Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Notes on Writing
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the bestselling author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun, reflects on writing and storytelling.
In her return to the Royal Festival Hall, Adichie also discusses her most recent book, Notes on Grief, written following the death of her father.
This event opens a weekend celebrating 100 years since English PEN was founded. In 2018, Adichie was awarded the PEN Pinter Prize, named after Harold Pinter and given to a writer from a Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland whose work aims ‘to define the real truth of our lives’.
Produced in partnership with English PEN.
Need to know
For ages 16+
This event is BSL translated.
To join our free Access Scheme, email [email protected]
Find out more about our Access Scheme
Dates & times
Price
- Standard entry£15*
- Concessions25%**
* Excludes £3.50 booking fee.
** Limited availability. Read about concessions.
The Southbank Centre takes a strong view on secondary ticketing. We require the lead booker to attend (photo ID may be requested). Tickets can only be resold by the Southbank Centre or one of its authorised agents.
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
Royal Festival Hall
As we welcome you back, our number one priority is the health and wellbeing of our visitors and staff, so we’ve introduced a number of measures to help everyone stay safe.
The Royal Festival Hall is open to all from Friday 28 May for access to the Level 2 foyers, Level 2 toilets, the National Poetry Library, Southbank Centre Shop and Riverside Terrace Cafe at the following times:
Closed on Monday
Tuesday – Thursday, 12 noon – 8pm*
Friday and Saturday, 12 noon – 10.30pm*
Sunday, 12 noon – 8pm*
*Closing times may vary on event days. Access to the Royal Festival Hall foyers is restricted to ticket holders from 90 minutes before events begin.
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, see below.
Pre-booking online is essential. Entry is by pre-booked ticket only. 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.
If you don't receive your e-ticket
Check your spam folder for an email from [email protected] If you don’t receive your e-ticket within a few hours of booking, please get in touch.
Unable to attend
We can’t offer refunds. If you or any of your party have coronavirus symptoms or need to self-isolate, please email us and we’ll do our best to move your booking to a different date. If we’re not able to find you a new date, we’ll issue you with a credit voucher. From time to time this service may not be available, and we can't accept returns after the date of your booked performance has passed.
Please stay at home if you have symptoms of illness such as a cough, sore throat or fever or have been in contact in the past ten days with someone who has coronavirus.
Toilets
Toilets, including accessible toilets, are open on Level 2 of the Royal Festival Hall.
Cloakroom
The cloakroom is closed in order to reduce face-to-face contact. You won’t be able to bring any bags over 40 x 25 x 25cm into the Royal Festival Hall, so please leave large bags at home.
Entering the hall
There may be short queues to enter the building and the auditorium. If you are not able to queue or need further assistance, our Visitor Assistants are here to help you.
For level access to the Royal Festival Hall, please use the external lift near the Artists' Entrance on Southbank Centre Square, Belvedere Road, to Level 2, and enter via Riverside Terrace. All floors are accessible from the main foyer.
We welcome wheelchair users and guide companion dogs.
More about Access & facilities
Parking
Blue Badge holders and those with access requirements can be dropped off on the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road off Belvedere Road (the road between the Royal Festival Hall and the Hayward Gallery).
There are four Blue Badge parking spaces available for visitors located on the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and are free to use. You must display your Blue Badge as you enter the site. Vehicles that do not display a Blue Badge are refused entry.
Blue Badge parking at National Theatre
Alternative parking for Blue Badge holders visiting the Southbank Centre can be found at the National Theatre car park (330 metres). If you are visiting the Hayward Gallery, just take your badge and car park ticket to the Ticket Desk in the gallery foyer for validation before you leave.
Please note: on Sunday when the National Theatre building is closed there is no step-free access from the car park.
Alternative parking is available nearby at the APCOA Cornwall Road Car Park (490 metres), subject to charges.
Blue Badge parking at APCOA Cornwall Road
Alternative parking for Blue Badge holders visiting the Southbank Centre can also be found at the South Bank Car Park – APCOA Cornwall Road Car Park. Just take your badge and car park ticket to the parking attendant office at the entrance to the car park for validation before you leave.
A drop-off point at the Royal Festival Hall (30 metres) has been created for visitors who are unable to walk from alternative car parks.
Our Access Scheme
If you have any access requirements, please sign up to our Access Scheme for discounts, wheelchair spaces, dedicated seats and free companion tickets. You can also join our mailing list to get news about accessible events and exhibitions.
A selection of the restaurants and cafes on our site and the Southbank Centre Street Food market are now open.