Those of a sensitive nature should batten down the hatches: the deviant cabaret singers your parents warned you about are back in town for three special shows.
Epitomes of depravity, Bethnal Green's favourite perverts Bernadette Byrne and Victor/Victoria make for a curious couple. Byrne is an incandescent French chanteuse, a Casanova in high heels whose dark make-up hides darker thoughts while her half-man/half-woman companion is a virtuoso instrumentalist (emphasis on mentalist).
Together they have appeared all over London including cult venue The Old Vic Tunnels, a converted loo off the Strand, the attic of a West End squat, a tent within a tent in Dalston and the award-winning Spiegeltent on the Southbank.
Before disappearing Down Under for a tour of the festivals there, they are presenting a new variety show back in their old neighbourhood. On 9 and 23 November and 7 December, the pair will take over Hackney Wick's The Russet to play an hour of their own songs as well as letting loose a crack cabaret crew featuring some of London's finest performers.
This Saturday's show sees Bernie and Victy line up alongside Matthew Floyd Jones (aka the male half of celebrated melody mashers Frisky and Mannish), hot-damn hoofer Josephine Shaker and traditional ladies with attitude The Original Street Dancers. And that’s not all. There are speakeasy melodies from house band Minnie’s Henhouse, hooping from BB Hoops and kooky clowning from Zuma Puma.
Bills for the other shows will be announced closer to the date but, if they're half as good as this, expect tickets to fly.
Tickets for this Saturday's show are £7. You can purchase them as well as garner full information on this and future shows at EastEnd Cabaret's website.
