Red Sky at Sunrise: Laurie Lee in Words and Music
Spellbinding music plus the words of the inimitable 20th-century poet and writer Laurie Lee equals one extraordinary story.
This captivating adaptation of Laurie Lee’s celebrated autobiographical trilogy – Cider with Rosie, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning and A Moment of War – weaves together music and words to celebrate Lee’s engaging humour, as well as his darker side.
Actors Anton Lesser and Charlie Hamblett and the Orchestra of the Swan trace Lee’s journey from Cider with Rosie to fighting with the International Brigades against Franco’s forces in the Spanish Civil War.
Lesser (playing the older Lee) and Hamblett (playing the younger Lee) perform this work on the eve of the 90th anniversary of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, yet it is a show with a startling resonance with modern events.
Be transported through the lush Gloucestershire countryside and the landscapes of Spain, through the music of Albéniz, Britten, Elgar, Falla, Holst and Turina, performed by Orchestra of the Swan and guitarist Mark Ashford.
Need to know
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
16 Jul 2026, 7.30pm
Run time
2 hours and 20 minutes (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
from £22 + £4 booking fee
Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
Concessions
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Refunds and exchanges
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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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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.