Velvet, Brass & Midnight
Stagehand Notes on the Montmartre Cabaret — by Colette Vasseur, retired lighting-board operator, 23 years above the Boulevard de Clichy stage
Why I wrote these notes
I spent twenty-three years on the lighting bridge above the Boulevard de Clichy stage, calling cues, adjusting spots, and watching two houses a night from the best seat nobody pays for. When I retired in 2023, friends kept asking the same questions: which seating, dinner or champagne-only, and how to get home after the late house. These notes are my answers from the wings, not from a brochure.
The three seatings
| Seating | Includes | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 7pm Dinner | Three courses + half-bottle champagne + full revue | ~4h30 |
| 9pm Revue | Half-bottle champagne + full revue | ~2h |
| 11pm Late | Half-bottle champagne + full revue | ~1h45 |
Independent memoir. This site is a retired stagehand's notebook. We are not affiliated with any cabaret operator and do not sell admissions or process payments. See the FAQ and privacy page.
Notes from above the stage
- The 9pm house is the tightest: brass is warm, dancers are sharp, cues land clean.
- Left-side floor tables see the chorus geometry best.
- The balcony gives you the whole picture but loses the texture of feathers and sequins.
- Weekdays are quieter; weekend tables fill with tour groups.
- Metro Blanche, line 2 — the exit is on the square.
Explore: backstage, the evening, after midnight, candid advice.