Southwark (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Southwark’s Elephant and Castle Pub will host a £10 daytime cabaret as Diane Horan Hill brings West End flair to local audiences.
Diane Horan Hill, 64, has lived in Elephant and Castle her entire life and has a love for dancing, singing, and connecting people.
Shocked by Elephant and Castle’s lack of community, especially for people over 50, Diane made the decision to establish a monthly gathering that would start at 2pm and be modeled after a cabaret night. The £10 ticket includes entertainment and venue rental; Diane will be performing among many West End vocalists.
The club meets in the Elephant and Castle Pub’s Cabaret Basement Bar in Southwark on the first Monday of each month. For people who would rather avoid back alleys and avoid staying out late, the early start time and convenient position on the main roundabout were chosen.
Diane believes that older people are often forgotten about and may lack confidence, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic and with the rise of working from home during the week.
She said:
“People of my age group don’t want to sit around playing bingo and drinking cups of tea, some of us still want to dress up and have fun.”
The performers want the audience to join in on their songs and dances, and the small space makes it easy to meet new people, something that community halls don’t offer. The pub is right across from the tube station, and because it closes at 6 p.m., patrons can get home in time for dinner.
In addition to raising a family, Diane has been intermittently organizing singing-based activities in Elephant and Castle for about 28 years. She brought the outside to the now-demolished Heygate Council Estate hall since she couldn’t afford to go out and pay for childcare while raising her two kids.
Inspired by the film The Full Monty (1997), which follows a group of an unlikely dance troupe of male dancers thrown together after unemployment, Diane thought:
“If they can do that up North, why not here in South London?”
Diane believes that involvement in Tenant’s and Residents Associations (TRAs) are declining:
“I’ve witnessed the changes over the years: where we used to have communities, nobody wants to do it because it’s time consuming. But, years ago everyone was part of it.”
Seeing this gap for a community place for people to meet, she decided to trial her new Monday afternoon Cabaret evening. Kicking off in August, the group has received excellent feedback from attendees. She said:
“At the end of the day we just want everyone up, dancing, and enjoying themselves.”
Over the years, she has performed and organised shows for care homes, community groups, LGBTQ+ charities (including Pride in London) and local fundraisers.
Diane works part-time in finance, but believes performance is her “true calling”. She said: “If I’ve been given a gift, I want to share it with others to make them feel happy.
“I’ve been through so many things in my life, from living with people with addiction to domestic violence. I know how lonely that was and I want the afternoon to provide a safe space for anyone, regardless of what they are going through.”
If you are nervous about attending alone or want to know more, Diane chooses to call people directly who have booked a ticket to answer any questions and calm nerves.
In the future, Diane hopes to increase the number of afternoons to two or three per week, depending on popularity.
“It’s not about making money,”
she said.
“As long as I can pay the artists, I just want to provide a safe and communal space.”
In addition to the live performances, audiences can take advantage of raffle prizes, freebies, and a 20% discount on food and beverages at the pub.
What is the schedule and start date for the monthly meet-up?
The Elephant and Castle Pub is the host of our monthly daytime cabaret event, scheduled for the first Monday of each month. The event runs from 2pm to 6pm, allowing guests to enjoy West End-style performances, socialize and dance in the early afternoon.
The monthly schedule and timing was planned to be particularly accessible for those over 50 and for anyone looking to engage during daytime hours. The cabaret event is a recent monthly event which began earlier this year, and the dates are usually released potential dates ahead to entice new attendees and returning friends.
Guests can reserve seats and ask for the latest details by contacting the event organizer Diane.