A Guide To The UK’s Most Inventive Entertainment
Monday, 4 July 2011
As the UK becomes an increasingly multi-cultural nation, the level of talent and entertainment grows more and more eclectic. From comedy to cabaret and everything in between, Britain offers an ever-widening selection of top class and often inventive entertainment.
As expected from the capital of the country, London comedy is of a high calibre. Many of the UK's most popular programmes are filmed in London, and so a high volume of comedians decide to relocate and place themselves in the centre of the comedy circuit. Whether you fancy a free show by an up-and-coming comedian in a small theatre, or you've been looking forward to seeing your favourite famous comedian performing in an arena, there are many hilarious shows to be found every night; your only decision now is deciding which comedy club to visit.
If you're looking for something a bit more off-the-wall and out of the ordinary, you'll find something that will catch your attention further north. Full of drag clubs and comedic magicians, Manchester is the perfect place to satiate your need for a good cabaret variety show, usually including dance, comedy and circus acts such as trapeze artists and tight-rope walkers. With a summer full of cabaret shows with names such as The Weirdest Show on Earth, you can rest assured that you will be left dazzled, amazed and desperate for more.
Glasgow offers something a bit cheekier; burlesque. Surprisingly, Glasgow is one of the burlesque hotspots of Europe. Following the success of local companies, the art of burlesque is reaching new heights of popularity at the moment and isn't showing any signs of slowing down. As if that wasn't enough, now everyone in Glasgow can take part; with classes to teach women the basics of how to strip off and feel sexy, and with the recent burst of 'boylesque' dancers, burlesque is no longer just for the ladies.
A staple of UK city culture is the street performer. From dance and magical illusion to escapology and playing with fire, street performance has become so much more than the busker playing his or her guitar on the street corner. Members of the public are plucked from the large crowd that always forms around street performers, and are invited to join in and have a laugh. These are, of course, free (with the option of donating to the artist); and are of a quality that would usually warrant pre-paid tickets and can be so exciting you forget you're standing in the street, not sitting in a large arena.
Another popular performance trend of late is the hypnotism stage show. Members of the audience are asked to join the hypnotist on stage and are placed under hypnosis, where they then become the act; it can go anywhere the hypnotised audience member takes it! Common tricks are convincing the hypnotised audience member that they're watching a pornographic film and seeing their reaction, telling them they can speak their own language and listening to what comes out as a result, or telling them that they're hopelessly devoted to a random audience member of the opposite sex. As you can imagine, hilarity and awkward moments ensue! Most hypnotists tour the country, which means that you have an opportunity to catch a show in most places across Britain.
The UK is a diverse and wonderfully unpredictable country, full of top-class entertainment and a great appreciation for comedy. Whether it's magic, comedy, dance or drag, it's worth having a look to see if you can catch a show near you; there is something to look forward to in every corner of the country.
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