Feats of physical prowess cheekily delivered and presented in a sultry and slightly sinister fashion – London’s celebrated Black Cat Cabaret slinks to the summer stage of Underbelly Festival on the South Bank.
Kemey and I enjoyed last weekend’s inaugural performance of the Black Cat at Underbelly (former Udderbelly and Wonderland Festivals combined). Not our first glimpse of the Cat or our first go at the festival, we were nonetheless impressed and awed by much of what we took in. Best acts were muscled but graceful acrobats of Katharine Arnold with Sammy Dinneen and the dingy but exceptionally coordinated hula hoop antics of Jess Love.
To be sure we had a great time but compared to past experiences with Black Cat and with Udderbelly we felt there was slightly too much filler between acts. And, at the end we couldn’t tell if time had flown because we had been having so much fun or because the show had been simply shorter than we had expected. Still, if you like the idea of blending the best bits of cabaret, burlesque and sideshow entertainment into one sexy soiree, you’ll love Black Cat and will most certainly have a great night out attending a performance.
Tickets start at £22.50.
Next chance to catch the Cat at Underbelly Festival is 2 June with dates in July, August and September as well. Underbelly is located on the Southbank, between Southbank Centre, Jubilee Gardens and the London Eye, just off Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX. Find out more at theblackcat.info and udderbelly.co.uk.
