Underbelly Festival’s 10th year on the Southbank went off with a bang in April with the London premiere of the effervescent, multicoloured Circus Abyssinia, and May looks set to be even more exciting with the opening of the iconic Paradiso Spiegeltent – a West End for the weird and wonderful – on the 28th of April.
The Spiegeltent will host some of the capital’s finest nights out with a twist
Raising the curtain on this season’s spectacular Spiegeltent programme is House of Burlesque Revue. (28 April)
Hot on its heels is SOAP – the iconic German circus extravaganza – which brings together top-quality circus, irreverent humour and a banging soundtrack and drenches the whole thing in water to create a visual feast (and an extra challenge for the performers). Expect mop ballets, bathtub acrobatics and the wettest, most wonderful night out of the year. (3 May – 17 June)
Also hitting the Spiegeltent in May, a deliciously eclectic range of cabaret performances Fatman Scoop’s Hip Hop Cabaret (24 May), acid tongued Northern Diva Myra Dubois (3 May), an Alternative Eurovision that makes the real thing look like the UKIP party conference (11 May), ‘alt-drag rock’n’roll show’ FFS!!! (17 May), The Infinite Narcissism of the Virgin Xtravaganzah (22 May) and grand dame of impressions Jess Robinson with Here Come the Girls. (31 May)
As well as top-notch performance, the Spiegeltent will host some of the capital’s finest nights out with a twist, including the ultimate singalong gig Massaoke Club La La (4 May) and The Silent Disco Show (5 May) - which blends the traditional silent disco with extraordinary technicolour visuals and scintillating cabaret and burlesque performances for an interactive performance night out to remember.
In the Belly Theatre Circus Abyssinia runs until the 20th of May when it will make way for sizzling Latin circus-concert Circolombia (24 May – 14 July) which will infuse world class circus skills into an explosion of Colombian culture.
Comedy highlights in May include giants such as Nina Conti, Sara Pascoe, Ruby Wax and Ed Gamble, as well as the twisted, ludicrous and razor-sharp sketch comedy Late Night Gimp Fight (2 & 18 May), and wildly imaginative, interactive sketch madness from Steen Raskopoulos. (4 May)
Family entertainment includes the madcap theatrical adaptation of kids classic Aliens Love Underpants (3-31 May), Southbank institutions Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dancehall (Sundays throughout May), The Amazing Bubble Man (26-29 May) and the only comedy club where you can bring your baby; Screaming With Laughter (28 May).
All this incredible live entertainment comes at affordable prices – with most tickets under £20 and 20% off when you book three shows or more - and is set within some of the capital’s best outdoor bars, with a fantastic range of street food and drink available, all of which make Underbelly Festival Southbank the ultimate London day (or night) out.
Photo credit: David Jensen
Guts, Grace and Gusto, direct from Bogota.
Circolombia returns to the UK after taking Edinburgh by storm with their critically acclaimed show. Witness the explosive power of thirteen performers, showcasing mind-boggling circus skills whilst taking terrifying risks live on stage...
Following their smash hit run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017 and fresh from their performance on ITV’s Royal Variety Performance, Circus Abyssinia makes its London premiere at Underbelly Festival for six weeks only...
Based on the book by Claire Freedman & Ben Cort Adapted & directed by Adam Bampton-Smith
Aliens love underpants
Of every shape and size
But there are no underpants in space
So here's a big surprise!
This zany and hilarious tale based on the best-selling children’s book is wonderfully brought to life on stage for the very first time...
Always honest, always regretting it later, Sara opens her heart and mouth again to share the adventures of the last year. Full of jokes, hope and white wine LadsLadsLads is the thinking person's stag do*...
Your passport to a saner living.
Drop dead gorgeous, sassy and smart, Ruby Wax brings her new one-woman show to the stage. Based on her number one best seller, A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled...
Back with astonishing spontaneity, side-splitting characters and brand new surprises, Nina is experimenting with new ideas and some old favourites as she works out her new show.
British Comedy Award winner Nina Conti improvises unforgettable puppetry, using live audience members, with the help of cartoonish masks and her simian sidekick, Monkey...
Why toddle when you can dance? Join our resident dj-mumma, Monski Mouse and her Dancers for an hour of bopping family fun. There’s no better place to do a chicken-dance, all summer long, it’s time to 1, 2, 3 DISCOOOOO!
This international hit, early childhood event lets parents and under fives loose on the dance floor in this friendliest of discos...
Screaming with Laughter is London's original daytime comedy club where baby can come too!
With over 5 years experience of making tired parents laugh, we know how important it is to get out and do something other than just rhyme time...
Having captivated audiences around the globe, the sell-out, smash-hit show SOAP makes a splash on London's Southbank.Featuring a highly skilled international ensemble, SOAP is a unique combination of world-class acrobatics, comedy and live opera performed in, on and around bathtubs...
Join multi award-winner and Britain's Got Talent 2017 semi-finalist Jess Robinson for an evening of spot-on celebrity impressions, musical comedy and stunning vocal gymnastics. Like a wonderfully malfunctioning jukebox, Jess and her incredible vocals will take you on a dizzying journey through hilarious musical mash-ups, serving a feast of styles and genres from Billie Holiday and Judy Garland to Amy Winehouse and Beyoncé...
Coming to Underbelly Festival for the first time, Massaoke Club La La is a night out you will never forget. Part gig, part club and one hell of a party – featuring the irrepressible Massaoke band, big-screen lyrics and a room full of revellers singing and dancing their hearts out together to the greatest hits of all time – from Bon Jovi to Bonnie Tyler to The Killers, Abba, Oasis, Guns’n’Roses, Madonna and many more...
