How to Attend a Show at Phoenix Arts Club

Updated

You can attend a Phoenix Arts Club show without being a member: buy a ticket to any performance and you receive temporary membership for that night. Tickets start from £15, advanced booking is essential, and the venue opens at 9pm for its nightly cabaret and variety line-ups in Soho, London. If you plan to go regularly, annual membership starts at £150.

Who can get in

The club is not members-only for audiences. According to the venue, non-members can purchase tickets to a show and receive temporary membership for the night, which covers their visit. That means the practical route for a first-time visitor is simply to book a ticket rather than apply for membership in advance.

Annual membership (from £150) is the alternative for people who expect to come often. The club states that all money raised is reinvested back into the Club.

Booking and arrival at a glance

Item Detail
Location Soho, London
Show types Cabaret, variety, drag, musical theatre, burlesque, aerial, comedy and more
Ticket price From £15
Annual membership From £150
Booking Advanced booking essential
Doors / late bar Open 9pm 'til late for showtunes singalong
Access for non-members Ticket purchase includes temporary membership for the night

Step-by-step: booking a show

  1. Choose a date. Shows run nightly, so pick the evening that suits you and check what is on that night — the line-up changes, and the club describes its programme as multi-line-up, spanning drag, musical theatre, burlesque, aerial and comedy.
  2. Book in advance. The venue states advanced booking is essential. Treat this as a requirement, not a suggestion, especially for weekend nights in Soho.
  3. Buy your ticket. Prices start from just £15. Your ticket also gives you temporary membership for the night, so there is no separate membership step for a single visit.
  4. Arrive for the 9pm opening. The venue opens at 9pm and runs late. Plan your travel around a late finish if you want to stay for the post-show bar.
  5. Stay for the after-show. After the performances, the space turns into a late-night cocktail bar and hangout, attracting West End theatre workers, actors, writers and filmmakers.

What to expect once you're inside

The club describes itself as "that Soho bar" in the showbiz world — independent, created by entertainers for entertainers, and now welcoming 100,000 cabaret lovers a year. The format is a multi-line-up bill rather than a single headliner, so a given night mixes genres and performers. As the venue puts it, "You never know who might take to the stage."

If you are deciding between a one-off visit and membership: a single ticket is the lower-commitment option and already includes temporary membership for that night, while annual membership makes sense only if you expect to return often enough for the £150 starting price to work in your favour.

Common sticking points

  • Turning up without a booking. Advanced booking is essential, so do not rely on walk-in availability.
  • Assuming you need to join first. You do not — the ticket covers your temporary membership for the night.
  • Arriving before 9pm. The venue opens at 9pm; there is no earlier door time given.
  • Expecting one fixed genre. The programme is deliberately mixed, so check the night's line-up if you have a preference.