Plastic Drastic Fantastic
Friend or foe? Remarkable or rubbish? Drawing on South Asian dance, this contemporary dance theatre work for families explores the wonders and woes of plastics.
Produced by Akademi, Plastic Drastic Fantastic explores our complex relationship with plastics – the fantastic possibilities they offer, as well as the drastic consequences to the environment.
The artists investigate plastics and the dangers of their misuse through intricate movement, gestures and play in this work choreographed by Subathra Subramaniam.
Akademi makes vibrant, fascinating, and meaningful South Asian dance. With care at the centre of all that they do, Akademi uses the compelling power of storytelling, rhythm and gestures to create deeper connections with each other and our wider world. Akademi has been the beating heart of South Asian dance in the UK since 1979.
Originally an Akademi and Polka Theatre co-production. The 2023 grant for the origination with the new cast is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Plastic Drastic Fantastic is a non-verbal dance piece and doesn’t include any spoken words. The artistic and technical team on the project worked closely with creative consultant for d/Deaf audiences Ramesh Meyappan in the development of the show.
Need to know
For ages 7+
This event is a Relaxed Performance (RP).
Relaxed Performances have a relaxed approach to noise and movement in the space, and you are free to enter and exit during the performances. A chill-out space and noise-cancelling headphones are available for both adults and children. There are no adjustments to sound and lighting for these performances.
There is a Sensory Adapted performance of this show on Sunday 7 April at 2.30pm.
Find out about Plastic Drastic Fantastic (Sensory Adapted)
Plastic Drastic Fantastic is a non-verbal dance piece and doesn’t include any spoken words. The dancers use their bodies, expressions and gestural movements to guide you through the performance.
This makes it accessible to a range of people, including d/Deaf and hard of hearing and non-English speakers or those with developing language and communication skills.
For d/Deaf and hard of hearing audiences there are also a limited number of sensory cushions available on request. These are soft, handheld cushions that pulsate to the beat and respond to tonal qualities of the music and sounds, offering an additional sensory experience of the show.
To book a seat with a sensory cushion, or to request a cushion for an existing booking, please email [email protected] or call us on 020 3879 9555.
You can join our free Access Scheme through your online Southbank Centre account or via email.
Find out more about our Access Scheme
All our access information
Every adult and child needs a ticket, except for babes in arms aged under 18 months at the time of the performance who don’t need their own seat.
This show uses amplified sound, flashing lights (not strobe) and haze.
The performance on Sunday 7 April at 11.30am is followed by a free post-show Q&A exploring the themes of the show. The discussion is open to ticket holders and begins shortly after the performance ends.
Dates & times
Sat 6 Apr & Sun 7 Apr 2024, 11.30am & 2.30pm
Price
- Standard entryFrom Adults £10 £14, Children £10 £14*
- 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.
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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. The phone outside the Changing Places toilet will connect you with a member of staff, who can provide you with the key. 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.