Ásrún Magnúsdóttir: Listening Party
Get ready to be moved as London teenagers dance to their favourite songs in this word-of-mouth hit by one of Iceland’s leading theatre makers.
Listening Party is a party on stage hosted by a group of local teenagers who play their favourite music. Sometimes they sing along or dance along or cry along. They hang out: talk about music and about themselves, about ideas, worries, thoughts and dreams.
They listen to each other. They support each other, celebrate each other and their soon-to-be-gone teenage years. The stage is theirs, the words are theirs and they have the power – even though it’s just for the show. It’s their party and they do what they want to. And you’re invited.
Listening Party is a project by Ásrún Magnúsdóttir, one of Iceland’s leading theatre makers. Magnúsdóttir is interested in working with people that have not given dance or dancing much thought, and in trying to make invisible choreographies visible. She is interested in amplifying voices that she feels should be heard better, giving the stage to other people as a space to speak up, be seen and listened to.
Listening Party was commissioned by Reykjavík Dance Festival and Lókal, with the support of the Iceland Ministry of Culture and Education, as well as Urban Heat and apap – Performing Europe 2020 – both co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
Need to know
Haze and flashing lights are used in this performance.
This performance uses clean versions of pop songs. One track contains some mild swearing.
Choreographer: Ásrún Magnúsdóttir
Dramaturgical advisor and production: Alexander Roberts
Light designer and assistant: Alma Mjöll Ólafsdóttir
Original cast and collaborators: Marta Ákadóttir, Lukka Mörk, Sverrir Gauti Svavarsson, Baldur Einarsson, Steinunn Þórðardóttir, Erna Benediktsdóttir, Haukur Guðnason, Sæþór Elí Bjarnason, Egill Andrason, Saga Klose, Karen Nordquist Ragnarsdóttir, Jón Karl Sigurðsson, Stefán Árni Gylfason, Theodór Pálsson, Lea Alexandra Gunnarsdóttir, Hanna Greta, Uloma Ousala, Ísafold Kristín, Lúkas Örvar Blurton, Emma Ýrr Hlynsdóttir, Óðinn Sastre, Þuríður Guðrún Pétursdóttir, Jana Ebenezardóttir, Viktoría Mist, Ilmur María Arnarsdóttir, Sigríður Ragnarsdóttir, Aron Gauti, Arnór Máni Birgisson, Oliver Alí, Hringur Kjartansson, Karl Jóhann Jónsson, Ólafur Björgúlfsson, Halldóra Björg.
Photographer: Owen Fiene
Watch more
Image gallery
Access
This event is a Relaxed Performance. These 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 these performances.
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
For your visit
This event is held at the Purcell Room Southbank Centre
The Purcell Room is located in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Purcell Room is an auditorium located within our Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
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.