We sat down for an exclusive interview with David Rhodes whose show SOIR NOIR: A nightclub confidential has its European debut at the Crazy Coqs on Weds 16th April. Last minute tickets here.
- Soir Noir draws inspiration from the intimate gatherings of New York social elite in the mid-20th century. How did you research and reconstruct the atmosphere of these private soirées for a modern audience?
Fortunately YouTube has records of some of the great artists from the Golden Era of Nightclubs like Rosemary Cluny, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Junior and the like. Older television shows hosted by Judy Garland and Ed Sullivan were also wonderful references. My goal was to embody the elegance and heightened nature of these artists and emulate them stylistically while maintaining my own innate authenticity.
- The show features works by iconic artists like Cole Porter, Nat King Cole, and Noel Coward. What criteria guided your selection of these particular songs, and how did you approach reinterpreting them?
Again technology is a wonder. I googled ‘nightclub songs from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s’. Many of the songs were familiar classics. Others were fresh and surprising discoveries. I’m a storyteller so I looked for songs with a narrative and that I found to be meaningful even today. It wasn’t difficult at all to find countless selections that were not only melodically and lyrically suberb but also had a message and point of view that still resonates decades later.
- What surprised you most in the rehearsal or development process? Did the show reveal something new to you as it came to life?
When the producers asked me to develop this show I wasn’t sure I was the right person for the task. I thought perhaps there were other artists more suitable for the assignment. I’m not Michael Buble and my shows tend to be more contemporary, often autobiographical with an LGBTQ+ slant. Stepping into the shoe of the masters of The American Songbook seemed daunting to say the least. I found out quickly not only did the shoes fit but the vocal stylings of the era sat beautifully in my voice and I felt like a full on legit crooner even on the first day!
- The show is described as part cabaret, part dreamscape. How do you use space, light, and sound to immerse the audience in that dual reality?
Crazy Coqs already has the perfect ambience for an art deco nightclub. Their technical staff is top notch and the show couldn’t be presented in a more ideal venue for its European debut.
- What do you hope people take away from the performance?
That’s a three letter answer! JOY! The world is so complicated nowadays. I’d love to provide an hour’s oasis of beautiful music and romance to give people a break from their personal stresses and global concerns. If I can bring the audience back to a simpler time when people met on moonlit nights and cocktail parties rather than chat rooms and dating sites, then I’ve done my job.