Danny Boyle on celebrating 75 years of the Southbank Centre.
The British director Danny Boyle is speaking passionately about youth culture. Despite being in his late sixties, he has the kind of energy you’d associate with someone much younger – bouncy, humorous, and, dare we say it, optimistic, even in divisive times. Now, he has been chosen to direct a new play for the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary. You Are Here is a one-off production on 3 May that reimagines youth movements from 1951 to the present day.
FACT was invited to a press conference with its creators – Sabrina Mahfouz, Gareth Pugh, Paulette Randall and Natasha Chivers – alongside Danny, who spoke openly about the play. It’s a cold weekday morning at the Southbank Centre, with London’s skyline waking up in the background.
Danny is already warming up the room. He laughs: “I’ll admit, I’m nearly as old as this building, and at some point you do have to ask yourself whether an obsession with youth culture is entirely appropriate. I’ve been very fortunate to work with extraordinary people throughout my career, especially those you see here today.”
The Origin Story
Danny is an acclaimed director and screenwriter, famed for his energetic storytelling and distinctive style across film, television and theatre. Born in 1956 in Radcliffe, near Manchester, he began his career in theatre, working with both the Royal Court Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
In 1994, he released his debut feature film, Shallow Grave, a darkly comic thriller that helped launch the career of his long-time collaborator, Ewan McGregor. He went on to achieve international success with Trainspotting, a bold adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel that vividly brought the gritty underbelly of Glasgow to life, introducing audiences to Sick Boy and Spud, and to the “worst toilet in Scotland”.
Boyle’s work often champions the outsider, from 28 Days Later to the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. His soundtracks capture the cultural moment, seamlessly blending artists from Pulp to M.I.A., and adding an extra pulse to his storytelling.
It was his direction of the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, which cemented his place as a cultural ambassador for Britain. He celebrated the country’s history and multiculturalism, proving he is not just a filmmaker, but a visionary capable of capturing the spirit of a nation. He reflects: “There are so many ways of experiencing things live.”
Setting the Scene
Now, Danny’s career comes full circle as he returns to the stage. He speaks with infectious enthusiasm about London, but also questions the balance between quality and quantity in an age of constant consumption. His message is simple: put the phone down and be present.
“57 Channels (And Nothin’ On) by Bruce Springsteen is a great song. But the issue now isn’t that there are 57 channels and nothing on; it’s that there are 5,000 channels with everything on. I sometimes think of it as an aquarium of indifference. It’s magnificent – like the greatest aquarium you’ve ever visited,” he explains.
“You sit there and watch these extraordinary things drift into focus, only to disappear again, replaced by something equally extraordinary. It’s mesmerising. But you do start to wonder: is it nourishing? Or is it more like having food delivered to your sofa – something you could just as easily have at home? It’s difficult to answer.”
Written by Sabrina Mahfouz and designed by Gareth Pugh, You Are Here promises to be a fully immersive experience. A cast of hundreds will take audiences on a journey through acid, disco, grime, punk and soul, moving from tea dances to packed dance floors. The show will form the centrepiece of the Southbank Centre’s anniversary celebrations.
“In the city we live in, there is a vast labyrinth of opportunity – places like the Southbank Centre are unique. It wasn’t built on tradition in the same way as other institutions, but out of a shared purpose following the war. That gives it a special energy, and it’s why people from around the world should be drawn here,” he shares.
“Perhaps the most important person isn’t here yet. It’s that young person we all recognise – because many of us were that person once. That feeling of restlessness, dissatisfaction, even anger – wondering what to do with it, where to place it, how to express it. This is a place where that energy can be transformed into something meaningful, rather than simply sitting at home watching that endless ‘aquarium’.”
Danny’s gift lies in his ability to shift the mood, whether in today's room, cinemas or on a global stage like the Olympics. He might just as well be describing his own work when he says: “The Southbank Centre is for everyone, like the NHS – a dose of culture, like a vitamin injection. It lifts you.” And just like that, we leave, lifted up by that youthful energy.
Where: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX
When: Sunday, 3 May 2026
Price: Standard entry is from £39
Contact: www.southbankcentre.co.uk