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The Madam and I had another fantabulosa evening at the magnificent Crazy Coqs cabaret bar at Cafe Zedel last night - courtesy of Miss Hope Springs!
Perfectly capturing the archetypal not-so-much-a-has-been-but-a-never-was doyenne of a million cheap hotel and casino cabarets, the "recovering showgirl" is the brainchild of the uber-talented Ty Jeffries (son of Lionel), who not only camps it up, growling breathlessly beneath the towering wig and layers of spangles and sequins, but is also the writer of every song in Miss Springs' repertoire.
As this was a celebration of her Dix Ans au Crazy Coqs, indeed all her old "favourites" were there; excerpts from "her many (mostly unreleased) albums" such as Je m’appelle Hope, Miss Hope Springs Swings with Strings, Das ist Miss Hope Springs and her "1972 Memphis album recorded in High Wycombe" - including her "Eurovision number" Sing One Song, numerous perfect pastiches of genres from Cole Porter to Noel Coward, Bacharach and David to Jacques Brel, including Assets, What's Your Sign?, January Jones, A Seedy Little Nightclub in Pigalle, Carnival, (the very sad) She’s His World, and (of course) her signature tune The Devil Made Me Do It, interspersed with hilarious anecdotes about her life
These included her pool party romps with "Goldie Hawn" at Jack Jones's place with Sonny & Cher, Mama Cass ("eating a sandwich") and Shari Lewis and Lambchop (who came to a tragic end); her TV roles including playing a hooker, a corpse, and the tape outline of a corpse on Columbo; her songwriting career ("Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Blossom Dearie, I wrote songs for all of them. They never sang any of them, but I still wrote them"); and her ill-fated relationships, including her life with current husband Irving (and his boyfriend Carlos!) in a mobile home in Dungeness ("When my husband told me he was getting a little camper I thought – that isn’t possible").
It was superb. Miss Hope Springs is an icon!
I think I just fell in love. And I didn’t even raise an eyebrow. I’ve read her husband Irving’s last name is Eternal.
ReplyDeleteMiss Hope Springs is easy to fall in love with! Jx
DeleteOh, what a gay old time. I am so jell. Sounds like an absolute hoot and right up my (well explored) alley. I love me a clever queen. And those that write songs and create personas? The very best. A good backstory is all it takes. Thanks for sharing this and glad you had a great time. Kizzes.
ReplyDeleteIn an age where "talent" is a rare commodity and the gossip columns are full of non-entities from "reality" shows and YouTube, it's refreshing to know that there are some genuinely creative and entertaining artistes still out there... Jx
DeleteWhen I was 25, 4yrs ago..... I have made a note of this line, and will use it!
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Surprised you haven't already, Ms Scarlet! Jx
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