Another chapter in London’s struggling cabaret and live music scene has closed, with The Room Where It Happens at Greek Street Live ceasing operations last week. The sudden announcement left numerous performers, including pianists, hosts, singing waiters and musical theatre artists, without regular employment.
The loss reflects a continuing pattern across the capital, where venues that once nurtured cabaret and theatrical performance are vanishing. In recent years, audiences have seen the closure of The Theatre Café, Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, Nightjar Soho, Haus of Cabaret, Proud Embankment, The Windmill, Café de Paris and, imminently, Banana Cabaret.
Determined to counter the impact, The Phoenix Arts Club has announced it will become the new long-term home for the team behind The Room Where It Happens Showtunes Singalong. The move preserves jobs for affected performers while sustaining an important element of London’s musical theatre community.
From Saturday 14 February, audiences can experience Sing Out, Louise!, a refreshed late-night musical theatre piano singalong created by the team previously behind Overtures Piano Bar and The Room Where It Happens. The show will run Wednesday through Sunday evenings, beginning at 10.30pm, with plans to shift to a 9pm start time as scheduling allows.
Tickets are priced at £10 on the door, while a £10 monthly membership option offers savings for frequent visitors. Seats can be reserved in advance at https://phoenixartsclub.com/events/sing-out-louise-showtunes-singalong/
Colin Savage, Creative Director of The Phoenix Arts Club, said: “London is losing spaces that give performers regular, paid work – particularly those working in musical theatre, cabaret and live music. The Phoenix Arts Club has been part of that ecosystem since 1988, and it felt essential that we stepped in. This is about keeping artists working and audiences connected to live performance.”
Dave Cribb, who previously produced and programmed the Showtunes Singalong at The Room Where It Happens, added: “This isn’t just about one show – it’s about an entire community of musicians and singers who rely on these spaces. With so many venues closing, London risks losing something culturally distinctive. I’m hugely grateful that The Phoenix Arts Club is giving us a place to continue, rather than seeing this work disappear altogether.”
By welcoming the production into its programme, The Phoenix Arts Club ensures that displaced performers retain a West End stage, helping to sustain live cabaret and musical theatre at a time when such opportunities are increasingly under threat.
