When I first heard about Queen of the Night I was definitely intrigued – a live-show that’s neither a theatre production, nor a musical, with a sexy circus twist, and an interactive dinner served in the darkness, with performers clad in Thom Browne-designed costumes? Sign me up! Well, the chance to see it all go down came up in September, when I was in New York for fashion week, and, of course, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
Before the show, my friend and I were taken downstairs, a cocktail in hand, to spend some time exploring the venue, while the sexy butlers (who we soon found out were the night’s performers too) mingled with the crowd, luring people into secret rooms, asking some to complete a scavenger hunt in order to win a kiss. We weaved our way in and out of several rooms, checking out the intriguing decor, and watching an attendee hit on actor Bryan Greenberg in a wax-covered room. His fiance Jaimie Chung was there too; seated just behind the couple, we observed them laughing throughout the show, enjoying the performance. Celebrities like Hugh Jackman, Jude Law, John Legend, Jessica Alba, and Adriana Lima, among others had enjoyed the show at The Diamond Horseshoe this year, so you never know who you’ll run into on your visit.
More after the jump!
One of the main draws to see this show (for me at least) was the promise of spectacular, Thom Browne-designed costumes, and I was certainly not disappointed. From butler/performer black and white uniforms, to elaborate gowns fit for The Queen, I was mesmerized by both the performance and the theatrical costumes in front of me. The show itself was thrilling and a bit risque, fusing various musical genres, interactive theatre, and Cirque du Soleil, with a storyline loosely based on Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”.
And then there was the feast! One of the charms of Queen of the Night is that you don’t know what kind of food you’ll be served until it’s on your table…but everything on the menu sure sounds amazing. Our table received steamed lobster with red potatoes and fresh corn, while others feasted on whole roasted suckling pig, whole short ribs with marrow bones, mashed potatoes, homemade pickles, and kale salad. Not a bad spread if I say so myself. If you’d like to try something other than what you were served, bartering with other tables is encouraged – a lobster for some ribs, a piece of pork for a bowl of salad. A bottle of wine was included in the price of admission, as was bread and butter, and of course, dessert (hazelnut dacquoise with layers of coffee-flavored diplomat cream and praline feuilletine), spoon-fed by performers one decadent spoonful at a time.
After the meal, with a huge ruckus, plates were cleared away (dumped into huge plastic buckets), and just like that, the reverie was all over and it was time to leave this twisted Alice in kinky Wonderland place. All the way home, my friend and I couldn’t stop talking about the show, and even now, over a month later, I still remember the experience fondly, happy that I took the time out of my busy schedule to pay a visit to The Queen, hoping to bring my husband with me next time around.
Photo Credits: 1, 4, 5 – Courtesy of Queen of the Night; 2, 3 – Style Blog
