London’s cabaret scene is sensational, diverse and experimental, but it’s so infrequently written about that there’s a huge lack of knowledge about it.
It’s a shame, because cabaret is, by nature, avant-garde. The artists in the cabaret circuit are affected by issues impacting those across the industry – and affectors. They are setting up shows and communities, changing what a night out in London looks like.
We are in an environment where theatres are struggling to attract and retain audiences; The Times’ Richard Morrison described the industry’s “dreadful state“. People in the industry are striking against funding cut after funding cut and even pulling elaborate stunts to ‘send a message to the nation about the state of the arts industry’.
But artists are still coming together in independent, bubbly shows to share their work and joy for the arts. Cabarets are a great example because they’re mostly run by the artists who perform in them – which gives them a magical soirée feel – but also means there’s often an ambition behind them based on their firsthand experience of showbiz.
Eye Full Cabaret is one example, a monthly show in Clapham that runs in the restaurant Bubba Oasis. Produced and hosted by a sultry emcee, Miss PetTIT, it has a rotating cast each month of acrobats, comedians, burlesque dancers, singers, clowns and other interdisciplinary acts. It’s the kind of show where you’d see something new before knowing it was even a thing to see.
Miss PetTIT explains “I want to provide a non-judgemental atmosphere for artists to show off their work”. The need for a safe, inclusive space responds to the difficulties artists have getting their foot in the door.
She elaborates, “I come from an acting background where often artists are shot down for different barriers, like how you look, or what agent you have, so it doesn’t feel like it’s about talent. It’s almost like a hierarchy – if you don’t have the top agents then you’re probably not going to get the top auditions.”
“Doing this cabaret, I want to make sure that everyone has a non-judgemental space to show off what they’ve got as an artist.”
When you step into Bubba Oasis, you are immediately faced with a shiny cocktail bar and a bright interior. Bubba Oasis describes itself as a ‘relaxed and versatile neighbourhood club house’ which means there’s an unusually airy feel about it for a cabaret show.
Miss PetTIT has seen the effect this space has had. “Because it’s in a less formal environment, it’s more comfortable. People are more likely to just drop in when they walk past and see what’s going on.”
“Say, for example, you’re not a theatre-goer, but you want to try something different, perhaps you’ll go look for something in a familiar bar environment. We are quite good at maintaining crowds and we get recurring customers”.
With a restaurant that is designed to pull people in, with tables scattered, huge open doors and an easy view inside the space, it’s easy for passers by to drop in. Compare that to the design of some theatres and you can see how this space cuts the ‘getting people through the door’ issues that theatres are having.
The only drawback is the impact this space has on some acts in the show. Without an elevated stage, it’s harder for some seats to see anything that’s done low or on the floor.
So what does one London’s independent cabarets look like?
Eye Full Cabaret starts with a bold opening by Miss PetTIT. She is one to watch – a talented host and singer, impressing the audience right from the get-go with soaring vocals and a lot of witty remarks.
After a chirpy rendition of Kylie Minogue’s Padam Padam, she lays out the ‘rules’ of cabaret; no touching the performers, and lots of cheering please.
The first act is Ellen Hula Hoops, a hula hooper who brings a high-energy act with gold hoops. She uses the usual hooping structure of impressing the audience with one hoop, then adding another, and another, with increasing complexity. She’s a talented hooper and her personality shines through.
A stand up comedy set follows by Michael McPheat. He tells a story about being introduced to someone as the ‘gay best friend’, and the pressures that come with that label. He has a friendly, personable way of speaking that lulls you into the story, so the jokes land with an impact.
Bunny de la Croix performs a glamourous burlesque act with the quintessential costumes; sparkly corsets, a red dress and sweeping gowns. She’s very talented at building up tension as she strips a piece of costume and she uses a wide range of classic props, including feather fans, robes, boas, gloves and corsets.
There’s an impressive and fluid acrobatic act by Lucky Slevin, who blends ballet-like movement with floor acrobatics and handstands. She stands out as an acrobatic performer for her strong stage presence and engagement with the audience, which is easy to miss when performing acrobatics. Lucky Slevin’s movements also have a notable intentionality, isolations and strong staging of each part of her body, so her act leads well from burlesque.
Contemporary clowning also comes in with a set from Peachy that I can either call wonderful or totally mad. With a red nose, black and white striped clothing and a bowler hat, she resembles Marcel Marceau’s iconic Bip the Clown character. In most artforms, such a similarity to another artist would be viewed negatively, but with clowning, playing into the tropes really works to get the audience on board.
Peachy uses objects and distorts them, sitting on a chair the wrong way, dismantling their intended function in the way clowns do. She hands someone a card from her bowler hat that says “Peachy, you’re dumped” and hands the mic to a willing front row member to perform the break up. It’s funny and keeps everyone engaged, but there’s not a clear narrative that builds to the romantic story. Still, it’s a great act with a strong costume and technique that warmed the audience.
Both the hula hooper and burlesque dancer perform another number each. It doesn’t feel repetitive (even though these could) because the artists bring in different elements. Ellen’s hula hoops have light programming that kicks in, and Bunny de la Croix’s burlesque act changes from a fan dance to a classic striptease.
The audience is very engaged and free to nip to the bar to refill their drinks. Miss PetTIT scatters anecdotes, jokes and songs throughout the show. She even hands out party toys like tooting party blowers and sparkly shakers, which the crowd loves. It’s a clever technique to ensure people behave as a responsive audience, and keeps the show informal and light-hearted.
This is a great strategy, given Eye Full Cabaret often draws in audiences who have not seen a cabaret before, might not know how one works, how they should act in the audience – or sometimes, not even knowing what a cabaret is.
Few people talk about the cabaret industry and it’s not represented in the media. Is there anything Miss PetTIT thinks should be on people’s radar?
“When I speak to audience members after the show, they often think this is my full-time job, not something I do alongside my full-time job. They don’t realise I don’t make any money from this. But that’s not why I’m doing it. We are all doing it for the love of it.”
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