Top hats and coat tails greet you on the street to lead you into this indulgent underworld of fanciful French excess and bedazzled entertainment. Life is a cabaret, darling ... Welcome to Cabaret des Distractions.
The Venue
Doused in golden trimmings of bold brocade patterns and sweeping banisters, the Cafe De Paris ballroom is something to marvel. From the busy street side entrance, you're taken down stairs to discover a space cloaked in darkness and dressed in decadence. The masterpiece of the split level room is the glittering chandelier suspended above the main dining area where revelers who've come enjoy the dinner and show fiasco sit at round tables. Beckoning the luxuriant atmosphere of a 1920s cabaret hall, the mezzanine level circles the stage giving a grand overview of the waist-coated waiters and bustier babes swanning around the audience. Certainly not short of awe and dripping in vintage Parisienne style, the ballroom is one extravagant host to a stage of shows. Let the cabaret unfold!
Grand, gold and glittering in one fowl swoop.
The Performances
Friday nights at Cafe De Paris tell a tale of temptation, lust and fate for a duo of star-crossed lovers. A show inspired by the fantastical Feerie theatre of 19th Century Paris, Cabaret Des Distractions is a dazzling array of dance, burlesque, acrobatics and fire. Expect red wigs, satanic horns and pig dressed faces at this show where an angelic damsel and her promised boy's love are put to a test of seductive sirens, sorcerers and dark forces. There's stunning aeriel performances pitted against a man-pig character who sets prams flaming on stage; there's glorified pole dancing (glorified but intensely awe-inspiring it should be noted) followed by incredible acrobatic feats of balancing and ribbon work. Everything is dramatic, delivered with witty revere and executed with stunning precision - a cabaret of distractions it certainly is.
A tale of true love and lust
The Atmosphere
As forementioned, with pig faced pyrotechnics being performed and a host dressed as the sassiest devil I've ever seen, atmosphere doesn't go a miss here. The whole venue is shrouded in darkness, spotlights accenting the performers and candles flickering on tables in the distance. There's a dark, captivating ambiance to Cafe De Paris as you're fascinated, seduced and even humoured by the mesmerising entertainment. The Friday night crowd was scattered with old and young faces, couples and tables of birthday celebrations - a mix of a bunch attracted to the glitz and glamour of a night at the cabaret, and why the hell not?
This little piggy breathed fire
The Summary
Having lost my cabaret virginity at Cafe De Paris, the Cabaret Des Distractions certainly lived up to everything I hoped it would be. Full of sex appeal, extravagance, excitement and impressive performances she'killed it' in terms of show business. With busty babes, muscly men, dancing ladies and femme fatales, this cabaret has all the Friday night fever you could hope for. Waste no haste, the cabaret awaits...
