect the refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall’s Level 2 foyer spaces. The step-free routes remain the same.