September is the final month for this year’s Underbelly Festival Southbank, but oh what a month! Judith Schrut tells us more.
Summer’s nearly over (cue loud wet sobs) but London’s Underbelly Festival still has a jampacked, ubercool month of comedy, cabaret, circus and sass to run. Underbelly proudly presents affordable live entertainment annually from April through September for all ages and tastes, along with plenty of street food, open air bars and Thameside views. Many shows are priced at £10 and under.
Last night I saw Rouge, the award-winning, Aussie-born “circus for grownups,” in its Underbelly opening night transfer from the Edinburgh Fringe. Having just returned from Edinburgh myself I can tell you that Rouge has been high on Fringe-goers must-see list with plenty of 4 and 5-star reviews. Think acrobatics with attitude, cabaret with a kick and raunch with rhythm, the show will headline the Underbelly nightly until 15 September. If you like watching exquisitely-toned humans perform dazzling feats with giant hoops, fire sticks, black whips and sexy lampshades to an eccentric wall of sound, you’ll love Rouge.
Several other Fringe hotties are hoofing it to London’s Underbelly for its final month. Look out for plenty of comedy one night stands, like sell out smash Rhys Nicholson’s Nice People Nice Places Nice Things, Tiff Stevenson’s hilarious and personal Mother, madcap comedy pioneer Dave Bibby’s Crazy Cat LAD-y and Maisie Adam’s Hang Fire. Saturday nights will feature a huge line up of comedy talent for London Comedy AllStars. I’d recommend grabbing a ticket for these asap– they’re sure to to sell out fast.
I’m putting on my dancing shoes for Swing Out, a night of live swing music and dancing and I’m also looking forward to The Carole King Story tribute show. If you’d prefer something completely different, how about Tarot, a mystical circus cabaret with live card readings, or Séayoncé, a drag cabaret séance?
Underbelly always has plenty of family friendly fun up its stage sleeve. September’s offerings include the Lonely Bug Ball, Basil Brush’s Fun Family Show and Showstoppers Kids Show, where young audiences get to help make a musical on the spot– strict house rules forbid adults to participate!
Underbelly Festival is at London’s Southbank, 30 Queen’s Walk, London SE1 8XX until 29 September 2019, tickets from £10. More at www.underbellyfestival.com.
