Proud Brighton Ballroom
The Brighton Ballroom was never going to be ordinary. Housed under the
green trumpet roof of the mausoleum built in 1892 by the exotic Sassoon
family, it was originally covered in gold leaf, and decadence and
excess has run through its metaphorical veins ever since.
Through its time as an elite gentleman's club to its most recent
incarnation as the Brighton Ballroom, the venue has been about having
fun in a quirky, offbeat sort of way. For a while this remained behind
closed doors but Brighton isn't a place for the easily shocked, and
ever since the previously members only Hanbury Ballroom flung open its
silk curtains to the public, those looking for a debauched, glamorous
night out have been flocking in.
The Ballroom is a place of escapism, with a packed programme of music,
cabaret and burlesque, the highlight of which is Friday evening Supper
Club, where guests are transported back to a 1920's speakeasy.
Diners glammed up to the max in feathers and pearls are ushered to
dimly lit tables, tempted with delicious cocktails and everything feels
vaguely illicit.
The evening is hosted by Veronica Blacklace a pocket sized,
potty-mouthed, Jessica rabbit, clad in skin tight sequins, who squeezes
between the tables, teasing the guests and belting out classics from
the likes of Etta James, Billie holiday and Nina Simone.
While your taste buds are taken care of courtesy of a three-course
meal- pre-selected to make the service seamless - your eyes are dazzled
by a bevy of beautiful burlesque performers. The pick of the bunch is
the pin-up style, hula-hooping Chi Chi Revolver and the gorgeous
Lashes, who impresses with her array of costumes – and the way she
removes them!
When Super Club wraps up the tables are pushed back for a night of
dancing under the ballroom's domed roof, adorned with a colourful
Arabian fresco. If Mr Sassoon's family remains hadn't been removed some
years ago he surely would have been dancing in his grave too!
Jenny Bliss