Well hello there. It’s been a while since we’ve updated on The Smoking Cabinet front, but I hope you’ve all enjoyed 2009. We’ve decided not to hold the festival this Christmas but instead move it to March next year – I hope you can all still come along – we have missed you!
In the mean time TSC have been developing our education wing – Mirror Mirror – participating in National Schools Film Week amongst other things, and looking at TSC going on a UK tour in early 2010. For more information and to keep up to speed with us please do contact info@thesmokingcabinet.com.
A great big THANK YOU to everyone who took part in and partied at TSC 2008. I think you’ll agree it was a truely excellent adventure for us all from the elegantly scored screening of PICCADILLY by MIMIMA, to the mid-afternoon dance display high-jinks of the BEES KNEES; Bryony Dixon’s witty introduction to Coney Island and the shimmering SHELLAC SISTERS to the final balloon drop on Sunday night. A special thanks, also, to Laura, Nadia and all the staff at the Curzon, Soho – we couldn’t have done it without you guys!x
Hold press! Amazing musical collective Minima have been booked to score E A Dupont’s classic Piccadilly on OPENING NIGHT. Here’s some info about them: Minima’s music is an audacious, 21st-Century interpretation of the images of silent films: leading, following, surprising, hypnotising. Comprising drums, bass, guitar and cello, Minima use no backing tracks in their performance – it is a totally live experience. Minima were formed in 2006. They have performed in cinemas and art centres, as well as music-orientated festivals and challenging, unusual venues such as churches and railway arches. The soundtracks evolve organically, each musician adding depth and detail with each performance.
Minima’s repertoire includes the 1928 French cult classic The Seashell and the Clergyman, the classic 1919 German Expressionist film The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, the short German animation Symphonie diagonale from 1924 and a semi-improvised soundtrack to 1960s/70s British Structuralist films.
DON’T MISS MINIMA SCORING PICCADILLY (1929) AS PART OF MIDNIGHT MOVIES FRIDAY 12th DECEMBER CURZON SOHO FROM 9.30PM. CLICK HERE TO BOOK
Westminster Arts have very kindly agreed to support The Smoking Cabinet again in 2008. We are very grateful for their continued faith in the festival and allowing us to programme cinema that is unique, different and fun – to give the audiences of Westminster and wider London – an opportunity to explore and experimental with early cinema in an entertaining way.
My gosh! SO much to tell!
We really have pulled out the stops for you guys this time around; not only are FANCY CHANCE, THE SHELLAC SISTERS, THE BEES KNEES and BFI NATIONAL ARCHIVE CURATOR OF SILENT CINEMA – BRYONY DIXON – all CONFIRMED for our three day fest but also the wonderful MS ROSIE COOPER and supremely highly regarded musicians MINIMA will be part of our BOOM OR BUST PANEL DISCUSSION (Saturday 13th 6pm) and scoring evocative classic PICCADILLY (1929) (Midnight Movies Vs The Smoking Cabinet Friday 12th December from 9.30pm) respectively.
If you are a lucky lucky resident of the south east / central areas you may have already come across our beautiful flyers; if not don’t worry they will be out in the east, Notting Hill, Camden, Brixton and that by the end of the week. The details of just how everyone above is involved are inside so keep your eye out for the tiger a-top of the globe….
We are hosting two (!) opportunities to dance dance dance in celebration of our ON WITH THE DANCE shorts programme on Saturday 13th December. The workshops will be delivered by the fantastic BEES KNEES with be at 4pm and 5pm and last half an hour each.
So yes before settling down to enjoy the wonders of DIVINE AND CHARLES IN APACHE DANCE, CHORUS GIRLS AT AN EXHIBITION and DICKSON SOUND EXPERIMENT you too can shake that tail feather down at the Curzon Soho Bar.
Places are limited so you NEED TO BOOK in order to take part. Please email us at info@thesmokingcabinet.com – stating which time you want 4pm or 5pm – and we will confirm your booking and send further info about the sessions.
To book for ON WITH THE DANCE – or any other part of our fantastic programme – please visit Curzon Cinemas.
The Smoking Cabinet is delighted to announce lingerie boutique PLAYFUL PROMISES as its official 2008 sponsor!
For a second year we’ll be celebrating early cabaret and burlesque cinema at the CURZON SOHO with screenings, live performance, talks and much much more.
Established in 2004 by Emma Parker, Playful Promises lingerie is a quirky flirtatious brand creating innovative boudoir collections with a contemporary edge. The Playful Promises philosophy embraces fun and flirtation; a perfect fit with The Smoking Cabinet outlook.
Collabortive highlights of the festival include a special guest performer on Opening Night before we unveil The Smoking Cabinet Vs Midnight Movies with a screening of A.E. Du Pont’s Piccadilly (1929) as well as a handful of head turning usherettes modelling the latest in Playful Promises corsetry; a Playful Promises PRIZE TOMBOLA on our Coney Island Special day (Sunday 14th December) and a saucy seaside themed range of lingerie to be paraded around the Curzon Soho Bar as we tip our sailor caps to the maritime fun and games of yesteryear.
Follow the link www.playfulpromises.com to find out more about the fantastic range of lingerie offered by Playful Promises
Tickets are NOW ON SALE for the The Smoking Cabinet 2008. Please visit www.curzoncinemas.com for more info.
Yes you heard er read right! Tickets are now ON SALE for The Smoking Cabinet 2008 – playing 12th-14th Dedember. If you want to see dance dreams galore, if you want to see the crazy Gus Elen, boxing cats and Bob’s very creepy Electric Theatre, if you want to see Fatty Arbuckle AND Buster Keaton the CLASSIC Coney Island from 1917 (!), if you want to see the Curzon bar BECOME not only a 1920s WEST END CLUB AND a SEASIDE FUNFAIR (how will we do it in this landlock’d city of ours?!?), if you want to the amazing FANCY CHANCE, SHELLAC SISTERS and others you must BOOK BOOK BOOK either at www.curzoncinemas.com or on 0871 7033 988, do it now x
Branchage Film Festival
Oh dear, will our popularity ever stop? Having completed a highly successful if some what wet screening at Latitude in July, TSC has now been booked to play Branchage, Jersey’s newest international film festival running 25th-28th September.
Latitude was excellent – each film was greeted by a round of applause, the rain forced some to take cover in our tent who then stayed on to enjoy despite the sun coming out and our panel discussion Women in Burlesque: Empowerment vs Titillation (featuring the wonderful Marisa Carnesky, Fancy Chance and Fred Bear - standing in for forthcoming air hostess Amy Lame) was highly informative, opinionated and entertaining!
Plans are afoot for December 2008, we do so hope you’ll be able to join us. To keep informed please join the mailing list by contacting info@thesmokingcabinet.com
And how are you? I know its been a while but we have some news at least! Top of which is announcing our appearance at Latitude 2008. TSC shall be hosting a short screening of our favourite films followed by a talk on women in burlesque with Marisa Carnesky and Amy Lame. Please join us at 2pm Saturday 19th July in the cabaret tent.
We are also gearing up for second Smoking Cabinet Festival of Cabaret and Burlesque Cinema at the end of 2008 with more films and frollicks, maybe just maybe a UK tour. The best way to keep informed of all is to JOIN OUR MAILING LIST by mailing info@thesmokingcabinet.com
