Another underground venue in London's West End, not exactly for films but very film-related is the fabulous Art Deco cabaret bar called The Crazy Coqs in the bowels of what used to be the largest hotel in the world, the Regent Palace, off Piccadilly Circus in the very centre of London's film and theatre scene. Now transformed into the Brasserie Zedel but retaining many of the original period decorations it provides an intimate but comfortable venue for living legends from stage and screen to read, recite,sing and not quite dance, while audiences at tables are discreetly watered by attentive waiters wordlessly fulfilling drinks orders. Recently Fenella Fielding, the original Carry on Screamer has been filling the joint, and still capably shifting her own joints at past 90,and this week a rather suppler younger star of New York and West End stages has brought a delightul one-woman show of classic songs,many of them featured in films, from Swing Time to Seven Brides to Seven Brothers and Les Demoiselles de Rochefort.LORNA DALLAS Spring Collection had a sunny 3 night residency (20-22 May,2018) and will move on to Manhattan and other venues in due course. With engaging and witty patter,and excellent phrasing of some sophisticated lyrics,Lorna Dallas mixes in memoirs of her American roots and West End and UK TV engagements as well as affectionate tributes to the lyricists and composers she personally knew in a multihued bouquet of songs featuring spring,penned by the likes of Cole Porter and Eric Maschwitz. In good voice and radiant appearance, and rather more upbeat than the kind of chansonneuse you may recall from films such as The Purple Rose of Cairo Lorna Dallas is certainly worthy of discovery now by younger film-makers wanting to imbue their contemporary productions with a touch of class.
Phillip Bergson www.liveatzedel.com