Udderbelly Festival, Southbank

Back for its eighth consecutive year, the Udderbelly Festival on London’s Southbank has established itself as one of the summer's most vibrant cultural celebrations, promoting the best new British performance-art alongside seasoned world-class entertainers.

The 400-seater, upside-down purple cow returns to the Southbank's pastures green three months of comedy, circus and family shows, forming the backdrop to the perfect summer hangout-spot beneath the London Eye before making its annual move up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.

The festival presents another moo-villous programme of events, from award-winning stand-ups and cabaret to kids’ shows and improvised theatre. Not forgetting that throughout the festival is home to one of London's largest outdoor bars and many summer time eateries along the river. We know you're spoiled for choice, so to help you navigate this wealth of diversions, Culture Whisper has its eye on a few performances that are more than worth the fight for tickets.

Circus and theatre

CLOSER by Circa: 7 April - 12 July.
Returning this Spring for their longest season to date in London, the internationally acclaimed contemporary circus company Circa, looks to dazzle the audience with breathtaking acrobatics and aerial spectacles up close and personal. This is all about extremes - how far can the human body be pushed, what are the limits on emotion? Last year's Udderbelly acrobatics had Culture Whisper quivering in their seats with fright, so we expect a lot from CLOSER, specially commissioned by for the Udderbelly festival 2016.

Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho: Thursday 21 April, 9pm; Thursday 19 May, 9pm, Friday 15 July, 9.15pm
The campest and most surreal night ever spent by a Culture Whisper reviewer was watching Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho on the Brighton leg of its UK tour. On the eve of the vote on Section 28 Maggie gets lost in Soho and accidentally becomes a cabaret superstar - the question is, does she change her mind about the homophobic bill before it's too late? This drag comedy musical extravaganza relives the history of Maggy's time in office, from the miner's strikes to fights with her ministers, with jazz hands, fishnet tights and general madness. Following two sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and London's Leicester Square Theatre, we don't expect these tickets to hang around for long.

Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel: Wednesday 22 June, Thursday 30 June, Thursday 7 July & Thursday 14 July, 9.15pm
Austentatious returns to Southbank Centre following three sell-out Edinburgh Fringe performances and winning the Chortle awards, resplendent with Regency-era adventures. In each show, the all-star cast improvise a brand new Jane Austen work before your eyes, based only on audience suggestions. Previous 'lost' masterpieces have included Sixth Sense and Sensibility, Double 0 Darcy and Mansfield Shark. We can't wait to get our swoon on.

Comedy
Veteran comedians from TV staples Mina Conti, Sarah Milican and Milton Jones, flock to the Udderbelly Festival each year as the go-to destination for many of the nation’s greatest stand-ups. As well as the big names (and below are our favourites), smaller but equally hilarious performance acts like the Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare company are what we have our eyes on. Not sure what to book? We are.

Adam Buxton's Best of the Bug: Thu 12 May 9:00pm
Perhaps most famous from his hit radio show Adam and Joe, Adam Buxton prowess may have somewhat slipped under the mainstream radar, but he's as funny as they come. We love him and have high hopes for Best of the Bug, where he will be serving up his favourite videos from recent BUG shows at this big-screen extravaganza.

The Alternative Comedy Trio: Tues 31 May 9:00pm
Our favourite lefty feminist comedian Josie Long is joined on stage by Simon Munnery and Kevin Eldon, star of BBC2's It's Kevin and Radio 4's Kevin Eldon Will See You Now. As well as being crowd-drawing names in their own right and among the most exciting left field comedians in the country, this summer, they're on the road together, bigger and better than ever before.

Meet three of the most established, exciting, leftfield comedians in the country.

Kevin Eldon, Josie Long and Simon Munnery are star names in their own right, and this summer they take to the road on tour together.

Kevin Eldon is the star of BBC2's It's Kevin and Radio 4's Kevin Eldon Will See You Now. He has delivered stand-out performances in nearly every major British comedy television series of the last twenty years.

Adam Buxton serves up favourite videos from recent BUG shows at this big-screen extravaganza.

Expect a helping of the latest music video marvels from around the world, some online discoveries and an excellent selection of YouTube comments.

Family: Udderbelly events for children
The Udderbelly Festival presents a number of events designed for families and younger children, though they’re no less thoughtful and just as brilliant. Keep an eye out for these if you’re looking for a London family day out.
The Amazing Bubble Man: Friday 15 & Friday 22 April, 2pm; Saturday 16 & Saturday 23 April, 11am & 1pm; Sunday 17 & Sunday 24 April, 12pm & 2pm