If there was a church for musical theatre, this would be it.
Hidden underground at the Piano Works, just off Leicester Square is Sing Easy, a haven for musical theatre lovers and on Saturday I spent the evening trying out the experience for myself. This was a gifted evening that involved complimentary entry and a drinks package but the opinion of this piece remains firmly my own.
We stepped into the room just as the ‘ahh ahhs’ of ‘Any Dream Will Do’ were being delivered, the already assembled patrons dutifully providing the backing vocals whilst welcoming warmth radiated around the room - we were onboard instantly. After being guided to our table we were shown how the premise works. So, as well as tending to your food and drink needs all the staff are professionally trained musical theatre performers on hand to serve delectable cocktails and then knock your socks off as they launch into your favourite show tune. On each table are little slips of paper for you to fill out with your song request which are then collected and curated by staff to be performed - a small tip will bump your choice to the top of the queue. Easy as that.
For most of the evening, we had the wonderful Alex perched behind the piano, his fingertips relentless in churning out the requested numbers, often teaming up on vocals with our host Chris Bartlett. Chris with microphone in hand keeps the air light and engaging, introducing the seriously talented team as they rotate into the spotlight - Chris equally marvellous as host and singer, never allowing the energy of the room to subside. We shift through musical classics with songs from ‘Guys & Dolls’ and ‘Hairspray’ to more contemporary shows such as ‘Mean Girls’ and of course ‘Hamilton,’ all of us encouraged to join in.
The musical train does not relent and the three hours fly by. Later in the evening, some of the tables are removed to make way for a dance floor enabling us to sing along to ‘Defying Gravity’ and ‘Let It Go’ with adequate room. I can appreciate that for some this sounds like the dictionary definition of living hell, but for those with even the slightest fondness for musicals are sure to find an appreciation for the obvious flair that all the performers possess and a little tipple will help relax most into the swing of the evening, bringing out the performer in all of us - as I saw clearly with my plus one Tilly joining in with the Hamilton medley like her life depended on it.
Now SingEasy offer various experiences from brunches, pre-show dinners, quizzes and more across their schedule and have recently launched SingEasy lates that, with the help of a DJ, keeps the music going till 3am every Saturday - we didn’t stay quite that late, I’m in my mid (to late) twenties forgive me. Though we did experience half an hour or so of the lates, it was slightly disappointing as the vibe switched away from musicals into more generic cheesy tunes and the atmosphere damped as a result with many opting to leave when the live music subsided. We eventually did too but opted to try out the main Piano Works space to find a full band playing club requests. I never knew I needed to hear a live rendition of Cardi B’s WAP followed immediately by Mr Brightside - somewhat life-changing.
Price wise the drinks are fairly standard and in line with what you’d expect from a central London location, cocktails ranging between £10.50 and £12 as well as £6-7 beers. There are happy hours at various points, accessible if you sign up for the free membership - well worth taking advantage of for 50% off most drinks.
Several days after my first excursion into the depths of the Piano Works and SingEasy, I am still in awe of what the team have achieved. The atmosphere they create and the energy they bring is simply unstoppable. Every single member of staff was attentive and accommodating, keeping drinks topped up and guests happy. It is thanks to them that we got to exist, if but for a few hours, in a sensational collective experience that I have not stopped thinking about. Go try it out for yourselves, but please save me a seat because I’ll be back again and again.
The best night out I’ve had in a long time - a must for every musical theatre fan during a trip to London’s West End.
Disclaimer: I have not been paid to write this article or told what to write but I was invited to the SingEasy experience and gifted free entry and a drinks package in exchange for my honest opinion.
