When you have something to celebrate, you want to do it in style. Whether it’s a special event or just a celebration of life with friends, or even by oneself, there are times when we all desire something spectacular to give that celebration an extra zing. If this is true for you, then you cannot do better than head to the London Cabaret Club for their summer show Copacabana, something I did recently with my friend Lynne.
This is not a theatre show, but what it is, is a spectacular evening of music, dance and food that brings the carnival atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro to London’s West End. Your experience starts around 6:30pm with pre-show entertainment on the beach terrace, before heading into the main ballroom for a night of South American splendour as a fabulous group of dancers salsa, cha-cha and merengue in beautiful costumes where sequins join feathers to produce something visually spectacular. Along with the dancers, there are live singers – Paul McDowell, Katie Cook and Sofia Klimovsky – belting out Latin flavoured songs, many of which you will recognise, including the inevitable, and so worth waiting for, version of Barry Manilow’s ‘Copacabana’, a real highlight in an evening of highlights for me.
As well as the singers and dancers, there were speciality acts including married couple Maks and Sophia Korbun, better known as Duo Odyssey who you may remember as an aerial duo who reached the final in Series 16 of Britain’s Got Talent and aerial performer Tatiana Ozhiganova. These were both amazing and jaw-dropping performers who at times took our breath away as they dazzled us with their skill and grace.
The show is performed in the round with a relatively small stage area in the centre of the ballroom. This was excellent staging as the cast would often come off the stage and mingle with the audience as they were dining so that we were always part of the action and atmosphere. South American dancing is flamboyant, ostentatious and involves the whole body in sometimes extravagant gestures and there were times when I was amazed that the eleven-strong dance cast managed to not run into each other or the waiting staff as they performed. But the whole production is so well choreographed that everyone moves smoothly and beautifully.
Depending on your budget, Copacabana offers different levels of experience from the Silver, which is the option without food, through to the Royal Diamond where you are treated like a monarch and fed accordingly. All of the options with food include a three or four-course menu. Lynne and I were somewhere in the middle of the options and, although I’m no food reviewer, it was superb. A great choice and perfectly cooked. In fact, this was one of the few occasions when Lynne and I didn’t get food envy seeing what other diners were eating, that’s how happy we were with our own choices. This really was fine dining and as a part of the overall experience at Copacabana, every mouthful added to our pleasure.
There’s not much more I can say about Copacabana. It should be fairly obvious that we had a fabulous evening at the London Cabaret Club. There was an after-party following the main show which started with a massive conga and went on until one in the morning. As Lynne and I left we reflected on the evening as a whole and she pointed out that, while initially, it may look a tad pricey, Copacabana with its over six hours of pre-show entertainment, live show, after-party and gourmet dining works out excellent value for money, and would be a perfect place for pretty much any celebratory event, date night, or even a night where all you want to do is forget your troubles and spoil yourself with a visit to the best cabaret in Brazil (well, London).
Review by Terry Eastham
Set across three distinctive acts, the show takes audiences on a sensual journey through the ‘Copacabana’ theme. The first act opens with samba dancers in exotic costumes on the sun-drenched shores of Rio de Janeiro, bringing the intense and exciting vibes of carnival season to the heart of the capital. Act two shifts focus to a different ‘Copacabana’—the world-renowned New York City nightclub, famous for its celebrity clientele and early performances by legends like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and a much-fabled setting featured in numerous award-winning films. Act three introduces ‘Lola The Showgirl,’ the Latin dancer immortalised in Barry Manilow’s iconic ‘Copacabana’ theme tune.
The show’s music charts a diverse course, featuring selections from the Copacabana musical and Brazilian classics transformed into worldwide hits by ‘The Brazilian Bombshell’ Carmen Miranda, along with the iconic song popularised by Barry Manilow. A scintillating Latin band will oversee the proceedings throughout the night.
A skilfully curated South American menu will be served during the show, with DJs taking over post-show so guests can continue to party into the early hours.
The London Cabaret Club presents
COPACABANA
Created by Artistic Director and Choreographer Doni Fierro and London Cabaret CEO Evelina Girling
27th June – 26th October 2024
The Bloomsbury Ballroom Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, Holborn, London WC1B 4DA
