Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max: Terrible Horses
Join the award-winning writer Raymond Antrobus and illustrator Ken Wilson-Max as they share their new picture book, a story about emotions and developing empathy.
Terrible Horses is a truly authentic and stunningly evocative picture book on brother-sister dynamics and how creativity and storytelling can help resolve conflict and enable better understanding.
This little boy does not get on with his sister. They misunderstand each other, struggle to communicate and they fight. Afterwards, there’s a lot of hurt, heavy feelings and loneliness.
In order to escape their constant rowing and clear his head, the boy often retreats to his bedroom where he writes stories about terrible horses – trampling and galloping – and he, a lone pony, who cannot compete and cannot speak.
But what happens when his sister finds his book? Could it be a way for them to finally understand each other?
Filled with empathy and poignance, Terrible Horses is a story about managing anger and learning to see someone else's perspective.
This event will feature a reading of the book along with live illustration and an opportunity to ask questions.
Raymond Antrobus became the first poet to be awarded the Rathbone Folio Prize, and was awarded an MBE for his services to literature in 2021.
His adult poetry collection The Perseverance won Antrobus the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award and the Ted Hughes Award. His poetry collection, All the Names Given, was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize. Can Bears Ski?, illustrated by Polly Dunbar, was Antrobus’ picture book debut.
Ken Wilson-Max is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s books. He was born in Zimbabwe and lives in London. Wilson-Max is among the Speaking Volumes 100 Breaking New Ground British writers and illustrators of colour.
He has illustrated more than 70 children’s books in his unique style, which have been published by over 15 international publishers in many languages worldwide.
His book Where’s Lenny? was listed in ‘50 Best Culturally Diverse Children's Books’ by The Guardian and Max Paints the House is listed in ‘150 Important Children's Books’ by the African American Literature Book Club.
Need to know
For ages 4+
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 the event.
This event is British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted.
To book tickets for BSL interpretation, 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.
Dates & times
Price
- Standard entryFrom Adults £10, Children £10*
- 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.