C’est Magnifique the cabaret show arrives at Brighton Fringe with a clear sense of its audience: musical theatre lovers looking for escapism, spectacle and a bit of old-school glamour. From Chocolate Box Theatre (winners of the 2025 Fringe Outgoing Touring Award), the show transports audiences to an imagined cabaret world somewhere between 1930s Paris and Berlin, leaning into the decadence and theatricality of the era.
Framed around Cyril the MC, the ensemble of characters—Gaylord, Babette, Goldie, Bert and Zelda—move through a lively mix of ballads, torch songs, comedy numbers and familiar musical theatre favourites, with the occasional unexpected pop twist. There’s a knowing playfulness to it, balancing homage with pastiche, and a clear emphasis on performance energy over strict historical authenticity.
The cast is led by Conor Baum as Cyril, alongside Nathan Potter (Gaylord), Emma Edwards (Zelda), Hannah Semple (Goldie), Jack Thomson (Bert) and Jodie Harrop (Babette). Edwards also directs, with Potter taking on choreography and production duties. Live music from Magnus Holm Sorenson (keys) and Will Davis (drums) underpins the show, giving it the immediacy and looseness that cabaret demands.
Alongside performances at the SpiegelGardens’ WundaBarn, C’est Magnifique also takes to the air with a special staging aboard the Brighton i360. It’s an ambitious gimmick, but a fitting one for a show that trades in spectacle, high kicks meeting high altitude in a unique and moving venue.
Selling out previous runs and returning with an award behind it, this is firmly positioned as crowd-pleasing cabaret: polished, energetic and designed to entertain rather than challenge. For audiences seeking innovation, and an hour of stylised escapism with live music and a strong ensemble, it does exactly what it says on the tin.
Details
Venue: C’est Magnifique plays at WundaBarn, SpiegelGardens, and Brighton i360 across selected dates during Brighton Fringe.
Tickets: Tickets range from £12–£15 at WundaBarn and £20–£25 for the i360 performance.
Dates: C’est Magnifique plays at WundaBarn, SpiegelGardens on 1, 8, 9 and 29 May at 8.45pm (unreserved seating), and at Brighton i360 on 14 May at 8.30pm (limited seating).
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