New Open-Mic at The Crazy Coqs

New open-mic night – every Thursday at The Crazy Coqs from 10.30 pm until midnight.

Harold Sanditen

I am excited about this piece of news I want to share:

A new open-mic will be launched on Thursday, 18th April and will take place every Thursday at The Crazy Coqs from 10.30 pm until midnight.

Harold Sanditen, jazz–‐cabaret singer and veteran theatre producer, will host the weekly event, which will include regular musicians Michael Roulston on piano and Jonty Fisher on bass, along with occasional replacement musicians who also straddle the worlds between jazz and cabaret.

I am so pleased because this is aimed at both the jazz and theatrical communities, and Sanditen plans to create a fun and exciting environment where both groups can perform, thus bringing the two musical worlds closer together.

The event will welcome, not just singers, but also composers and musicians who want to showcase their talent. Sanditen wants to attract not only up and coming performers who want to be seen/heard, but established singers who want to do a turn. This is a purely musical open mic, and is not for stand–‐up comedy. The emphasis of the evening will be on having fun, so long, slit–‐your–‐wrist ballads will be discouraged.

The evening will provide a nurturing environment for musicians and singers to test new work in front of an audience, as well as a great evening of entertainment for audiences.

Here’s how it works:

The doors will open at 10 pm, with the show starting promptly at 10.30 pm.

Performers who’d like to participate will need to sign up on the night directly with Harold Sanditen. Performers, be they singers or musicians, will need to bring charts (music) for both piano and bass, (preferably in the right key!) These can be sheet music or lead sheets. Each performer will be able to tell the pianist and bass player the feel of the song just prior to performing it.

Some singers might prefer to use their own accompanist, which is also welcomed. Composers who want to showcase new songs and use the bass player, should bring bass charts.

Tickets for the open mic are only £5 and can be booked online in advance. As seating is quite limited, this is highly suggested to assure a spot.

About Fiona Jane Weston

I am Fiona-Jane Weston and as well as being a performer myself (see website), I write reviews of and features on shows, mainly on the London cabaret and theatre scene. I have worked in theatre for many years, but decided to embark on a new direction in cabaret in 2009, when I produced 20th Century Woman: The Compact Cabaret. Not wanting to neglect my love of spoken word, particularly drama and verse, I made the conscious decision to include these elements in the programme, as well as wonderful songs, to tell the story of women's changing status and preoccupations throughout the 20th Century and up to now. I was invited to audition for the renowned Cabaret Conference at Yale, run by the late legendary Erv Raible, and that was thrilled to be one of only 26 accepted that year, where I was taught by the masters of the genre. Amanda McBroom (composer of the Bette Middler hit "The Rose" and the poignant "Errol Flynn"), Laurel Massé, original member of Manhattan Transfer, Sally Mayes, Tony Award nominees Sharon McNight and Tovah Feldshuh, and New York cabaret veteran Julie Wilson were all on the faculty. We were also treated to the musical direction of Alex Rybeck, Hubert Tex Arnold and the now late Paul Trueblood. With the benefit of their insightful teaching and great encouragement, I took my show to The Duplex in New York, where I was delighted with the response. Since then, I have produced Loving London: The Capital Cabaret, using the same format of songs, poetry and drama, in various London venues, including Leicester Square Theatre and The Crazy Coqs. 2014, the centenary of World War 1, saw the launch of Wartime Women: the Khaki Cabaret to a sellout house at St. James Theatre, London, garnering great notices, including from The Times and Musical Theatre Review. I have since been touring the show to Belgium and throughout the UK. I hope these reviews and interviews entertain and educate at the same time, and if please do leave comments in the box. It's great to engage in a conversation about the Arts. Fiona-Jane Weston

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1 Response to New Open-Mic at The Crazy Coqs

Fiona Jane Weston says:

November 15, 2013 at 2:32 pm

Some news about Harold – he is to stage his new show “Full Circle” at St. James Studio Novemeber 23rd. I was able to see him in a tryout performance at The Pheasantry a few months ago and it’s a lot of fun with super material. Michael Roulston is great in it, too. Worth seeing.