BATSU! to Open at Underbelly Boulevard This Month

BATSU!, direct from Chicago and New York will now make its way to their new permanent space with a residency at Underbelly Boulevard from November 2023. After making its UK debut at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, blowing audiences away, BATSU! will open on 15th November.  Tickets are on sale from 12pm today from www.underbellyboulevard.com/tickets/, with an optional Hachimaki headband and a surprise visit from the SAKE SHINOBI available. 

London, are you ready? Warriors, are you ready? Long, long ago, in the Land of the Rising Sun, four Warriors used the power of laughter to capture Batsu no Akuma, the Spirit of Punishment, within a sacred gong. Now the evil spirit has once more emerged in London and the Comedy Warriors must rise again!

This eclectic game of punishment and honour makes its way from across the Atlantic, bringing a wild and unpredictable show to London audiences for the first time ever.

BATSU! fuses the Japanese Batsu game with the very best comics in the city. The original creators of the show will take to the stage in November, later handing over the mallet to brand new cast members to be announced soon.

In BATSU!, comedians compete to avoid electric shocks, paintballs, a giant chicken, and many more hilarious, jaw-dropping punishments. The bravest audience members may also volunteer to take part in some of the challenges to win honour or suffer punishment, truly making the immersive experience a perfect night out. In the end, there will be only one winner who will have the honour of striking the “Gong of Punishment.” Immerse yourself in the bacchanalian world of BATSU!, where anything can happen!

The performers of BATSU! are all members of the acclaimed comedy group Face Off Unlimited (FOU) who specialise in creating theatrical shows rooted in improvisation. During this upcoming season of BATSU!, they will expand their community of performers and improvisors with a full UK cast that will be announced soon.

BATSU! opened to the public on Monday, January 10th, 2011, and became THE thing to do on a Monday night in NYC. The show grew and grew, got better and better, and the word of BATSU! finally reached a tipping point in 2014 with ever-growing sold-out crowds in NYC and Chicago. Produced, created, and globally launched by members of BATSU! Moon LLC, this one-of-a-kind experience now takes over the heart of Soho at Underbelly Boulevard.

Artistic Director Jay Painter says, "It's an honor to be a part of the inaugural season of the Underbelly Boulevard. We were blown away by the reception we received in Edinburgh and we're thrilled to continue collaborating with Underbelly. Is London ready for BATSU! though? We believe so!"

Performance Details: 

Press night: 17th November 9.30pm

Underbelly Boulevard, 6 Walker's Ct, London W1F 0BT

November – January 2023

November: 15th, 16th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th

December: 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd

January: 12th, 26th

DURATION

100 minutes

ADVICE

Strobe lighting, Strong language/swearing

AGE

Age guidance: 18 and above (18+)

ABOUT BATSU! MOON LLC

BATSU! Moon is comprised of original members of the acclaimed comedy troupe Face Off Unlimited LLC (Jay Painter, Eric Robinson, and Joe Tex), BATSU! NYC original company members Noriko Sato, Brian “Bu-Chan” Walters, and Whit Baldwin, and Executive Producer Heather Shields.

Formed as an entity to take BATSU! across the globe and beyond, the company committed to promoting positive international fellowship through the fusion of two cultures and styles of comedy. We are dedicated to equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging, specifically in providing performance opportunities for Asian/AAPI/BESEA artists. All in the name of hilarity!

ABOUT UNDERBELLY

Underbelly is a UK-based live entertainment company founded in 2000 by Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood that specialises in producing and programming ground-breaking theatrical productions and the creation of city-centre cultural events and festivals from theatres to roundabouts from London to Asia.

Most recently, Underbelly, alongside ATG Productions, transformed The Playhouse into the Kit Kat Club for the Olivier Award winning Cabaret and will very soon be opening their first permanent venue Underbelly Boulevard in the heart of Soho.

In 2023 Underbelly produced the trailblazing cabaret show La Clique in Edinburgh and Manchester which will soon open in London. They will also be producing Macbeth starring Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma alongside Wessex Grove and The McOnie's Company's Nutcracker at Southbank Centre and their tour of The Artist in 2024.

As one of the largest producers at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Underbelly has previously presented Fleabag in 2013 and Six in 2018.

In 2019, pre-COVID, they welcomed more than 9 million people to our productions, events, and festivals. 

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