London Wonderground returns for a third year at South Bank of London

London Wonderground returns for a third year, bringing a piece of Coney Island to the South Bank of London. Underbelly and the Southbank Centre present a summer long festival of the world’s best cabaret, circus and sideshows from the 25 July.

The current site will expand once the Udderbelly Cow moves to Edinburgh and will embrace the world of the unusual and unique to become the capitals playground. The Wonderground offers live entertainment, fairground rides and outdoor bars, creating an amusement ground to be enjoyed by all on the transformed coach park between the Royal Festival Hall and the London Eye. London Wonderground is the brainchild of Underbelly and Southbank Centre.

Highlights include:

LIMBO

This critically acclaimed show is a heady mix of circus, acrobatics, live music and dance which has been thrilling audiences since May.Directed by Scott Maidment, and set to Sxip Shirey's thrilling live score of brass, electronics, hip-hop and club beats, take your seats ringside in the magnificent 1920s inspired Spiegeltent for the hottest party ever between heaven and hell.  

Briefs

The award-winning all male, all vaudeville, all trash brat-pack return to London with their cult variety hit. The group has been described as an Aussie Cirque du Soleil meets Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Get ready for a madcap safari through extravagant birdbath boylesque, too-close-for-comfort yo-yo tricks, valiant aerial acrobatics, irreverent interludes, ferocious fanfares and show-stopping drag artistes.

This is Ceilidh

This summer, a Ceilidh is coming to town. This is Scotland’s most famous shindig as you’ve never seen it before: a riotous assembly of spellbinding tunes, prodigious piping and outrageous dancing. Irreverent, invigorating and exhilarating, coming straight from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – it’s the essential Edinburgh experience, in London.

House of Burlesque

Hosted by the bawdy and beautiful Miss Tempest Rose and featuring a selection of the finest international burlesque stars, this show-stopping night of glamorous entertainment brings an all-new show to Wonderground – a treat to those returning to the House! The glorious gang promise a show both charming and challenging, showcasing the very best in burlesque. Hold on to your stockings!

Jamie MacDowell and Tom Thum

World-class beatboxer and award-winning singer-songwriter return to the London Wonderground. Jamie MacDowell and Tom Thum are two honest, unpolished but highly skilled performers, simply doing what they love. Jamie’s brand of heartfelt songwriting and melodic finger-work is elevated when combined with Tom’s heavy hitting, world-class beatboxing. 

Cirque du Cabaret

London’s finest Cirque du Cabaret (formerly The Tassel Club) come back to Southbank Centre for the third year running to host two gala shows at London Wonderground. July 25th and August 8th. Performing in the round, in the glorious Spiegeltent, both shows will be unique, blending stylish cabaret, comedy, live music, circus and burlesque.

Sideshow Wonderground

London’s South Bank comes alive this summer with an incredible boardwalk Freak Show presenting some of the world’s strangest acts and unusual entertainers in short shows guaranteed to shock and amaze, bemuse and amuse! Join your hosts The Space Cowboy, Australia’s most prolific Guinness world record holder and modified marvel, The Lizard Man voted by Ripley’s Believe it or Not as The Strangest Man Alive as they present an incredible International cast for a culmination of all that is great in modern day sideshow. You will be screaming for more or screaming none the less.

An amusement ground for the capital, London Wonderground brings a taste of early 20th Century Coney Island to the Southbank Centre situated between the Royal Festival Hall and the London Eye.

London Wonderground is part of Southbank Centre’s summer 2014 festival is dedicated to the theme of love and runs from 28 June to 31 August. Hundreds of artists, communities and partners will participate in the Festival of Love, which will explore the many different facets of human love – from the love of humanity to romantic, erotic love and the breakdown of relationships, to the love for close family and friends – in a wide-ranging programme of performances, talks, poetry, music, differently-themed weekends, exhibitions and installations across the site. One of the highlights, in commemoration of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act becoming law in England and Wales this year, will be the Big Wedding Weekend, when couples will be able to marry in mass ceremonies in the Royal Festival Hall over the finale weekend (30 and 31 August).