THE BLACK CAT CABARET Returns to Southbank

The Black Cat Cabaret is London's trail-blazing, award-winning cabaret troupe, captivating the city's audiences with their forward-thinking brand of cabaret entertainment for more than a decade. Black Cat: Bohemia is the company's most ambitious circus show to date, and premières with a first headline run at Underbelly Festival Southbank. Combining acrobatic feats and intricate ensemble work with comic turns and a live band, the show's exceptional 12-strong cast elevate cabaret and circus to new levels of jaw-dropping glamour.

Opening 22 August, the show conjures up a smart, sexy and psychedelic vision of a circus troupe dedicated to the eternal Bohemian mission: to leave the world a more beautiful place through their art. Echoing bohemias past from Montmartre to Weimar Berlin, from the Hotel Chelsea to the 80s Blitz Kids, their enclave of love and artistic obsession burns like a brightly colourful flame in the darkness. Yet all is not well in paradise. As the night unfolds, the company, led by their visionary emcee, begins to unravel. In the timeless spirit of cabaret, the show takes us on a journey from the sublime to the ridiculous and back. But one thing is clear - this party must go on!

Taking up a 6-week residency at Underbelly Festival Southbank's glorious Paradiso spiegeltent, Black Cat: Bohemia is the perfect place to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the world's first circus - where Philip Astley first created a rope ring just streets away in the marshland around Waterloo station. As producer of the festival's closing headline circus show, The Black Cat Cabaret flies the flag for London's underground cabaret and circus scene amongst an array of international talent on offer throughout the program.

Heading up the troupe is flame-headed diva Miss Frisky, one half of comedy duo Frisky & Mannish and an internationally-renowned host and singer. Black Cat's resident aerial daredevil Katharine Arnold will be swinging through the rafters and leading the multi-skills ensemble, fresh from a stint shooting Tim Burton's Dumbo as Circus Consultant and as Eva Green's stunt double. Charlotte & Nicolas (Cirque du Soleil, Limbo) are the new Bohemians on the block, showcasing a sizzling and exclusive new hand-to-hand acrobatic routine. Wildly entertaining twists and turns are provided by cyr wheel maestro Jo Moss, while acclaimed acrobatic tumbler and former La Soirée mainstay Leon Fagbemi combines feats of strength and balance with just a little bit of magic. Graceful, fearless and truly feline LJ Marles reaches new heights with his tension straps, while incandescent burlesque goddess Missy Fatale will be lighting up the Black Cat stage once again with her hypnotic fire dance. Completing this gloriously talented bunch of reprobates is a carnival stomping live band, providing the perfect soundtrack to the ensemble and their on-stage shenanigans.

Director of Underbelly, Ed Bartlam, said "The Black Cat Cabaret completes our spectacular 10th anniversary Underbelly Festival Southbank with their brand-new show, Bohemia. Underbelly and the Black Cat Cabaret have a long history together, so we couldn't be more delighted to welcome them to the Southbank as our final headliners."