Marianne Faithfull will be honoured with a one-off celebration at Barbican Centre on 18th March 2026.
The evening coincides with the release of Broken English, a new career-spanning portrait of Faithfull directed by BAFTA nominees Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, the duo previously known for 20,000 Days on Earth.
The Barbican Hall event will begin with a preview screening of the film, before a live concert sees a host of artists reinterpret Faithfull’s catalogue. The house band will be led by music director Rob Ellis, best known for his work with PJ Harvey.
The ensemble also features Ed Harcourt, Adrian Utley of Portishead, Colin Greenwood of Radiohead and violinist Anna Phoebe.
Guest performers include Jarvis Cocker, Beth Orton, Anna Calvi and Rufus Wainwright, each bringing their own sensibility to Faithfull’s body of work.
The programme will also feature a reading by award-winning actor Samantha Morton, who will perform a poem from Faithfull’s spoken word album She Walks in Beauty.
Faithfull’s career spanned six decades, from her 60s pop breakthrough to the stark reinvention of Broken English in 1979, a record that reframed her as one of Britain’s most uncompromising voices. The Barbican’s tribute reflects that range, pairing film and live performance to trace her artistic evolution.
The Marianne Faithfull celebration takes place at the Barbican Hall on 18th March 2026.
Photo credit: © Gered Mankowitz / Iconic Image
