The Pheasantry: London, U.K.
Spotlight On
London Pleasantry?
Find It at The Pheasantry
By Harold Sanditen for Cabaret Scenes
©2011
Smack dab in the middle of London’s world-famous Kings Road, a five-minute walk from Sloane Square and surrounded by some of the swankiest restaurants and shops in the world, lies London’s newest and preeminent cabaret venue, The Pheasantry.
Talk about an interesting history! Its name comes from the fact that pheasants were once raised on the grounds for the Royal household. More recently, and certainly more interestingly, in 1916, Princess Seraphine Astafieva, a former member of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, opened a ballet school in the building. She lived and worked here until 1934, training the likes of Dame Margot Fonteyn. Eleanor Thornton lived here in the early 1900s. She was the favorite model of sculptor Charles Sykes, and is thought to be the muse for his most famous work of all, the Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. Dylan Thomas spent many a night drinking at a gentleman’s club housed there in the 1930s. Humphrey Bogart dined here. Eric Clapton lived on the top floor in the 1960s, where he dropped acid and wrote music. He narrowly escaped arrest on drug charges by climbing out a back window just as police were storming through the front door. The basement housed a nightclub, which operated into the 1970s, where Lou Reed and Queen played early in their careers. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice discovered Yvonne Elliman here, who later recorded the role of Mary Magdalene for the original studio recording of Jesus Christ Superstar.
By the mid-1970s the building had fallen into disrepair and, in 1976, a campaign spearheaded by local resident Sir John Betjeman saved the building. Since reopening in 1981, the building has housed a Pizza Express restaurant, the chain behind London’s now-closed Pizza on the Park, along with other terrific music venues in the U.K., all of which are dedicated to jazz.
So, where does cabaret fit into this picture, you might ask yourself? We have Ross Dines, Music Manager at Pizza Express, to thank for this. Ross is an interesting character himself, and a musician. At the age of fourteen, he bought himself a guitar with his first paycheck. He then taught himself to play it, and even received a U.K. Grade 5 certification in classical guitar. Now he is focusing on piano and thinking about doing a show himself, but he isn’t quite ready yet.
Ross began his career at Pizza Express in 2003 as a sound engineer for their Maidstone venue. When the music manager at the venue was sacked, Ross stepped up to the plate. By 2007, he was booking all the music for the Pizza Express venues. His programming was the highest grossing for the company, which helped him secure his place. At that time, Pizza on the Park was in one of its many “resting” stages. In September 2008, Ross talked his bosses into re-opening it, and from then until its closure in June 2010, there was hardly a dark night in the space.
With the closing of Pizza on the Park, Ross saw there was a need for a cabaret space and used his resourcefulness to find a replacement. He booked some music events into the basement of The Pheasantry and saw that the room could work. In July 2010 it opened as a music venue, albeit in a pretty makeshift manner. The sound system was cobbled together, speakers were put in on very intrusive poles, lighting was very basic LED. The dressing room was stuffed into a closet full of gas canisters and electrical works. “Life-threatening” is a word that comes to mind.
It wasn’t quite right, but it still worked.
In spite of all this, the demand to use the space made it clear it would become a success. After six months in operation, Ross convinced his bosses to spend some money on badly needed renovations. In April 2011 it closed for a few weeks and reopened as a world-class cabaret venue, holding up to 100 people.
Because it’s housed in an architecturally listed Georgian building (similar to landmark status in the U.S.) signage is a problem. Nothing can be attached to the building, so exterior advertising is limited to sandwich boards. It’s in a very busy part of London and on a street with huge numbers of passersby. The venue is developing a loyal clientele and attracting big names. Recent and upcoming performers include Claire Martin, Barb Jungr, Jessie Buckley, KT Sullivan, Marlene VerPlanck, Steve Ross, Mark Nadler, Billy Stritch and even moi!
Ross told me, “I love my job. It’s about bringing people together…managing them…keeping them happy.” And this he does effortlessly.
Category: London, London Cabaret Features, London Listings and News
