The Secret Cabaret

The Secret Cabaret The 12 half-hour programs consisted of a fast-paced mix of the bizarre and surreal along with traditional magic illusions, often performed with gruesome twists. Originally conceived by Simon Drake, this unique TV series was the collaboration of Simon along with executive producer Sebastian Cody, line producer Frankie Glass, and magic consultants Jim Steinmeyer and Patrick Page. Other contributors included Ricky Jay, Mark Williams, Heathcote Williams and others.

The Secret Cabaret broke new ground presenting 'dark entertainment', a was a forerunner and influence to the offbeat TV magic of Criss Angel and David Blaine.

"On television in the UK then, were Wayne Dobson and Paul Daniels, but they didn't appeal to me. I wanted to see something darker, more fast-paced and rock-and-roll, more sexy, more weird."
Simon Drake

Simon originally pitched his Secret Cabaret idea to producer Sebastian Cody of Open Media who raised the money from Channel 4 and in the 1989, the first series was made.The Secret Cabaret revolved around a theatre-based magic show presented by Simon Drake and featured highly theatrical illusions performed by him in various guises.

"I formulated the manipulation routines working closely with Pat Page for months and months. And I worked on the illusions with Jim Steinmeyer. John Gaughan built one thing and a lot of the illusions were hired, adapted and made. We did not have a big budget. "
Simon Drake

The first series was a huge hit and after a short tour, Simon began working on a second series. A substantial part of the running time of both series was given over to guest performers and various filmed items, ranging from archive footage to close-up presentations or exposures of scams and swindles. Regular guests included magicians James Randi, Geno Munari, Max Maven and David Berglas and reformed fraudster turned security expert Frank Abagnale.

"The second series was better, because we knew what we were doing. We knew we had to up the ante from the first series. It was slicker. I like it better."
Simon Drake

After the success of the second series, a third was quickly mooted by Channel 4 but Simon was not interested in continuing in the show without a greater control of the final edit. A third series was never produced and Simon moved on to other projects.

The Secret Cabaret still remains a landmark magic show that still holds up today in pace, styling and quality and is often noted as a major influence for many modern magicians.

The Secret Cabaret Additional Links

Simon Drake
James Randi
David Beglas

Episode	Illusions	Guest Artists	Dates

Series One Episode One	The Cremation Balls from Mouth Routine The Impaler	Rocky Rendall Tony Ehlert Carletti and Belle	9 January 1990
Series One Episode Two	Needle through Arm Laser Bending Routine The Shadow Box	Mike Comerford Mark Raffles Fluke	16 January 1990
Series One Episode Three	The Assistants revenge Smoking Routine Swords through Body	Les Hilton Jeanin Lionet Tony Andruzzi Stromboli John Gaughan	23 January 1990
Series One Episode Four	The Dancing Cane Drinks production & balloon mime Houdini’s Milk Churn Escape	Bartschelly Jenny Randles John Gaughan	30 January 1990
Series One Episode Five	The Cigarette Rolling Routine Needles from Mouth Spikes in Coffin	Sue Brent Charlie Marsden & Lloyd Williams Jay Marshall Alan Alan Sean Manchester	6 February 1990
Series One Episode Six	Sawing girl in half Bullet catch routine Man in a Bottle	Watt the Man Normando Rojas Tony Andruzzi Rocky Rendall	13 February 1990
Series Two Episode One	Hanging Routine Silhouette Routine Russian Roulette	Matthew Gryczan Jeanie Named Seuqcaj Enrica	15 January 1992
Series Two Episode Two	Knife Through Arm The Snake lady Eggs Production Routine The Hospital Scene	Tkach Charles Black Snake Lady La Dorina	22 January 1992
Series Two Episode Three	Flowers Production The Pickpockets Hand The Floating Table	Stevie Starr Len Di Maggio Staubertis	29 January 1992
Series Two Episode Four	The Guillotine Death comes to Las Vegas The Living Half-Man	Max Oscar Bessie Standing Matthew Gryczan Named Seuqcaj	5 February 1992
Series Two Episode Five	The Drinking Act Chainsaws through Head Killer Rope Mary Queen of Scots’ decapitated head	Elvis Mokko Tony Zavosky Anne Marie Bates David Benn	12 February 1992
Series Two Episode Six	The Fire Routine The Iron Maiden The Devil of a Hat The Voyeur Illusion Dorian Grey parts 1 and 2	Mandragores Percilla and Emmitt Jonny King	19 February 1992

Did You Know?
Reformed fraudster turned security expert Frank Abagnale featured regularly on the Secret Cabaret. This was a decade before Abagnale became world famous through the 2002 bio-pic 'Catch Me If You Can' directed by Steven Spielberg.

Final Thoughts ...

I was eighteen and already performing as a stage magician when The Secret Cabaret was first aired on Channel 4. At that time there was simply nothing like it on TV. The show was beautifully theatrical and richly macarbre but also very funny with an dark sense of humour. Im imeadiatly became adicted to the show becuase of itsincredible style and vision. And although it is gory (especially for the time) I never really thought of it as such. My own act at the time included a fair amount of gore and several of the effects that performed were already in my own reportoir. What was such a huge influence on me was Simon's Simon Drake of course looked great as the Mad Max like character who served up a splattering of bood each week - his verical knife through arm, impaler and firey Dorian Grey illusion are unforgettable iconic images of magic.

But for me, his classical magician persona performed some of the most hauntingly beautiful magic seen on TV. The production of eggs from empty hands making the form of a bird, the dancing cane and my favourite, the silhouette manipulation act - which not only looked amazing, it also was technically superb AND had the added narrative structure of the magician aging and dying as the routine progressed. The fact that this show has not been repeated on TV is a crime!