Live at The RSC

Live at the RSC returns, in association with Underbelly and Orchestra of the Swan featuring a mixed bill of live comedy, music and discussion.

31 May - 4 June

Joining the previously announced As You Like It and Macbeth in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Live at the RSC returns from Wednesday 31 May – Sunday 4 June in association with Orchestra of the Swan and Underbelly.

The programme opens with a unique performance by Orchestra of the Swan who present Red Sky at Sunrise: Laurie Lee in Words & MusicRed Sky at Sunrise follows Lee’s extraordinary journey through his much-loved trilogy, Cider with Rosie, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning, and A Moment of War, from growing up in Gloucestershire, to fighting with the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. Laurie Lee is performed by Anton Lesser and Charlie Hamblett, with music from Orchestra of The Swan.

The festival also features appearances from British Comedy award-winning ventriloquist Nina Conti, award-winning comedian Mark Watson plus, direct from the West End, improvised comedy show; Austentatious inspired by the novels of Jane Austen.

The festival includes solo shows and mixed bill shows with performances from BBC New Comedy award-finalist Fern Brady, Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominee and star of Mock The Week, Live at The Apollo and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Jess Fostekew, Ivo Graham (the youngest ever winner of the prestigious So You Think You’re Funny award for new acts at the Edinburgh Fringe) and award-winning stand-up comedian Sarah Keyworth (Are You A Boy or A Girl, BBC Radio 4, Dark House, Amazon Prime) with further acts to be announced.

Tickets for the festival go on sale on Tuesday 11 April at 10am with further programming to be announced.

West End Live

Underbelly produces West End LIVE on behlaf of Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre with support from the Mayor of London.

Trafalgar Square, London
Summer

The show features live performances from London’s most celebrated West End musicals, with over 50 performances over the course of a weekend.

West End LIVE is presented by Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre with support from the Mayor of London. The show features free performances from London’s most celebrated West End musicals, live in Trafalgar Square. Underbelly has been the production partner on West End Live since 2013.

Pride in London

For four years Underbelly was the Event Producer for Pride in London, the second largest one day event in London after the New Year’s Eve fireworks. 

London, UK
2014 - 2017

For four years Underbelly was the Event Producer for Pride in London, the second-largest one-day event in London after the New Year’s Eve fireworks.

London Pride includes a 30,000-strong parade of participants travelling from Baker Street to Whitehall, a concert to 65,000 people in Trafalgar Square, and stages and street parties in Soho.

The event is supported by the Mayor of London and we’re contracted by the board of London LGBT Community Pride to deliver the event.

Trafalgar Square Christmas Light Switch On

Underbelly had the pleasure of organising the Trafalgar Square Christmas Light Switch On on Thursday 1st December 2022. 

This year marked the 75th year of Norway’s annual donation of a beautiful tree to stand in the iconic London square and we had the honour of unveiling it. The Christmas markets buzzed with festive magic, as everyone stood around with their hot chocolates and mulled wine, eagerly anticipating the Switch On! When the moment finally came at 6pm to switch on the Christmas lights, the tallest tree in London did not disappoint. And as the winter night fell upon Trafalgar, the Norwegian tree lit the square with its cascading vertical lights.

Kings Road Light Switch On

Underbelly was invited by Cadogan Estates to produce the magical Chelsea Christmas Lights Switch On. On Saturday 19th November 2022, thousands gathered to ring in the festive season in style.

A pedestrianised King’s Road was transformed into a festive wonderland, with roaming street performers, live music on the King’s Road stage, free horse and carriage rides and a bustling Mini Makers Market. Some of Father Christmas’ reindeers even popped their head in to join in with the festive fun!

At 5pm, when the winter sun began to set, Father Christmas and his special helpers – two local children at the top of his ‘Nice’ list – switched on the sparkling Christmas lights. This signalled the start of a beautiful fireworks display to bring a close to the most special of days.

Dubai World Expo

Underbelly produced the roaming entertainment programme in March 2022 for the Dubai World Expo.

March 2022

Underbelly produced the roaming entertainment programme in March 2022 for the Dubai World Expo.

Dubai World Expo was a global gathering of nations, dedicated to finding solutions to pressing challenges of our time by offering a journey inside a universal theme through engaging and immersive activities.

As part of this, Underbelly produced a roaming entertainment programme at the expo, showcasing a range of exciting acts.

The Walk

Little Amal is the giant puppet at the heart of The Walk, travelling 8,000km in support of refugees.

Underbelly was proud to be the London Production Parrtner for the event. Working alongside Good Chance Theatre. 

In 2021, the 3.5 metre-tall living artwork of a young Syrian refugee child will walk across Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and the UK to focus attention on the urgent needs of young refugees.

‘Little Amal’ is not so little at 3.5m high. Find out more about how she operates from her creators Handspring Puppet Company.

 

Fare Well

Fare Well is Edinburgh’s Hogmanay’s innovative response on how to close the door on 2020 and celebrate the start of 2021, melding together two of the world’s oldest art-forms, poetry and music with one of the world’s newest technologies, drones, to create one of the world’s most creative, imaginative and inspiring new year celebrations of 2021.

Produced by Underbelly, Fare Well is Edinburgh’s Hogmanay’s commission of the Scots Makar, Jackie Kay, to write a three part poem for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2020, which, working with Drone show pioneers, Celestial, underlies a show of 150 drones to form images created by Scottish illustrator, Gary Wilson, to a musical score from Skye-based Celtic fusion band, Niteworks. The films are voiced by Scottish actors including David Tennant, Siobhan Redmond and Lorne MacFadyen.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Scottish Highlands and Edinburgh, Jackie’s poem and the drone displays reflect on the ‘scunnered year’ of 2020 and look to 2021 with hope on the Scottish air.

December 2020

Part 1

Fare Well, Part One, The Past, which opens in the Scottish Highlands and closes above the Forth Rail Bridge, takes inspiration from what we’ve been able to do and not do during 2020: the funerals and weddings cancelled and our collective griefs and despairs. Jackie writes about the way that the air carries music, chants, hymns and the virus; but, despite the trauma of the months gone by, we can and must still hope:  hope for the future, hope for a new year and hope for each other.
“This air has heather and malt on its breath
as it sighs, puffed oot after a year of death,
under the blue mask of its flag. The Saltire’s
been a warning cross. Dinny come too near. “

 

Download the written words for Fare Well Part 1 here

 

Part 2

Fare Well, Part Two, The Present, turns to look at us today and to give thanks for the many acts of community and kindness displayed by so many across the country. Jackie reflects on the goodness of the human spirit and our  sense of togetherness that has emerged in 2020.

Part Two includes images of “WE” in the skies above Edinburgh – a message from Scotland of universality and commonality – with “WE” translated into many languages including French, Gaelic, Arabic, Greek, Korean, Mandarin and Thai.

 

“And folk sing the wurld over

 blending the atmosphere;

music reaching oot to bless the air,

and now we ken oor neighbours’ names.”

 

Download the written words for Fare Well Part 2 here

 

Part 3

The final instalment of Fare Well sends a message of hope for 2021!

After Parts One and Two of Fare Well, Part Three, The Future, looks to 2021 with optimism. Taking inspiration from a poem by Robert Burns (Sketch New Year’s Day), Jackie echoes Burns’ question about the night of Hogmanay and asks what did ‘yesternight deliver’ and like Burns, finds that there is hope and that it is found in nature: we need only look up at the skies and we find hope.

Joining David Tennant, Siobhan Redmond and Lorne MacFadyen to voice Part Three, are Miren (aged 9 from Glasgow) and Heather (aged 18 from Glasgow).

 

“We share the planet’s air. What’s yours is mine… 

There ur seeds on the air which wull be trees. 

Choreography on the air, danced by bees. 

There’s auld licht made braw by a billion stars”

“We say Wha’s like us, singing Auld Lang’s Syne.

We share the planet’s air. What’s yours is mine.”

 

Download the written words for Fare Well Part 3 here

 

 

More information here – www.edinburghshogmanay.com

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