Simon Hammerstein hit the scandalous jackpot with his New York club when it opened in 2007, combining flagrantly outrageous shows with high-rolling clientele and tales of behind-the-scenes controversy. Early in 2011, he opened the London branch on the site of the old Raymond Revue Bar to tabloid squawking. So what can you expect? For a start, you won't get in unless you have very deep pockets (table reservations are several thousand pounds) and/or know someone. If you do make it in, you'll see they've remodelled the place a treat, in a decadent-chocolate-box kind of way that seems to be to the taste of the mostly young, bouji clientele. The show is of a high technical standard, with mostly exclusive acts compered by mischievous MC Raven O. Some, especially the skills-based turns, are very strong; others tend to the titillating or have more production values than originality. The stand-out is the extraordinary Rose Wood, a transgendered performer whose pieces – generally heavy on nudity, violence and bodily fluids – aroused spluttering tabloid outrage but in fact bespeak a sophisticated, funny and deeply humane engagement with the context of the Box and the world beyond. Doors open at 10pm, shows start around 1am. Apply for tickets via the website.
About as avant-garde as a night at Weatherspoons, brimful of tasteless twenty somethings desperately trying to be 'on trend' and the usual Euro trash medley. If you happen to have the misfortune of being male expect to pay £400 for a bottle of Moët before being granted permission to enter, but overweight Essex girls in polyester skimpy dresses go free. As for the entertainment: someone dressed as a giant penis (think hotdog outfit) being licked by two people wearing tongue costumes, a drag queen pretending to shave his testicles, a ten second bit of acrobatics and two women in hippy outfits. Lasted five minutes in total - we were there for a few hours last night... seriously when did London become so boring, nothing remotely entertaining, titillating or shocking. If I had the choice between a repeat visit and watching paint dry, the latter option wins hands down. Avoid.
We went there on a Saturday evening with a friend and my wife for the first time. From the very moment we arrived, we had a really good experience as the bouncer in front of the door wave at us from afar for us to get in right away without lining up (thanks to Lux Guest List (077 - 7509 - 2749 nice guys free entry and vip table booking)
The girl attending the bar was very nice and recommended a better choice for us to select drinks to save us some money.
The crowd there is very nice, friendly and very cosmopolitan with very different nationalities. The music that night was a very good selection of techno house music well mixed together and people are dancing all around the place
Nice party we will return !
Not worth the trip, what use to be different is now mainstream and money-hungry. So many other places in London worth partying at. The Box is just another nightclub overrun with girls who are trying too hard and men who could never get girls buying bottles to do just that.
