Whatever happens in the Spiegel Show, stays in the Spiegel Show

The Spiegel Show cabaret at Harbourfront was such a success during Luminato, it’s been held over until July 1^st. The opportunity to see a “Moulin Rouge” style cabaret in full swing was not something my accomplice, The Siren, or myself were going to miss. We arrived early to get a good seat and were rewarded with an evening celebrating all the things that make life worthwhile: love, laughter, lust, and wonder.

The evening was sweltering with humidity, which was appropriate for what promised a tour of the seamy underbelly of Toronto. Dozens of acts unfold throughout the night and it’s hard not to enjoy yourself under the Spiegeltentn'tavern: the burlesque is a riot in corsets and pasties; acrobatic courtship unfolds in aerial silks; a opera singer plots murder; an audience member is drawn into a charmingly improvised blind date with a clown; living art work prowls the audience; a rousing reading of the phone book rallies the audience; Anya the Candy Butcher sells her wares while wielding innuendo like a licorice whip; the MC and the audience enter in a mutual adoration pact; the bar does a bustling business; and the house band plays on like the soundtrack to a manic Bugs Bunny cartoon. It’s a party.

I imagine this is what the inside of Tom Waits' head must look like.

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The Spiegeltentn'tavern is a beautifully crafted beer hall in the round, adorned in stained glass and mirrors. The bar is well stocked, the food was delicious (mmm strawberry crepes) and the food & drink prices were quite reasonable. The atmosphere in the tent was hot and humid, and the show managed to ratchet the temperature up a few notches to sultry.

The burlesque troupe performing as The Spiegelettes for the show are Les Coquettes Nouveau Burlesque, and don’t jump to conclusion that just because there’s a little skin, then it’s smutty or lewd; it’s playful, bawdy, lusty, and glamorous performance; choreographed titillation in beautiful costumes, with the women (and guy) enticing the audience with the old “you give them a little bit, you take it back; you show them a little more, you take it back”. They put the tease in striptease, especially with “The Fan Dance” and “Bolero”.

Brad Hampton as the MC was charming and funny, as he took the audience by the hand and led us into the seamy underbelly, imploring us to “fall in love” along the way. His rendition of “10 Cents A Dance (Brother Can You Spare A Dime)” was a show stopper.

There is a rotation of others acts, so every night is unique. The show works as true variety show, featuring top performers in several disciplines, all from the Toronto area. There were about 20 acts in total that night, and some highlights for us included:

• The acrobatic performances were stunning. While I heard comparisons to the spectacle of “Cirque de Soleil”, the intimacy of that 300 seat tavern was something you won’t get in Vegas. The work of Jen Georgopoulos on the static trapeze and Peter Loung on the aerial straps enraptured the crowd (well, Peter’s 8 pack of abs and hot pants probably got the crowd going as well), and the show’s finale told a moving story of intimacy amidst the aerial silks, perfectly scored to what turned out to be a string version of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”. The music selections for the night were excellent, including the closing Can-Can Finale with the Spiegelettes put to the très appropriate “Lust for Life” by Iggy Pop.

• “The Blind Date” was a wonderful comedic bit of clowning featuring Bruce Horak & Rebecca Northan. Rebecca had me in tears as the French chanteuse sitting at a cafe table alone, waiting for her blind date. She has an unopened bottle of wine on the table, and laments her late date:

"Drink the wine anyway" shouts an audience member

In a thick French accent Rebecca tosses back, "Only whores drink alone".

She eventually picks someone out of the audience as a temporary date. It builds as she eventually kisses the guy, who is trying to “polite” kiss:

In zee French accent she says "You have an English way of kissing", so she shows him zee French. Yowsa!

• Other performers included Patricia O’Callaghan singing a smoldering cover of Leonard Cohen’s “I’m Your Man”; Soprano Kyra Millan essentially singing a man to death; and a performer (didn’t catch the name) giving a dramatic reading of the phone book: “HO!!! Tim. 23 Raleigh Lane. 416-395-5555”.

Both the Siren and I enjoyed the fun and undeniably sexy show. If it all sounds too tawdry and racy for you, that’s a shame: you’re missing out, and probably on a lot more than this show. And all the performers were charming and friendly with the audience, both during and after the show. I’d certainly go again to see what other spectacle awaits, and I’m predicting The Siren may be prepared to leave the office behind in order to run away to join the Spiegel show. Who wouldn’t want to?

I’d like to see the Spiegel show become a regular summertime fixture in Toronto. They rotate different acts every night, and given the depth of talent in Toronto, the Spiegel show could continue for months and still be “brand new” every time. But just in case, I recommend checking out the show before the end of the month.

UPDATE: The show has been extended through July 29th

Show runs Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. 8pm show time every night expect Sunday which begins at 7pm.

Doors open an hour beforehand, first come first serve seating.

Location: the Spiegeltentn'tavern is at Harbourfront Centre - 235 Queens Quay West

Tickets $25 through Harbourfront Centre

Admittance restricted to those aged 19 and over