Diaries of Note: Live on Stage
Related Links
In this special event, Shaun Usher – bestselling author of Letters of Note and founder of the live series, and cultural phenomenon, Letters Live – brings Diaries of Note to the stage. A cast of acclaimed performers will read from a remarkable collection of diary entries, spanning centuries and offering windows into lives both extraordinary and everyday.
Few things offer a more intimate glimpse into a life than a diary. Across time and place, people have turned to the page to record fleeting moments, and to capture personal thoughts, feelings and comments from their inner world, not intended for public consumption.
From the private reflections of figures such as Nelson Mandela and Frida Kahlo, to lesser-known voices whose words are no less affecting, these fragments of lived experience reveal moments of vulnerability, humour and quiet revelation.
Thoughtful, moving and often unexpectedly funny, the evening offers a rare opportunity to encounter the written self – and to reflect on the value of recording our own lives.
Recommended age: 16+
Duration: approx. 1 hour 15 mins (no interval)
Related Links
Ticket Information
£28.50, £22.50
A single £4.50 transaction fee applies to all online bookings (per order, not per individual ticket). Orders made in person at the box office are exempt from transaction fees. See booking information for details, payment methods and delivery options.
Check out the view from your chosen seat on our interactive seating plan.
Future events in this series
Chelsea Arts Festival 2026
Following last year’s thrilling launch, the Chelsea Arts Festival, London’s exciting annual arts and culture celebration, returns this September for four days of inspirational events, uniting a diverse mix of artists, performers, and creative visionaries from all disciplines across Chelsea’s iconic venues.
An Evening with Bernardine Evaristo & Friends
Presented by the Women’s Prize
Thursday 17 September 2026, 7.15pm
An evening exploring the richness of women’s writing, curated by one of the UK’s most celebrated writers and literary figures, Bernardine Evaristo, as the recipient of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Outstanding Contribution Award. Bringing t...
Blue Plaques Talk Back
Friday 18 September 2026, 1pm
Blue Plaques Talk Back Live returns to the Chelsea Arts Festival following the riveting launch event at the Festival in 2025. This unique, immersive, live show celebrates four iconic – or intriguingly overlooked – blue plaques, chosen specificall...
A Poem for Every Night of the Year, 10 Year Anniversary
Allie Esiri & special guests
Friday 18 September 2026, 7pm
Acclaimed actors and performers fill the stage with poetry to celebrate ten years of Allie Esiri’s best-selling anthology A Poem for Every Night of the Year, which, along with her other popular poetry collections, has lit an explosion of interest i...
Rambert: This is Rambert
Saturday 19 September 2026, 11.30am
Iconic and ever-innovating, dance company Rambert brings work from its centenary programme, This Is Rambert, to Cadogan Hall, in honour of its centenary year. As one of the world’s most diverse companies of dancers, Rambert transforms everyday spac...
Diaries of Note: Live on Stage
with Shaun Usher & special guests
Sunday 20 September 2026, 3.30pm
In this special event, Shaun Usher – bestselling author of Letters of Note and founder of the live series, and cultural phenomenon, Letters Live – brings Diaries of Note to the stage. A cast of acclaimed performers will read from a remarkable col...
Related Events
Wolf Hall
Words, Music, Power
Tuesday 7 April 2026, 7.30pm
Suzannah Lipscomb and Kate Williams
To Kill A Queen
Tuesday 21 April 2026, 7.30pm
An Evening with Fearne Cotton
Monday 4 May 2026, 7.30pm
David Olusoga
A Gun Through Time
Monday 11 May 2026, 7.30pm
Join our Mailing List
Join our mailing list to be the first to hear about new events and for access to pre-sale tickets.