An exotic French ham who looks chic in a flasher's mac and cigarette (a jambon fumé, perhaps), Liliane Montevecchi is a most engaging cabaret artist. Endowed with a leather larynx that eschews the microphone, she uses a dancer's lithe body and an actress's gamine face to create a fast-moving tableau of highly watchable emotions.
"Finally ah arrive een Hollywood and say, 'America, here ah am," she bellows, thrusting her arms apart and employing an accent as thick as grandmère's onion soup. "And Hollywood (with same expansive gesture) say, 'Who are you?'" Soon even harmless remarks like, "When ah was young and innocent" set ringsiders tittering.
Feuilles Mortes and Mon Homme come well from a resilient Parisienne who recognises Mistinguett, and not Edith Piaf, as the patron saint of chanson. Yet from the Folies Bergère - "I had 17 costume changes there, nothing naked, too much talent" - Liliane filmed Kid Creole with Elvis and The Young Lions with Brando.
Strong on indiscreet patter - "Mistingett was stingy, you know. So was Maurice Chevalier. In fact, all the French are a bit stingy. Maybe that's why I left" - she ad-libs with excellent comic timing. "Ah must close thees," she said at one point, adjusting the bodice of her red satin gown, "or ah weel look like Janet Jackson." Formidable.
Until 18 April. Information: 020 7235 5273.
