Cabaret

Three years ago, the famous post-war cabaret Madame Arthur reopened after being closed for nearly ten years. Totally revamped, half-saloon half-hostess bar, a touch retro, this legendary place is inhabited by a group of creatures of a new kind, singing French songs and in-house compositions live. Transvestite, of course, not transformist, it is supervised by Monsieur K, who has given the cabaret a new lease of life, ridding it of folklore and drawing on its essence: humour, activism and unpredictability. Slumming it becomes chic and funny. And it is in its most contemporary forms that, for two consecutive evenings, but with two different shows, that Madame Arthur’s artists will perform between the two large staircases of the CN D, transformed for the occasion into places of debauchery. Choreographers, singers and theatrical folk will be invited to join the troupe to invent new cabaret numbers together. Jérôme Marin, artistic director, alias Monsieur K, emphasises: ‘It will be hysterical and not at all historical. We will mix singing and dancing with our characteristic exuberance while Jonathan Capdevielle as announcer will accompany us throughout the evening in little videos. You have to suppose what is going to happen and above all not know it, because what interests us most at Madame Arthur is the unpredictable.’ Although cabaret is in essence always rebellious, the burlesque moments, political wit and haranguing of the audience in this new-style cabaret create an explosive climate in our now excessively regimented environment.