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Come to the cabaret

A new revue brings a bit of Vegas to Můstek
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By Steffen Silvis
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
June 20th, 2007 issue

KURT VINION/THE PRAGUE POST
Olga Lounová brings some glitter and style to a lackluster space.
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Le Jazz Hot Dinner Cabaret

When: Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
Where: Joe Café (Palác Koruna, Václavské nám. 1, Prague 1–Old Town)
Tickets: 1,500 Kč (includes a five-course a la carte dinner with wine) Available at the venue or by calling 724 728 380. Mention The Prague Post and receive a 10 percent discount
For more information, check
www.lejazzhot.webbandromicproductions.com

The casino scene in Prague is a rather lackluster affair. The croupiers and dealers stand garbed in the finery of their trade, while, just off, the toy-chest racket from the slot machines serves as soundtrack. But there is no style — neither the glamour of Monte Carlo nor the triumphantly tasteless glitz of Las Vegas. But that could change for the dreary Můstek strip at the bottom of Wenceslas Square.
Though not within a casino, the Joe Café inside Palác Koruna inhabits a wedge of space between two gambling palaces, and so could easily serve as a nightspot for the area’s risk-takers and hazardníks seeking a place to celebrate or drown their sorrows. And what better way to achieve this than through dinner, drink and a floorshow?
The new dinner cabaret at Joe Café has been assembled by British performer James Terence-Webb, who has a solid history of appearing in various musicals in the West End and on Broadway. Terence-Webb also noted a lack of classic nightclub entertainment in Prague, and thought that something like his new show, Le Jazz Hot, might fill the void.
Though billed as a cabaret, Le Jazz Hot is really a revue, one that often references the Kander and Ebb world of Cabaret and Chicago. Not only responsible for the construction of the show (down to the seductively skimpy costumes), Terence-Webb is also one of the piece’s main attractions, working the room while exploring ’50s standards with his clear, lounge tenor voice.
Sharing the singing with Terence-Webb is Czech stage diva Olga Lounová, who brings her own vampish stylings to the Cabaret songbook. The dancers are all lithe (no Tiller Girls here) and energetic, as they take on everything from the Andrews Sisters to Mancini’s Peter Gunn theme.
With a fine jazz quartet, Soul Collection, which brings a Getzian coolness to the preshow, you have most of the ingredients for a small stage spectacular. There were some problems at the preview performances, however.
First, the space, the Jo Dancebar upstairs, is far too narrow, with tables situated in such a way that it’s difficult for everyone to comfortably watch the show. With this comes a low ceiling, which makes the venue seem even more confining, and proved to be a problem when the dancers suddenly threw in some high kicks.
Except for the table configurations, there’s not much that can be done structurally to make the room feel more like a floorshow space. However, one change in the presentation itself could alleviate some of the problems: the volume. All of the show’s music is pre-recorded, giving the evening the feel of a sophisticated karaoke event. But the volume is far too loud, and both Terence-Webb and Lounová often found themselves in competition with the music. Though they are both accomplished, powerhouse singers, the struggle often became so much noise.
Because of the limitations of the space, it’s important that the show try to create a more intimate atmosphere. By ratcheting down the music, there wouldn’t be such a sonic wall separating the performers from their audience, which would make the show more inviting.
Still, the piece has just cleared its way out of previews, so many of these wrinkles will probably be smoothed out in the run. Then Le Jazz Hot may find itself as the type of sequined Sand’s showcase that this corner of the city seems to need.

Steffen Silvis can be reached at ssilvis@praguepost.com


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