Step off the tube at West Kensington and be transported into 1890s Paris, says the invite for Chat Noir, a Lost Estate production. The venue, designed to resemble a lost nightclub from the late 19th century, offers an intoxicating assault on the senses with intimate low lighting, piano music, velvet-cushioned booths, and guests in sparkles and black tie.
Upon entry, guests are ushered to plush raised booths by staff in feline masks. A glass of champagne and a pre-dinner cocktail with absinthe set the tone for a three-hour journey into bohemian Montmartre. The three-course meal includes crusty French bread, pâté, coq au vin, and tarte au citron, evoking elegant pre-war suppers.
The evening's entertainment is split into three parts: art, absinthe, and anarchy. Hosted by Rudolphe Salis, played by West End veteran Joe Morrow, the cabaret features singer Yvette Guilbert (Issy Wroe Wright), illusionist Joseph Bautier (Pat Magus), dancer Cléo de Mérode (Ruby Hewitt), and mime Paul Legrand (Duane Nasis). The performers harmoniously combine their talents for a foot-stomping climax.
Perhaps the highlight is mime performer Nasis, whose wordless performance mesmerises the audience with childlike wonder and sentimentality. The night concludes with a sense of merry abandon, thanks to the absinthe and champagne.
