Adrian Dunbar: TS Eliot’s The Waste Land
See the seminal poem brought to life with dramatisation by Unreal Cities and music by Nick Roth, featuring the earliest colour footage of London, and a full orchestra.
TS Eliot’s The Waste Land is widely regarded as one of the most important poems of the 20th century. Loosely following the myths of the Holy Grail and the Fisher King, it alludes to a vast range of world literature, music and popular culture, leaving contemporary poetry in its wake.
Directed by Adrian Dunbar, with score by Nick Roth, the Unreal Cities staging of the poem is composed for four actors, film and jazz quintet – expanded for this performance to full orchestra in collaboration with the Guildhall Session Orchestra, conducted by John Harle.
The piece was commissioned by the Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival 2015 with the permission of the TS Eliot Estate, becoming the only performance of the poem in its 100-year history to include musical accompaniment.
This Unreal Cities performance marks the first occasion that an Irish ensemble has headlined EFG London Jazz Festival.
The Guildhall Session Orchestra is a dynamic ensemble of talented alumni from Guildhall School of Music & Drama which has recently been making waves in the music world, collaborating with celebrated artists and pushing creative boundaries.
Conceived and directed by Adrian Dunbar.
Need to know
For your visit
This event is held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is home to both our second-largest auditorium and the Purcell Room.
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Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
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Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.