An evening of dazzling entertainment that promises a perfect night out!
As you descend down a spiral of stairs at the Phoenix Arts Club, you are plunged into a world beyond your imagination: fire eating, feathers and flying cowboys! The smallish venue is packed with tables revolving around the stage at the furthest end of the room. The atmosphere is warm, inclusive and welcoming, with bar staff ready to meet your every need, and a room full of people excited to enjoy an evening of riotous entertainment.
Whilst the Saturday Supershow Cabaret is typically hosted by Michael Twaits, my evening was hosted by the self-professed ‘internationally ignored superstar’, drag queen Vanity von Glow. Dressed to the nines in a sheer black floral bodice and long silken skirt, Vanity hosted the cabaret with a seamless blend of comedy, music, theatre and audience interaction. Her fun-loving persona was infectious and you couldn’t help but smile as she sung songs such as Labelle’s ‘Lady Marmalade’ and Celine Dion’s ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’ with skill and humour. Sometimes audience interaction can feel daunting, but Vanity’s conversation with the cabaret-goers was funny, engaging and completely natural. She was accompanied by the gifted Sarah Rose on piano.
The night starts off with a bang, with Miss Fallon Dee (Fallon Hatt) presenting her flirtatious burlesque routine. Her costume was a blend of traditional and modern showgirl, and was perfectly extravagant. She swanned onto the stage with two large feathery wings, teasingly covering herself and playfully opening them to give us a glimpse of what was to come. As the show continued, she gradually removed her bodice (this show is not for the prudish!), mischievously looking around at the audience, moving both elegantly and energetically.
We are then introduced to the following act: the lights dim and a figure emerges, scantily dressed and made up in phosphorescent paint, with two ornate feather wings drawn around him. It’s Andromeda Circus, contortionist and circus performer. He struts about the stage in his beautiful plumage and finishes with a flourish, clamping his jaws around a cord rigged to the ceiling before being raised from the stage, spinning gracefully in the air.
After a short interval, we meet Julien Marc Roussel, another circus performer and dancer, who dazzled in a glittering cowboy get-up. He climbed into the ropes fastened to the ceiling as Vanity sang ‘Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)’ and spun incredibly fast, contorting into beautiful shapes and finishing with an impressive splits finale! Whilst all the performers had charisma, Julien stood out with his magnetic stage presence.
Shortly afterwards, Vanity introduces an act she describes as ‘magical’. A large white circle is mounted to the wall with a spotlight aimed at it. Drew Colby comes out in a waistcoat and top hat. The room goes silent as he moves his hands in front of the spotlight, and the spectacle begins. What follows is a spellbinding sequence of shadow puppetry. Drew perfectly imitates a number of pop culture stars using only his hands—from Yoda’s silhouette to the Lion King’s Simba. You could feel the energy in the room shift as everyone was transfixed by Drew’s sorcery.
For the fiery finale, we have Sebastian Angelique with his boylesque and fire dance routine. Sebastian was awe-inspiring as he juggled fire and danced with flames twirling around him. The audience gasped as he set his arms alight and swallowed fire before breathing it out again. A spellbinding end to an incredible night.
The Saturday Supershow Cabaret at the Phoenix Arts Club promises a ‘vibrant celebration of live entertainment’, and it goes above and beyond to deliver. Every act bursts with talent and exacting execution. The venue stays open after the finale, clearing away tables and chairs to turn into a dance floor where the audience are welcomed to party until closing at 3AM. If you’re in the mood for extraordinary entertainment and electric energy, the Phoenix Arts Club is the place to be!
Author: Zoë Pinnell