Sally Rooney and Gillian Anderson announced for Southbank Centre literature festival line-up
The Southbank Centre’s literary and spoken word season starts this month with a world class line-up of writers and artists.
Gillian Anderson, Richard Ayoade, Sally Rooney and Hari Kunzru are just some of the big names announced for the programme of non-fiction talks and poetry readings at the UK’s largest multi-arts centre.
Featuring an outstanding lineup of internationally acclaimed authors and journalists, the season will tap into today’s most topical issues, ranging from political polarisation to the human impact on money.
On May 30, renowned author Hari Kunzru will unveil his new novel, Blue Ruin, exploring the journey of an artist grappling with past demons and confronting a world transformed.
Later on, former head of the FBI and New York Times Bestselling author James Comey is set to present his new legal thriller, Westport, on July 25.
The global phenomenon Sally Rooney will also be making an appearance on September 25, to explore her latest work, Intermezzo, a moving story about grief, love and family.
Elsewhere in the programme, a range of spoken word events celebrate the diversity of the literary landscape with some exciting cross-cultural performances.
On July 19, European Poetry Festival will deliver a vibrant cross-lingual performance to showcase the dynamic voices of contemporary Catalan.
In a UK exclusive towards the end of the festival, acclaimed actor Gillian Anderson presents Want on September 1, a groundbreaking volume of anonymous female correspondence about sexual desire, which reveals much that is usually left unsaid.
Ted Hodgkinson, head of literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre, said:“The Southbank Centre has always been an engine of creativity and this programme presents a vibrant mix of literary talents, who entertain, thrill and illuminate the evolving complexities of our times.”
For the full line-up and tickets visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Pictured top: From Left, Gillian Anderson, Sally Rooney (Picture: Sasha Gusov, Kalpesh Lathigra)