Cabaret is alive and well in London, and Helen Cox went along for us to check out Phoenix Arts Club’s monthly contribution!
The Saturday Superstore Cabaret can be found at the Phoenix Arts Club, an intimate venue situated underneath the Phoenix Theatre on Charing Cross Road.
The doors opened at 4.45pm for the pre-show experience, which consisted of a delicious cocktail called ‘The Flame of the Phoenix’ plus nibbles (hummus dip, olives, foccacia bread and tortilla chips).
There’s a bar in the venue and a food menu. The staff were very welcoming and the place has a very good vibe. (Recipe for The Flame of the Phoenix: Plymouth Gin, Archers, Chambord, lemon juice, grenadine, Ms. Better’s Miraculous Foamer, and orange bitters).
At 5.30pm, the show began and onto the stage came the wonderfully-talented host, Michael Twaits, He looked gorgeous in drag and sang on and off throughout the show, keeping the audience amused with his comedy. He was accompanied by Sarah Rose on the piano, who is also very accomplished.
Their contribution included a mashup of songs (Madonna, Abba, SIX, “Agadoo!”) suggested by the audience through a QR code. Michael also sang “Careless Whisper’ in a suspended hoop and finished the evening with “Bohemian Rhapsody”).
The evening was full of very talented acts, including a contortionist, aerial ribbon dancer, comedy burlesque, fire eater and hoop artist Harrison Sweeney. They all looked fantastic and kept us enthralled.
The show lasted for two hours with a short interval. We were in the premium seats, close to the stage, but all viewpoints are good in this intimate venue.
All in all, it was an excellent, entertaining show that deserves 5 stars, living up to its claim to be “a vibrant celebration of live entertainment”.
The Saturday Supershow has two shows each Sat until the end of November, then continues from January through to the end of August: book here.
Images in article: Helen Cox