CHRISTMAS IN LEICESTER SQUARE 2018: BRIEFS TO HEADLINE PROGRAMME FEATURING SHOWSTOPPERS, FRISKY & MANNISH AND GINGZILLA
- Further live entertainment from Frisky & Mannish, Gals Aloud, House of Burlesque & Gingzilla
- Family shows from Showstoppers Kids Show, Monski Mouse’s Christmas Baby Disco & Shakespearience
- European-style Christmas Market, food, bars & Santa’s Grotto in the heart of London
- 9 NOVEMBER 2018 – 5 JANUARY 2019
Underbelly are pleased to announce their third season of festive events in the very heart of London: Christmas in Leicester Square 2018-19.
Briefs the legendary godfathers of ‘Boylesque’ are this year’s headliners with their first ever UK Christmas show: adding tinsel and jingle bells to the glitter-and-neon anarchy of their unique drag-cabaret-circus extravaganza Close Encounters. (9 Nov – 3 Jan)
Families and lovers of a late-night afterparty fear not: Briefs will also be presenting festive editions of their acclaimed kids show Brat Kids Carnival (selected dates 10 Nov – 30 Dec) and their legendary club night Club Briefs (Fri-Sat 9 Nov – 29 Dec).
Fellow Underbelly legends Frisky & Mannish will also be presenting their first ever Christmas show after a sold-out 10th anniversary special on the Southbank this summer, giving all your favourite Christmas songs a hilarious makeover in some of the most spectacularly festive costumes ever to grace the Spiegeltent. (17 December)
Other shows just announced include an extravaganza from the world’s only drag tribute to Girls Aloud, Gals Aloud (20 Nov & 5 Jan), masters of their art House of Burlesque with The Burlesque Carol Concert (27 Nov & 4 Dec) and one of the breakout stars of the Edinburgh Fringe, the beautiful and statuesque (7ft to be precise) Drag Queen Gingzilla (11 Dec).
The incomparable Showstoppers are also back with their acclaimed Christmas Kids Show – a totally improvised musical for all the family: Batman meets Hermione Granger at the North Pole? Peppa Pig joins Father Christmas on his sleigh? Dora explores outer space with Captain Underpants and creates magical carols? Just shout it out and The Showstoppers will bring it to life in front of your eyes. (Selected dates 2-30 December)
For the tots Monski Mouse’s Christmas Baby Disco will get parents, babies and younger kids alike bopping along to a special mix of Christmas classics and kids and dance favourites: the perfect place for a first Christmas dance. (17-19 December)
In Janauary, blowing away the new year cobwebs, there’s Shakespearience: a bedazzling swagger through the Bard’s greatest works for all the family and the perfect introduction to some of the greatest theatre in the English language. (2-5 January)
Another hit with the kids, returning after huge success last year, is Santa’s Grotto – open every day until Christmas Eve. This special North Pole experience will see Father Christmas himself (the real one!) regale kids with a special festive tale before hearing their Christmas wishes, having a photo with them, and giving them a special early Christmas present.
Winter Windows will also return – a unique exhibition in partnership with local schools which will see pupils design stained glass windows with the best being exhibited around the north and west perimeter of the Leicester Square site for thousands of passers-by to enjoy.
In addition to this amazing seasonal entertainment, London’s home of entertainment Leicester Square will be transformed into a wintery haven with a beautiful European-style Christmas Market with over 25 different stalls featuring a range of fascinating Christmas curios, sumptuous food and delicious drinks.
For the third consecutive year and as part of a new two-year partnership between Molson Coors and Underbelly events, Pravha and Rekorderlig will be the key drink sponsors at this year’s Christmas In Leicester Square.
Underbelly Directors Ed Bartlem and Charlie Wood said:
“Christmas in Leicester Square is back and with a big fat Christmas bang with the boysleque beaus from Briefs headlining and a festive bonanza of treats for families, party-lovers and all-round Christmas-fans. It’s Underbelly’s third year producing Christmas in Leicester Square on behalf of Westminster City Council and we really can’t wait to deck the halls, throw open the gates, welcome Santa back to his grotto and get the festive fun underway with our phenomenal programme of shows, bustling Christmas market and wide selection of food and bars”
LISTINGS
Christmas in Leicester Square
9 November 2018 – 5 January 2019
Open every day
12pm – 10pm Monday- Friday
10am-10pm Saturday – Sunday
www.christmasinleicestersquare.com
SHOW LISTINGS
Briefs: Close Encounters
Dates: 9th November – 3rd January 2019 – 8 weeks only!!
Times: 7.30pm Wednesday – Sunday (additional performance Tuesday 18th December)
3pm Saturday (except 22nd December)
Running Time: 100 mins – including interval
Age: 16+
Press Night: Wednesday 14th November 2018 at 7.30pm
Ticket Prices:
Previews 9th November 7.30pm and 10th November 3pm – stalls £21.50/ Posh Seats £26.50/ Private Booth £151.50
Friday – Sunday – stalls £35.50/ Posh Seats £41.50/ Private Booth £221.50
Wednesday – Thursday – stalls £28.50/ Posh Seats £35.50/ Private Booth £186.50
Brat Kids Carnival
Dates: 10th November – 30th December
Times: 11am and 1pm Saturday
1pm and 3pm Sunday
3pm Wednesday – Friday
Ticket Prices:
Saturday and Sunday – Stalls £15.50/ Family Price £13.75 (per ticket. Minimum 4 tickets required)
Wednesday – Friday – Stalls £11.50/ Family Price £10.25 (per ticket. Minimum 4 tickets required)
Running time: 45mins
Advice: Recommended ages 4 and up.
Club Briefs
Dates: 9th November – 29th December (Friday and Saturday only)
Times: 10.15pm
Ticket Prices: Stalls £23.50/ Concession £22.00
Running time: 90 mins
Advice: Strictly for ages 18 and up
The Showstoppers’ Christmas Kids Show!
Dates: 2nd – 30th December
Times: 11am Sunday
1pm Thursday – Friday
3pm Saturday
Ticket Prices: Standard Seats £14.50/ Sirloin Seats £19.50
Running time: 60 mins
Advice: Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Monski Mouse’s Christmas Baby Disco
Dates: 17th – 19th December
Times: 1pm Monday – Wednesday
3pm Monday and Tuesday
Ticket Prices: All visitors £9.50/ Family Price £8.50 (per ticket, minimum of 4 tickets required)
Running time: 60 mins
Advice: For ages 5 and under. Please note all children must be accompanied by an adult. No more than 2 children per adult. All customers require a ticket with the exception of babies under 6 months, old who go free.
Frisky & Mannish: Christmas!
Dates: 17th December
Times: 7.30pm
Ticket Prices: Standard Seats £19.00/ Sirloin Seats £24.00
Running time: 60 mins
Club Briefs: The NYE Extravaganza
Dates: 31st December
Times: 10pm
Ticket Prices: Stalls £41.50/ Posh Seats £61.50/ Private Booth £301.50
Running time: 240 mins
Advice: Strictly ages 18+
Shakesperience
Dates: 2nd – 5th Jan 2019
Times: 1pm
Ticket Prices: Standard Seats £10.25/ Sirloin Seats £15.25
Running time: 60 mins
Advice: Recommended for ages 7 and up
Gals Aloud: Not the Tucking Kind
Dates: 20th November and 5th January 2019
Times: 7.30pm
Ticket Prices: Standard Seats £15.50 / Sirloin Seats £20.50
Running Time: 60 mins
Gingzilla’s Gingerbread Haus
Dates: 11th December
Times: 7.30pm
Ticket Prices: Standard Seats £12.50 / Sirloin Seats £17.50
Running Time: 60 mins
The Burlesque Carol Concert
Dates: 27th November and 4th December
Times: 7.30pm
Ticket Prices: Standard Seats £14.50 / Sirloin Seats £19.50
Running Time: 60 mins