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Princes of the Night – Review
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Published September 25th 2022
High-energy, immersive and interactive
Images – Writers Own
Princes of the Night is an all-male burlesque and cabaret with performances at Crown Melbourne, Level 3, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank. Performances run every Saturday night and have done so for near on 20 years at Crown. Clarendon Street entrance is the easiest way, with the entrance directly opposite the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Get the escalators to the next level, and catch the lift to the 3rd level, or you could escalator it all the way to the top. With a bit of walking involved, Crown is accessible via public transport. If you catch Uber, as I did, you may find at end of the show, it may take a little longer to catch a ride if you’re travelling during a huge weekend event eg. AFL Grand Final. Taxis parked at Crown were not interested in short distances (I live inner city) and flatly refuse to transport you.
Make sure you have a photo ID as the identification check is quite thorough before entry to the show. Level 3 being the nightclub level, you won’t find eateries on the floor. There’s a fully stocked bar at Princes of the Night at this two-hour show that runs from 7.30-9.30pm, inclusive of a 20min interval. Doors open at 7pm to give you ample time to settle yourself in, grab a drink, and use the facilities, if you need to, at the venue. Behind the rows of seating facing the stage, there are bar tables and stools, along with a lounging area if you want a more relaxed viewing of the show. However, this is the type of show you’d want to get up-close and personal with, so you can engage and enjoy every moment. You can get your tickets via Crown or the Princes’ website.
After the ID check, greeting us at the entry to the show was the effervescent hostess Julia. We were shown to our seats, and chose to sit at the back at the bar table and stools so I could see the show and crowd reaction before me. It’s not an enormous venue so it’s a great vantage point no matter where you sit. However, let’s face it, you don’t come to an all male burlesque to hang back, and would want to be right up front if you were attending the show. The performers are pretty good though at going through the crowd, and mindful, so it’s not just those in the front rows that get the attention. They’re pretty fair and don’t discriminate, and are always aware to entertain the crowd and make each and everyone feel special. Here’s a bit of a heads up. If you love a bit of interaction, aside from the front row, sit towards the centre aisle as obviously the guys can’t go through the rows of seating.
If you have time to peel your eyes away from the muscle-bound and ripped entertainers to take notice of the production, it’s quite amazing and on-point. The lighting design, the colours, and the sound never fail to support the show and take it to the next level. The production is on par with any great theatre show you’d see in the city. The whole set up is professionalism at its best, with a huge production set-up upstairs. Sound and lighting add the atmosphere and the vibes to the era and themes of the performances, and there’s a lot for the ladies to love. Who doesn’t love muscular medieval knights in their studded leather armour, shrouded with mysterious hoods on, walking through the crowd up to the stage! What an entrance amidst a front-lit stage and themed background – the knights in silhouette as they walk through the unsuspecting crowd from the back. It’s medieval magic at its atmospheric best that sets the tone for what’s to come for the rest of the show, and there’s a lot packaged into those short hours. As the saying goes – time sure flies when you’re having fun!.
The guys work tirelessly to entertain with one number after another coming hard and fast, each theme cleverly touching on the familiar, the nostalgic, the romantic and the mysterious – its familiarity slipping into our psyche with ease, hitting all the right spots. Oh yes, there’s a lot of careful planning and thought that goes into each and every show for you to enjoy, and its near on 20 year residency at Crown Melbourne is measurable proof of its success and professionalism. There’s also a lot of humour woven into the show and the boys know how to camp it up when they need to, especially during a Beyoncé number – Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), with Julia the hostess also part of the performance. She comes on sporadically throughout the night as the compere with a sharp wit to keep you entertained, along with many a wardrobe change, like a fashion show.
The best hens night entertainment
Who doesn’t love a man in uniform like ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ (film), a bit of Sandy and Danny from ‘Grease’ (film) – a number for one of the many brides-to-be at the show, participating. If you’re having a birthday, or having a girl’s night out, or you’re a bride-to-be having a hen’s party, be sure to let the Princes know via the given links and read the FAQs here. Celebrate your special moment with a night of first-class male entertainment and be a part of the show surrounded by athletic performers who are as versatile as they are sassy. There’s a lot of clever choreography and a strong message from the guys that says you deserve the best girls’ night out every single time. As risqué as it seems, these professional entertainers know just how far to go without verging on the crude or vulgar. They’ll take you to the realms of seduction and journey into your fantasy with a perfect balance of class, sex appeal, comedy and raciness.
There’s an added surprise with the addition of a professional vocalist/singer on board, so there’s a concert thrown in there as well with a couple of vocally strong performances. Sound too perfect to be true? Sure, there are a couple of moments where an arm may not extend as fully as it should during a dance number, but nothing you would notice at such a wonderful show filled with good times, and men who can dance and smoulder at the same time. A show that doesn’t just appeal to women, in chatting to a couple of guys who accompanied their girlfriends to the show, they were enjoying it as well, and thought it very professional.
Do note when booking, if you have a guest sensitive to flashes of lighting, that this is a full on production with a spectacular light show. There’s photo opportunities after the show with the guys, upstairs. It’s a no-brainer that everyone hangs back to take a shot with the guys, so prepare to stand in line. Make sure you head out with friends who know how to party and have a good time, as the guys definitely deserve the support and participation for all the hard work they put into it. Make a night of it with dinner at Crown before the show, and there’s plenty of after-hours entertainment to enjoy for a memorable night out.
