Funny Girls
 | |
  Funny Girls Location in Blackpool | |
| Former names | Blackpool Odeon |
|---|---|
| Location | Blackpool, Lancashire, England |
| Coordinates | 53°49′16″N 3°03′05″W / 53.8211°N 3.0515°WCoordinates: 53°49′16″N 3°03′05″W / 53.8211°N 3.0515°W |
| Owner | Basil Newby |
| Operator | In The Pink Leisure |
| Type | Showbar |
| Website | |
|
www | |
Funny Girls is a burlesque cabaret showbar on the North Shore of Blackpool, Lancashire, England. The cast comprise male dancers and drag performers, and are part of In The Pink (ITP) Leisure, owned by Basil Newby.
The Funny Girls cast have performed on television and before royalty on the Royal Variety Performance twice,[1][2] they have also appeared in various television shows either to be interviewed, or where the Funny Girls showbar itself has been the backdrop, such as in the BBC Drama Blackpool.
Venue
The Funny Girls showbar is in what was once the Blackpool Odeon. When Basil Newby took over the old Odeon, he had it re-decorated in the traditional Art Deco style, and had both seating balcony and stalls changed into standing and seating areas for observing the show, as well as building several bars, and "Garbo's" Restaurant. The restaurant has a dine-and-show package, where you can have a meal before proceeding to your seats for the main Cabaret show. There has been a transformation from an old cinema into a period styled showbar and entertainment venue. Funny Girls has three areas for visitors, a downstairs area which is for standing room; these are nearest to the stage and the cheapest tickets, a raised area behind the seated area with booths for visitors to sit at their own table, with full "waitress" service by the "Bar Trannies" also known as the "Follies", these are the same price range as the balcony. The latter two areas are very popular, and usually need to be reserved months in advance.
Cast
DJ Zoe is the compere at Funny Girls and is now the only member of the cast to have been at Funny Girls since the very start. She DJ's, tells jokes, takes requests, and joins in with the cabaret finale.
Jade and Amber are the lead drag performers, and took over when Betty "Legs" Diamond left the club in 2010. They alternate between who plays the comedic lead throughout the evening.
Dynasty is new to Funny Girls and is a drag performer alongside Jade and Amber.
Mark, Dan, Stephen and Paul are the non-drag male performers during the cabaret, and often have their own dance numbers before the main drag performers join a scene. Mark is the show's Dance Captain.
Celebrity visitors
Celebrities that have visited Funny Girls include:
- Lenny Henry
- Dawn French
- David Tennant
- Michelle Heaton
- Andy Scott-Lee
- Brian Capron
- Denise Van Outen
- Toyah Willcox
- Victoria Wood
- Various cast members from television series Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks
- Jeremy Guscott
- Kerry Katona
- Joan Collins
- Lionel Blair
- Alice Barry
- Su Pollard
- Julie Goodyear
- Jim Davidson
- Lesley Joseph
- Lisa Riley
- Richard Wilson
- John Inman
- Claire Sweeney
- David Soul
Critical reception
| “ | Blackpool can still lead the way. Look at Funny Girls - it's the best show in the country. there is no place like it to celebrate a special occasion. There's still nothing like it anywhere else! | ” | |
| — Jim Davidson, Blackpool Gazette[3] | |||
References
- ↑ , IMDb listing for Royal Variety Performers 2005
- ↑ , IMDb listing for Royal Variety Performers 2004
- ↑ , Official ITP Website