Against a backdrop of the pandemic and budget cuts, Jessica fights to hold on to her independence and dignity, in a solo piece about pride and survival.
Jessica (Nicola Chegwin) returns home from a ‘rush job’ hen night under threat of an imminent lockdown.
Her ‘last night of freedom’ is far from what she, or any of us could imagine, as she is told her care package is to be cut, turning the independent life she has worked so hard for upside down.
Vici Wreford-Sinnott's commission by the BBC for a short film, Hen Night, was created as part of their Culture In Quarantine season 2021. Wreford-Sinnott has been a highly respected theatre writer and director within the UK Disability Arts Movement for almost 30 years, actively campaigning for better representation of disabled people on TV, film and stage.
Wreford-Sinnott is the founding Artistic Director of Little Cog, a dynamic disabled-led production company, based in the North East of England.
Hen Night is inspired by the book Crippled by award-winning British journalist Frances Ryan.
Hen Night is grateful for support from the BBC, Arts Council England, The Space, Unlimited, ARC Stockton, Northern Stage and Home in Manchester.
Need to know
This film is part of Unlimited on Screen, which takes place from 4 – 8 September.
The film is available to watch online from Wednesday 4 – Sunday 8 September or on-site in the Royal Festival Hall Foyer on Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 September
Contains some scenes of an adult nature, and themes of disability discrimination and the removal of social care support.
Dates & times
4 – 8 Sep
Price
- Standard entryFree
Book as early as you can to ensure the best choice of tickets. Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
Venue
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Our number one priority is the health and wellbeing of our visitors and staff.
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open 90 minutes before events
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.
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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.
Get an overview of the seating layout of Queen Elizabeth Hall by downloading our 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 cloakroom is closed. You won’t be able to bring any bags over 40 x 25 x 25cm into the Queen Elizabeth Hall, so please leave large bags at home.
We're cash-free
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For step-free access from the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road off Belvedere Road to the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium seating (excluding rows A to C) and wheelchair spaces in the Rear Stalls, plus Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer and the Purcell Room, please use the Queen Elizabeth Hall main entrance.
To reach this entrance, enter the Royal Festival Hall via the Southbank Centre Square Doors. Take the JCB Glass Lift to Level 2 and exit to the Riverside Terrace. Turn right to find the Queen Elizabeth Hall main entrance.
You can also use the external lift near the Artists' Entrance on Southbank Centre Square to reach Mandela Walk, Level 2.
For access to the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium seating rows A to C and wheelchair spaces in the Front Stalls, please enter via the Artists' Entrance in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road (Level 1).
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.
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