LINES – New Alternative Cabaret Show

Edgy and underground, LINES is all about modernising and reinventing a classic cabaret.

Launched this February at Hackney Wick’s Studio 9294, situated next to a scenic view of the River Lea canal.

Hosted by an award-winning comedienne, Gaby Killick, whose hilarious spoof song ‘Masturbation in Isolation’ went viral during lockdown when she staged a comedy show from her balcony to all her neighbours, this new underground cabaret show is set to highlight the best of undiscovered talent in comedy, music, burlesque and more.

Never shy to seek comedy in my life, I went to its launch show, prepared to be entertained, in the name of Belle About Town.

DJ Katie already filled up the spacious room with her music mix when I turned up and I managed to snatch the whole ‘pub garden’ table with benches right in front of the stage for myself and the guest. 

Studio 9294 filled up pretty quickly, the bar was suddenly busy and the food was calling to me, so the QR menu stuck to the table led me to Angus Beef Brisket Dirty Fries and I think these fries deserve their own stage show. Wow! But we’re not here for food, let’s get back to the acts, or rather the highlights. 

First up was a UK-based ‘Kiwi’ stand-up comedian Fraser Gibson, and apart from his nonchalant way of telling jokes, he could beatbox and that, ladies and gents, I can appreciate. There was a lot of body moving, one pre-planned fall on the floor (I guess) and some spilled beer, and a very good impression of Michael Jackson via beatboxing. Oh, I almost forgot, an excellent ‘fast talk’ impression of the current UK’s PM. Thumbs up!

A guy with a guitar, Yuri Betancourt, got the room dancing to Bamboleo and other South American Latin beats combined with English rock.

Every good cabaret has its burlesque stars, so we had Vixen Victoire and Aya Love titillating us with an old-school glamour and high-end fashion, and with some lucky volunteer thrown in too, who got a truly exclusive front seat even if they wore an eye mask.

Time for comedy again, and a comedienne Arielle, tipped by Frankie Boyle himself, got the room laughing, chuckling and cackling, with her comedy on fire. My brain got tickled plenty.

The delightful and feisty host, Gabi Killick, was on stage one last time and introduced New Car Smell. This three–piece band blew me away. I think the whole room actually. 

I’m not much for saxophone because I always imagine the 90’s movies cringy love scene but this was not it. This mischievous brass band trio had totally rearranged everything I thought about brass bands. 

Who knew a saxophone, drums and – the first time I learnt about the next one – sousaphone – can deliver such a high-octane acoustic Drum’n Bass musical number, followed by SoCa or Hip Hop. No one was sitting down, the band’s charming presence and powerful performance was just too difficult to resist. All fingers up, not just thumbs!

The next LINES cabaret show featuring another series of entertainment talent is on 17th March. For tickets and more information visit: https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/London/Studio-9294/LINES—The-Underground-Cabaret-Event-/36012398/

  • Since moving to London in her twenties, Zuzana accidentally developed something of a multiple personality career disorder: From radio broadcasting days at BBC World Service to the world of magazines at the former IPC Media publishing house. After leaving the corporate world behind, she could be found at the photo shoots as a make-up artist or in the recording studios as voice-over artist. These days she uses her make-up artist background to talk and write mostly about her favourite subject: Beauty. Her other favourite subjects are gender equality, every colour ever invented, portrait artists, photography, Marvel, red wine and the importance of humour.

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