Daniel Koek's West End Sessions, London Review
Written by Eleanor for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
West End Sessions aims to bring the best of UK theatre to a smaller and more intimate venue, with the audience able to get up close and personal with some of their favourite performers. Following a series of previous events, I felt very lucky to be able to attend this press night to mark their move to a new permanent venue.
These cabaret style events are organised and curated by leading man and performer Daniel Koek. Daniel was the perfect host, making both the audience and performers feel at ease. He exuded charisma and humour throughout the evening, creating a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. He also showed off his vocal talents, with my favourite number being his rendition of ‘Rise like a Phoenix.’ He sung this demanding song so effortlessly and I thoroughly enjoyed his entire song selection.
These events are now hosted by Brooks Mews Wine House in Mayfair, the new permanent home for West End Sessions. This space is very well connected and in an accessible location right by Claridge’s Hotel. It is a relatively small space but they have made the most of it. The seating is quite snug but it means everyone gets a good view of the raised stage and the performances. Upon arrival, I was greeted with a delicious gin cocktail and many people also ordered food at the venue. With breaks in the set list, there were plenty of opportunities to re-order, making it a key part of the evening which you don’t often find at larger venues.
The special guests at the performance were West End stars Kerry Ellis and Rob Houchen. I was very excited to see them perform and I was not disappointed! Rob’s rendition of ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’ was incredibly moving and Kerry singing ‘Memory’ felt very special. There was also some audience participation as we all joined in with ‘Somebody to Love’ from We Will Rock You. Alongside these fan-favourite musical hits, performers were also able to show off their extended repertoire to include other genres of music. It is a rarer opportunity to hear these excellent singers lend their voices to other songs, which is what makes West End Sessions stand out.
My evening at West End Sessions was truly unforgettable. Everyone in Brooks Mews Wine House was just having the best time and it created a wonderful atmosphere. To be in such an intimate space with a group of like-minded people reminds me why I love theatre. I will certainly be keeping close attention to their programme for the rest of the year and will be making a return visit as soon as I can.
West End Sessions runs monthly events. Further details can be found on their Facebook page.
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