Located on the Southbank and open from April 2019 until September 2019, Underbelly Festival is housed in a beautiful pop-up next to Royal Festival Hall and is packed to the brim with shows for everyone. Their garden is a little oasis in the busy hub that is the south bank of the river Thames, it has a summery festival vibe during the day children roam around toddling the place away whilst parents sip on cocktails, ciders or soft drinks and munch on foodie treats.
Family Fest is their child friendly edition but they also have live circus, cabaret, comedy and music should you find a babysitter you can make an evening of it.
The Showstoppers’ kids show
The Showstoppers take your kids’ ideas and transform them on the spot into interactive musical adventures. Harry Potter in space? Done! Dora meets dinosaurs under the sea? No worries! Kids (and only kids) can decide who to meet and where to go to create a show tailor made to their imaginations.
When: 6 May, 16 June, 7 July 8 September, 29 September at 3pm
Ages: 6 years plus
Tickets: from £15
Shakespearience
Join Shakespeare’s men as they fly through Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet and Twelfth Night in a whirlwind hour of mischievous storytelling. With lots of audience participation and a dash of mayhem this show promises to be a great treat for all the family.
When: 14 July 1pm
Ages: 5 years plus
Tickets: from £12
Variety Club 4 Kids
Comedy, circus, magic, music spectacle, silliness and shenanigans from some of the UK’s best variety performers.
When: 18 May & 8 June 1.15pm
Ages: 6 plus
Tickets: from £10
Morgan & West’s utterly spiffing spectacular magic show for kids (and childish grown-ups)!
Time travelling magicians Morgan & West present a jaw dropping, heart stopping, death defying, mind frying, spirit lifting magic extravaganza.
When: 25 May at 1.15pm , 30 June at 3.30pm & 1 September at 1pm
Ages: 5 plus
Tickets: from £10
Screaming with laughter
London’s original daytime comedy club where you can bring your baby along. Becoming a parent means you have to change nights out for days out and this gives you the best opportunity to see the best acts from TV and the Comedy Circuit without having to book a babysitter.
When: 13 July at 1pm
Ages: Adults over 16 and babies under 13 months (the babies don’t pay for tickets)
Tickets: from £10
Comedy Club 4 Kids
Since 2005, the Comedy Club 4 Kids has been getting the best stand-ups and sketch acts from the international circuit to do their thing for an audience of children and their families.
When: 11 May & 2 June at 3pm
Ages: 6 plus
Tickets: £10
Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall
Why toddle when you can dance? This international hit lets carers, parents and children five and under, loose on the dance floor in the friendliest of discos. Bop to a bunch of retro classics, thumping nursery rhymes and funky tunes!
When: 26 & 27 May, 2 June at 1.15 and 20 & 21, 27 & 28 July at 11am
Ages: 0 plus
Tickets: from £8
Shlomo’s beatbox adventure for kids
Shlomo is a world record-breaking beatboxer who makes all kinds of music using just his mouth and a mic. Join this sonic superhero and become one of his sidekicks in a world of funny sounds, brilliant noises and cool music.
When: 27 May at 3pm
Ages: 0 plus
Tickets: from £10
Trash Test Dummies
Everyone put your bins out, tonight’s bin night and the Trash Test Dummies are on duty! This award winning, sidesplitting, slapstick comedy, circus routine takes the household wheelie bin to new heights and delivers a dump-truck full of hilarity
When: 29 – 31 May at 3pm, 1 -2 June at 1pm
Ages: 3 plus
Tickets: £12.50
How does this politics thing work then?
Politics is super important but it can also be fun. Tatton (Simple Politics) and Tiernan (Comedy Club 4 Kids) know exactly how and will help you make sense of it so you can also shout at the telly along with your parents during Question Time.
When: 30 – 31 May
Ages: 6 plus
Tickets: from £10
Arr we there yet?
These acrobatic pirates turn ship life upside-down! Every aspect of pirate life is explored through circus and physical comedy, with lots of laughs and fun for young and old.
When: 22 & 23 June at 1pm
Ages: 0 plus
Tickets: from £10
The noise next door: at sea!
Join the crazy crew for an adventure on the high seas and help chase down the fearsome Captain Bluebeard.
When: 30 June 3pm
Ages: 7 plus
Tickets: from £10
Elmer the patchwork elephant
This puppet show tells the tale of an elephant that stands out with his patchwork coloured skin ad his sense of humour but he soon realises that being different and unique is what his friends value about him.
When: 20 & 21 July at 1pm and 3:30pm
Ages: 1 plus
Tickets: from £11.50
Shark in the Park
Timothy Pope is looking through his telescope –but wait, is that a Shark, in the Park!? From the creative team behind ‘The Hairy Maclary show’ – see all 3 of Nick Sharratt’s ‘Shark in the Park’ books live on Stage!
Featuring all 3 of the ‘Shark in the Park’ Series – Shark in the Park, Shark in the Dark and Shark in the Park on a Windy Day – this fin-tastic, family musical follows Timothy Pope (and his telescope!) on 3 exciting adventures…
When: 23 to 28 July daily at 1pm and 3:30pm
Ages: 2 – 7 years old
Tickets: from £11.50
Twirlywoos
Expect mischief, music and plenty of surprises as they share the delight of discovery. With beautifully inventive puppetry the show promises a cast full of all your favourite characters from the hit TV show.
When: 3rd to 31st August at 11am and 2pm
Ages: 0 plus
Tickets: from £14.50