Saturn Returns

PAST EVENT
Accessible
7 –⁠ 8 Sep 2022, 7.45pm
Part of Unlimited
Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall
Performance & dance
From £12
past event
past event
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Two performers sit on a stage covered in sand. They have wooden bowls in front of them and a confession box structure stands behind them stage left. The stage is lit with red lights.
Matt Carnazza

Saturn Returns is a choreopoem by Sonny Nwachukwu exploring the psychospiritual clashes produced in Black people by the weight of history.

Written and directed by Sonny Nwachukwu, Saturn Returns delves into an astral projection reality where the characters of Ada and Obi take on forms of past, present and future lives.

Saturn Returns wraps modern psychological issues of being trapped in repeating self-destructive patterns within the spiritually affirming circularity of rebirth along family lineage that is a feature of Igbo mythology.

Through music, spoken word and dance, Saturn Returns contrasts Christian notions of redemption through suffering, with mystical notions of escaping the mortal realm through astral projection.

Supported by Unlimited and Arts Council England

Need to know

Age recommendation

For ages 14+

This event is a Relaxed Performance and is Captioned.

Audio Description is available during this event. To use this service, please let a member of the team know when you arrive so that we can organise a headset for you.

You can join our free Access Scheme through your online Southbank Centre account or via email.
Find out about our Access Scheme
All our Access & facilities information

If wheelchair spaces are sold out and you require one, please contact [email protected]

This event is also available to watch online.
Find out more

Contains themes of grief, bereavement, slavery, discrimination and generational trauma.

Dates & times

7 –⁠ 8 Sep 2022, 7.45pm
Approximate run time: 1 hour.
Run times may vary by up to 20 minutes as they can be affected by last-minute programme changes, intervals and encores.

Price

  • Standard entryFrom £12*
  • 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. 

Check here for our current guidance

Open 90 minutes before an event until the end of the event. Closed at all other times.

See the opening times for all our venues

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.

 Visit our Getting here page

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. 

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More information

Find out all you need to know about tickets, including concessions, group bookings, returns, credit vouchers and more, via the link below.

Frequently asked questions

Get an overview of the seating layout of the Purcell Room by downloading our seating plan.

Download 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.

Download step-free access map

More about Access & facilities