Skip navigation

Main menu

  • What's on
  • Art & Artists
    • The Collection
      Artists
      Artworks
      Art by theme
      Media
      Videos
      Podcasts
      Short articles
      Learning
      Schools
      Art Terms
      Tate Research
      Art Making
      Create like an artist
      Kids art activities
      Tate Draw game
  • Visit
  • Shop
Become a Member
  • DISCOVER ART
  • ARTISTS A-Z
  • ARTWORK SEARCH
  • ART BY THEME
  • VIDEOS
  • ART TERMS
  • SCHOOLS
  • TATE KIDS
  • RESEARCH
  • Tate Britain
    Tate Britain Free admission
  • Tate Modern
    Tate Modern Free admission
  • Tate Liverpool + RIBA North
    Tate Liverpool + RIBA North Free admission
  • Tate St Ives
    Tate St Ives Ticket or membership card required
  • FAMILIES
  • ACCESSIBILITY
  • SCHOOLS
  • PRIVATE TOURS
Tate Logo
Become a Member
Tate Modern Performance

BLUE NOW

27 May 2023 at 21.00–22.30
Become a Member

BLUE NOW, 2022

A live performance of Derek Jarman’s landmark final film

Blue 1993 was British artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman’s last feature film. Thirty years after it was made, British director Neil Bartlett and actor Russell Tovey have worked together to create a special live performance of the film.

Blue features a continuous single shot of the colour blue, as he reflects on his AIDS-related illness, impending death, and loved ones lost to the virus.

Due to this illness, Jarman became partially blind – his vision was often interrupted by shades of blue light. In the poignant film, he describes blue as the colour that, ‘transcends the solemn geography of human limits.’

Directed by Bartlett, BLUE NOW’s cast includes Travis Alabanza, Jay Bernard, Joelle Taylor who will together deliver Jarman’s powerful words (previously voiced by Jarman himself, Tilda Swinton, Nigel Terry and John Quentin). Simon Fisher-Turner, who created the original soundtrack, will compose a new score to perform live on the night.

BLUE NOW is unique opportunity to reflect on the impact of the British AIDS epidemic, and the importance of creating space for compassion, rage and poetry in the face of prejudice and oppression.

Live performances commissioned by WePresent by WeTransfer in association with Fuel and Basilisk Communications

Live performances commissioned by WePresent by WeTransfer in association with Fuel and Basilisk Communications

Directed by Neil Bartlett

Performed by Travis Alabanza, Jay Bernard, Joelle Taylor and Russell Tovey

Sound and music by Simon Fisher-Turner

Produced by Fuel

BLUE NOW is a touring production presented at Brighton’s Theatre Royal as part of Brighton Festival (7 May), Turner Contemporary, Margate (13 May), HOME Manchester (21 May), and Tate Modern (27 May).

The performance will be BSL interpreted by Jacqui Beckford.

Seating is a combination of chair and floor seating, allocated on a first come, first served basis. There is space for wheelchair users.

All Tate Modern entrances are step-free. For this event please enter via the Blavatnik Building on Sumner Street on the South side of the building. A lift will be available to take you to the event space on level 5.

The rest of the building will be closed.

  • Fully accessible toilets are located on every floor on the concourses
  • A quiet room is available to use during the event

To help plan your visit to Tate Modern, have a look at our visual story. It includes photographs and information about what you can expect from a visit to the gallery

For more information before your visit:

  • Email hello@tate.org.uk
  • Call +44 (0)20 7887 8888 – option 1 (daily 09.45–18.00)
Check all Tate Modern accessibility information

Tate Modern

Level 5, Blavatnik Building

Bankside
London SE1 9TG
Plan your visit

Date & Time

27 May 2023 at 21.00–22.30

This event has sold out

Artwork
Close

Join in

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
Sign up to emails

Sign up to emails

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Tate’s privacy policy

About

  • About us
  • Our collection
  • Terms and copyright
  • Governance
  • Picture library
  • ARTIST ROOMS
  • Tate Kids

Support

  • Tate Collective
  • Members
  • Patrons
  • Donate
  • Corporate
  • My account
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Contact
© The Board of Trustees of the Tate Gallery, 2025
All rights reserved