The Monocle review – sultry celebration of Paris’s secret Sapphic society

2026-02-12 - 06:15

The Corn Exchange, Newbury There are quirky, characterful dances, bodies melting together and understated charisma in this story of a famed 1920s lesbian club Le Monocle was a famed lesbian club, opened by Lulu de Montparnasse in 1920s Paris. Marlene Dietrich visited and Edith Piaf’s mum sang in the cabaret. It was a rare haven where lesbians could live and love freely. It’s also the setting for Rendez-Vous Dance’s latest show, telling this secret Sapphic story. We see the clientele arrive, in sequins or suits, to the rich honey voice of jazz singer Imogen Banks, whose understated charisma is at the heart of the show. Banks and BSL interpreter Caroline Ryan seamlessly infiltrate the cast, and with the help of James Keane’s atmospheric score, choreographer Mathieu Geffré builds up a world. Continue reading...