Madame Zingara - the decadent Theatre of Dreams

Where: Battersea Power Station, London, UK

What: Intimate Cirque and decadent feast

When: from December 12th 2008 for 3 months

How much: £75 - £115. You may gasp now. But it WILL be something to tell your children.

• Madame Zingara - Theatre of Dreams

The nature of true circus is joyous, irrepressible, untameable. Madame Zingara will be hosted in one of the most beautiful buildings in London this December, and combines extraordinary cirque and sumptuous feasting to bring back the Parisian decadence of the 1920s.

A heady combination of comedy, cirque and cabaret combine with decadent dining to create an irresistible theatrical experience: welcome to Madame Zingara's Theatre of Dreams. We're not lying about the decadent dining, either - guests get a four-course feast, the signature dish being steak in chili chocolate sauce. And vegetarians needn't worry - there are 1,600 dishes to choose from, all prepared by the South African chef and his team of midget elves.

You'll be sitting beneath the canvas of one of the world's only remaining Spiegeltents. This is a big deal - there are only 11 in the world. What is a Spiegeltent? A Spiegeltent (Dutch for "Mirror Tent") is a large travelling tent, constructed in wood and canvas and decorated with mirrors and stained glass, intended as an entertainment venue. Originally built in Belgium during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, only a handful of these Spiegeltents remain in existence today, and these beautiful, ancient survivors of decadent past times continue to travel around Europe and beyond.

So what's happening while you're stuffing your face and sipping ancient brandy? Overhead and all around you, you'll be witnessing a theatrical display of acrobatics, singing, actors and performers, like no other. With no guest further than 8m away from the stage, guests will feel completely part of the intimate experience. Encompassing cabaret, burlesque and performance alongside acrobats, contortionists and trapeze artists, Madame Zingara shall deliver to you, their cordial guest, an experience that has only been seen by very rich people at the turn of the century - and even they would have considered themselves lucky.

In the best tradition of gypsies, travellers and free folk, Madame Zingara is an international raggle-taggle band of talents, having scoured every corner of the world to find people who are the best at what they do: Artists from Mongolia, Germany and Brazil making up the company, in addition to their very own local South African stars; such as the acclaimed South African Motown-singing The Tons.

Guests and fellow dreamers are invited and encouraged to be part of the magic and fantasy. With this in mind, Bijoux Boutique was created, a whimsical in-house emporium touting everything from opulent feather boas and extravagant costume hats to all manner of fun, quirky items to delight and amuse.

The Theatre of Dreams will be at Battersea Power Station from December 12th 2008 for 3 months. 'Mushroom' events that pop up, glamour and dazzle, then disappear are the best way to keep the spirit of 'special' alive. Miss it, blink, and it's gone...

Madame Zingara links:

• Madame Zingara - Theatre of Dreams
• See them put up the Spiegeltent!

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