Dreams from the Darkness at Looking Glass Cocktail Club

In the intimate setting of the back room of Looking Glass Cocktail Club came an enchanting cabaret show from a variety of performers. Hosted by Rubyyy Jones and produced by Ragina LaLumpy, the show consisted of musical numbers, ballet, dance and acting, which made for an evening of dark merriment accompanied by delicious cocktails.

MC Rubyyy Jones commenced the show and guided the evening with appropriate bawdy banter and multiple costume changes, all the while exuding sensual allure. She also got rather intimate with a shoe heel while exploring her complicated relationship with shoes. Ragina engaged in precarious lip synch ballet pieces, standing at over six-feet tall on point in a room with low hanging light bulbs, but gracefully avoided any collisions and instead captivated the audience with her fluid movements. Blair the Bipolar Bear performed some menacing Christmas songs while launching sweets into the audience as he sang about how being overlooked for presents as a child might lead to a rather deranged adult. Constance Peach performed a raunchy set, seducing a lucky Santa pulled from the audience. Briar Adams made her stunning cabaret debut as Tatiana the ballerina, whose exquisite form glided around the room effortlessly – majestic and magical.

It felt as though both audience and entertainers were united in the performance, with the atmosphere in the room light-hearted and welcoming. With a relaxed vibe, the performers mingled with the crowd during the intervals, and although there was a set order to proceedings, there was also a sense that the show was driven by audience response and could veer off anywhere. The only issue was the awkwardly arranged room, which meant that some aspects of the performance were sometimes lost.

What sets this show apart is the high level of talent to each act, rather than just a long-winded wind down until someone gets naked, which can occasionally be the case with burlesque. Creatively put together and progressing easily, it was a idyllic way to spend the longest night of the year.

Yassine Senghor

Dreams from the Darkness was a one-off event at Looking Glass Cocktail Club. For further information and future events visit here.