Cocktail Magique

One cold December night, a couple of chicly bundled-up women crossed the Hudson and traversed the metropolis of Manhattan to get to the ever-cool borough of Brooklyn: their destination, a land of magic, mystery, and beauty- and lots of glitter. The building was unassuming, a glass door on the side of a black building somewhere between Williamsburg and Bushwick, but inside was like the 1920’s had exploded with a layer of glitter and rhinestones. The people were beautiful, the drinks were strong, and the atmosphere was speakeasy-esque.

Couches and chairs were lined up facing the stage, while small gold mice held little light bulbs to illuminate the small ledge in front of your seat. I sat down with my “Cleopatra’s Pearls” cocktail, a lush rose cocktail with hints of lychee and gin, and glanced around the room. A fortune teller taps the couple behind us asking if they want to hear their future, before they are whisked away to a back room. The space was crowded, though not overly so, with every seat filled and patrons sipping away on their bespoke crafted cocktails from the bar. 

Then it begins. 

Glittering burlesque performers took the stage, and one by one unveiled their unique talents. Aerialists spun through the air, a woman walked on champagne bottles across the stage, and there was even a Josephine Baker sighting. The roaring 20s had come to Brooklyn and were in full swing. I felt myself get lost in the magic of it all. The whole vibe was as if you were doing something that the outside world shouldn’t know about, that what was happening was something exclusive just for you. It was impish and decadent. 

Little surprises happened throughout the night, starting with the descent of miniature hot air balloons from the ceiling. In their baskets, a treat of vegan dumplings. A belly dancer served up “Love Potion No. 9” right before the first intermission while a singer belted out the song of the same name. Jazzy, sultry renditions of modern songs punctuated the performances, sung by exceptional vocalists. 

One of the most impressive feats was at the end of the evening. After a drumstick of vegan ice cream, the MC, who was completely fabulous as both the MC and in general, asked for audience participation for a unique cocktail experience. Center stage was a large wooden wheel, and as we shouted out names of liquors, garnishes, and mixers, they were taped to the wheel by stunning performers wearing costumes that left little to the imagination. Blindly, the MC fired darts at the wheel as it spun, and landed on five cards with ingredients on them. Now, I should have mentioned earlier that at every seat was a little vault in the ledge in front of you. Throughout the night there were attempts to open the vault, but the right code was never found…until the end of the night. Not only were the cards that held the opening combination picked at random from audience members but inside the vault was the very drink we had just come up with on the Wheel of Fortune. I was awed, to say the least.

This was not the first Company XIV performance I had been to, having seen Nutcracker Rouge a few years ago. But I think this one may have been my favorite so far. The acts, the drinks, and the whole feel of the night were different than what I had experienced prior. True, both performances had an equal amount of lustfulness and surprises, but it was the intimate atmosphere of Cocktail Magique that stood out to me. The audience laughed together, clapped together, and drank together like old friends.

I sat there and thought about the actual 1920s, how people did just the same thing we were doing now, and how the tradition of entertainment and burlesque itself had endured. It made me feel connected to the past, and those who walked through similar speakeasy and burlesque shows decades before me. I thought about the impact the 20s had on modern society. The music, the politics, the fashion! It was all here, wrapped up in rhinestones for me to savor. 

As the glitter settled and the echoes of laughter lingered, the enchanting night at Cocktail Magique with Company XIV became a cherished chapter in the book of memories. The magic of the roaring 20s, the dazzling performances, and the intimate atmosphere of the speakeasy left an indelible mark. It was more than a show; it was a journey into a world where time stood still, and the audience became a community of joyous camaraderie. Reflecting on the echoes of the past, the night served as a bridge between eras, connecting us to the spirit of the 1920s. Cocktail Magique, offered a reminder to savor the present, to revel in unique experiences, and to embrace the ephemeral beauty of each breath. As the curtain fell on this extraordinary night, the anticipation for the next rendezvous with Company XIV ignited, promising future tales of wonder and delight. The night, filled with mystery and magic, became a beacon of respite from the ordinary, a testament to the enduring allure of live performances and the everlasting spirit of celebration.