Review: Queenie's Speakeasy in Emsworth
On a warm late summery evening I found myself at Emsworth train station, on the platform, at the kiosk window. Train to Portsmouth? No, a stamp and coffee for me to go to a Speakeasy-style show, tucked into a secret garden at the front, a hidden, very intimate, tiny outdoor but under cover area
Welcome to Queenie’s Vintage Team Rooms, transported back in time at the former waiting room, back to its former glory preserving all the stunning features…history and deliciousness
The Speakeasy is open every Friday (occasionally Saturday) with all produce sold and packaging used ethically sourced. A quaint but so English venue brilliantly conceived by Queenie herself (www.queeniesvintage.com); the tea rooms are open daytime, seven days a week
You have the cakes, you have the soft and alcoholic drinks, you have the wooden tables and chairs, and overhanging vines but still room for top quality performers to top it all off
For tonight it was Tesoro (www.tesoroduo.co.uk ), a distinctively unique easy listening and classical crossover duo comprising Simon Long and Karen Barnett, with over 40 years of performing experience between them. Just like an ‘a la carte menu’ Tesoro have a huge choice of genre-specific set lists to perform, as evidenced this evening
What we heard was over two hours (without a break), 30 songs, a gentle evening of pleasant summery songs definitely helped by a very easy-going style of interacting with the audience, sitting just a couple of feet from where they were singing from
Genre-style, they covered musicals, Italian pop, Cuban/Spanish (daring with a Spanish speaker amongst the staff, listening intently…..Tesoro got a big thumbs up), operatic, Disney, Bond films, remembrance, proms and light entertainment, quite a variety
As performers Tesoro split their performance between each doing solos around duets, mixing it up for the audience’s benefit
Highlights for me included Cabaret (Karen/K), Empty Chairs, Empty Tables (Simon/S), When the Lights Go On Again (K), the proms songs (both), Nessun Dorma (S), Skyfall (K), Thunderball (S) and finally Time to Say Goodbye (both)
An unexpected comedic moment was a jenga-style collapse of one of the wooden chairs with an audience member but Tesoro didn’t miss a note and carried on quite rightly…..for the record, I was fine!!
Go check out Queenie’s for yourself for a night out and go check out Tesoro for a very accomplished singing duo, you will not be disappointed
KEN EBBENS
(Flash radio presenter, theflashonair.co.uk)