The London Cabaret Club has reopened its doors at the glorious ballroom in Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square.
Billing itself as a Bond-inspired dining and entertainment experience, London Never Dies is an immersive cabaret night set to music from the iconic film franchise. All the best songs are there, from Adele to Jack White to Tina Turner. The action takes place in the beautiful Art Deco ballroom in Victoria House, and attendees have various food and drink options for the evening. For this review we were given “gold” tickets which cost £90 per person and include a three course meal and premium seats. For a meal and a show in Central London on a weekend it doesn’t seem unreasonable.
The evening begins with some pre-show entertainment in the bar, which is nice enough but really functions as background music as we wait for the main event. After an hour or so we’re ushered through into the main ballroom for the cabaret show. The ballroom itself is a gorgeous setting and it’s a treat to have a night out in a venue like this. The food that accompanies the evening is excellent – it’s a set menu but there are alternative options available for those with dietary requirements. Food and drink service was quite slow during the evening, but we assume this is because the venue has only just reopened and that this will be fixed for future performances.
The show itself is a slick, stylish and polished affair. Attractive men in nicely-fitted suits dance with scantily-clad women while a variety of singers serenade us over the course of the night. The quality of the singing and choreography is solid throughout, although we thought a number of the routines felt a little tame. We’ve seen a lot of cabaret shows over the years that really push boundaries, and much of this set seemed quite unadventurous in comparison. Later on in the show we were introduced to a Cyr wheel and an aerialist and these routines were more impressive. It’s a Bond-themed night – we were expecting the performance to be a bit more dangerous, but only a handful of moments conveyed a sense of peril.
The evening concludes with an after party but if we’re being honest it’s a little redundant right now – current restrictions mean people are only allowed to dance if they stay next to their table and wear a mask. Suffice to say we didn’t spend much time at the after party. It’s a shame as we’d have enjoyed an evening dancing in the ballroom – we assume this will be a much more enjoyable prospect when further restrictions are lifted.
As it currently stands London Never Dies is a perfectly entertaining way to spend an evening, but there’s some room for improvement. In a world where the service is as slick as the show and we’re able to properly enjoy the after party in this gorgeous setting, we’d likely be adding another star to the rating. For now though it’s an enjoyable night with a couple of shortcomings.
GAY TIMES gives London Never Dies – 3/5
More information can be found here.
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