A local woman is bringing the West End to South London with a daytime cabaret at the Elephant and Castle Pub, with tickets just £10 per person.
Diane Horan Hill is a 64-year-old, lifelong Elephant and Castle resident with a passion for singing, dancing, and bringing people together.
Struck by the decline of community in Elephant and Castle, particularly for those over 50, Diane decided to start a monthly meet-up styled as a cabaret evening but starting at 2pm. The £10 ticket covers venue hire and entertainment, featuring Diane herself alongside numerous West End singers.
On the first Monday of every month, the group meets in the Cabaret Basement Bar at the Elephant and Castle Pub. The early start time and central location on the main roundabout were chosen to suit those who prefer not to stay out late and want to avoid back streets.
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 aim to get the audience singing and dancing along and the intimate venue lends itself well to meeting new people, which you don’t get in a community hall. The pub is located directly opposite the tube station and the 6pm finish means people can be home in time for dinner.
Diane has been organising singing-based events around Elephant and Castle on and off for around 28 years, alongside bringing up a family. Whilst raising her two children, she couldn’t afford to go out and cover childcare costs, so decided to bring the outside to the now demolished Heygate Council Estate hall.
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?”
Relatedarticles
Diane soon built a reputation for her ‘cabaret nights’, where she would hire a stage from the local school and create a cabaret atmosphere with disco balls, lighting and food.
According to Diane, the estate had a “great community where everyone knew each other”, but this same community spirit doesn’t exist anymore.”
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.”
Alongside the live performances, there are offering raffle prizes, giveaways and the pub is offering 20% off food and drinks for attendees.
Date: First Monday of each month
Location: Cabaret Basement Bar, Elephant & Castle Pub, 119 Newington Causeway, SE1 6BN
Time: 2pm – 6pm
Price: £10 per ticket
Book: Call or text Diane on 07977 294957
