Salon Creme Anglaise

tly usurped the f*ck-everything gospel of Leigh Bowery and protégé Transformer, and run with them as if his dick’s been sheathed with q***r, sacramental fire at the head of a non-binary marathon! His closest rival, perhaps – if only in sartorial terms – is RuPaul’s latest darling, US drag diva Sasha Velour, but Thierry easily trumps Velour with an infectious lust for life that’s the pansexual pandemic that this dreary, strait-jacketed Brexit Britain is subconsciously screaming for! And in a sense, Thierry – originally French, though thoroughly q***rly baked in England – epitomises the French, national credo of liberty, equality and fraternity. Like some gender-f*cked jump-start cable, Thierry’s ultra-feisty sparks of deviant electricity have kick-started centres of q***r civil resistance worldwide. Drawing on and gaily re-imagining a huge array of disparate, quintessentially contentious sources – among them, clown, Commedia del’ Arte pantomime and – in a linkage that’s game-changingly unlikely – Paul Ruben’s Pee-Wee Herman – Thierry seals his unholy, provocative, q***r witch’s brew with the steely, unflinching aesthetic of his adored Butoh dance form. And briefly, it’s that audacious, impossible-on-paper marriage – fusing child-like innocence, openness and graciousness with the serene but unbending clarity that informs every gesture of Butoh, that ancient, Japanese performing art – that makes Thierry such a unique, irrepressible and fizzing presence in gay London’s crucial, inner circle of bohemians. So, does he have one talent in particular towering above his poetic, avant-garde dance and kaleidoscopic, sartorial gifts? Certainly, and it’s perhaps one that Thierry himself has overlooked – master facilitator. Arguably, no other non-binary individual in town has energised so many delightful, cutting-edge events with such non-stop, bubbling ebullience, the giddy enthusiasm of a marvellously adult child still in touch with his primal, contagious innocence. Intrigued? Of course you are, so – without further ado – please feast your eyes, desires and imaginations on Thierry’s self- written manifesto below! “

Sasha Selavie for QX Magazine.


**********************************


MANIFESTO:

Welcome to Salon Creme Anglaise! Our co creative artistic rebellion where generosity, opportunity, unbridled self expression and kindness collide in a psychedelic vortex of possibilities! The sumptuous premises: a refined members club above the iconic L’Escargot restaurant, its magical attic filled with decadent dreamers, impassioned geniuses and deliciously transgressive post gender spectators. Feel the flush of freedom flowing through your veins, the thrill of youth filling your heart and soul at the sights of wondrous creatures clustering its Edwardian interiors, its bijoux salons transformed into blissful boudoirs of bohemian bonhomie, its historical walls perspiring with the bodacious breeze of impossible dreams suddenly made vividly realisable! Come and slide down the feather filled rabbit hole that is Salon Creme Anglaise and bounce back a reinvented and readjusted Earthling ready to unleash its creative juices well into the 2020s! Leave your troubles and machinations on the marble steps, embrace your joie de vivre and insouciance, and the best version of yourself will emerge victoriously ! Welcome the waves of fearless creativity trickling down your analog brain, breathe in the gifts of inspiring arts, become a muse, a model, a poet or a star, let yourself be whole again, if only for a night, unabashed, vibrant, resplendent. You may arrive a spectator, be charmed, be enlightened and leave an active contributor to this spiritual putch against the political establishment. And irresistibly whip up your return for more when Creme Anglaise pours down on scintillating Soho once again. A Bientot!


************************************


REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

From the greeting at the door, I knew that I was in for a treat of an evening. The Art was amazing, the talent astounding, and the punters awe-inspiring. Definitely a night to remember and hope to partake of again! (Daniel Salamon, Film-maker)


An evening of magical, out of the box entertainment! Look forward to the next. (Matthew Francis Rory, Visual Artist)


Entering the salon was like stepping through a portal into another otherworldly dimension, leaving the prosaic streets of Soho to be immersed in a poetic wonderland of colourful glamour and delicious sensual delights.. Imagine a scene twixt an innocent Heaven and sinful Hell; a chimeric combination of a decadent past and decaying future; an amalgam of Parisian la belle époque and Huxleyan avant garde....this gives some indication of the heady atmosphere of le salon. Therein, one is confronted with a dazzling variety of diversions. The word eclectic probably best sums up the creative offerings...a range of artistic disciplines entice from balladic song to virtuosic piano; from mesmerising magic to compelling comedy; and from performance art to dazzling dance. Other unexpected features which confront one include the almost zen spectacle of Japanese rope bo***ge (sh***ri), tarot readings (eerily accurate it transpired), psychic readings and the omnipresent array of folk (of variant and sometimes indeterminate genders) attired in all manner of exotic drag, zany dress and even (partial) undress. All the above is hosted within the splendorous and labyrinthine setting of the renowned and venerable L'escargot with its wealth of charm & character and compared by the inimitable, witty & lovable Thierry Alexandre. An unparalleled and unique event which shines starlike amidst the dullness and drabness of general London life. A temporary crack in the matrix to a place of more enchanting possibilities. A fleeting vision of how, freed from the shackles of convention, the soul can soar to more resplendent realms. The only downside ? Having to exit and re-enter the grey, workaday world again...
(Paz Banks, Property Developer)


The salon creme anglaise is an ephemeral home where fools and sirens make love. It is a utopic cabaret where heart followers meet to play with Madness and Poetry. (Celeste Combes, Dance Practitioner)


I enjoyed taking part in the event! Looking forward to completing the ceramic works I made that night! (Enzo Marra, Ceramicist)


I loved every single moment . The atmosphere, the costumes, the environment, the performance, the music. It was overall a bit magic and out of the box. I look forward to the next one! (Andy Caruso, Musician)


Salon Creme Anglaise carries in its genes a whimsical fair share of Stamina, Vitality and Panache making , those who have a taste of it, dramatically, impossibly hooked on it, long live Salon Creme Anglaise! (Luiz Lulu Moreira, Host/ess, Charity Worker)


All in all a very enjoyable experience indeed! (Andy Mc Gowan, Tarot Reader)

A fabulous night of avant garde glamour, stunning music. Great dance/ movement and magical costumes and all in the heart of Soho i could have been in Berlin with Sally Bowles and Christopher Isherwood but this was 21st century art nouveau. (Andrew Boxer, London Tour Guide)


I’m beaming from ear to ear, drenched in technicolour artistry and soul elevating memories by the hundreds. Thank you thank you thank you. (Keirion Carroll, Helios Charity)

I feel so grateful to have made it to this wonderful night of love, art and kindness. I did not realise it would be the last event I would go to before lockdown but I couldn’t have wanted for a more perfect evening with old and new friends. Such beauty and passion. Such joy! Now that the pace of everyday life has slowed, I am using this elongated time to reconnect with friends and myself and planning pieces to create in a calm and considered way. Then when we are through this difficult time we will come together again stronger and more alive than ever. And on that note I cannot wait for the next of Thierry Alexandre ‘s beautiful happenings. Stay safe and be excellent to each other! (Philly Piggott, Stylist)

Incredibly refreshing evening with Creme Anglaise!! Such a beautiful venue at L Escargot. Amazing people and styles, surprising little performances everywhere in the colour rooms! (Estelle Riviere, God’s Own Junk Yard)

A fantastic evening of fun and frolics with fantastic folk in a superb location. Great music, thoughtful performance with fellow creative minded people. Ten out of ten! (Adrian Dunn, Illustrator)

We had a salon evening together. Performers, artists, musicians, visionaries and audience alike...beautiful! (Timothy Taylor, Physical Educator)

Magical surreal fantasy evening full of wonder, different happenings in different rooms, music, poetry, performances, tarot readings, creatures of the night, and anything you might wish for! (Sonia Tibacov, Designer Maker)

I LOVED being there- so magical, shamanic! As in shamanism in the space not shamanism being mimicked for art. Such a front line too, -This work of artistry as a front line of rebellion on behalf of self love, of pushing boundaries, of beauty in all its forms, of togetherness. Fantastic, Magical and Transformative. Thank you Thank you! What an amazing team. (Gail Bradbrook, XR co-founder)


Had a wonderful night. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and we met some amazing people. Thierry and Estelle (and many others) looked fabulous and there were some fantastic performances; notably Holly Penfield and Celeste. I also had the privilege of meeting Holly and being given a copy of her great CD 'Tree Woman' (I'm Diggin' It Holly!). Looking forward to the next one! (Wesley Clark, WNBF Pro Natural Mr Universe)

Wonderful people, gloriously creative, excellent band and a fabulous setting. My first time and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. (Amanda Raynor, Acupuncturist)

What an incredible, fabulous night! House full of extremely creative souls and performers. I’ve been given an amazing chance to photograph at the event and I must say I feel honoured and privileged. Thank you to everyone who made it happen! As stated on the event intro .... everyone KILLED IT WITH KINDNESS. Absolutely Fabulous!!! (Violet Butler, Photographer)

Your wonderful night was quite literally a moment of bopping my head above the metaphorical parapet. A glorious example of how things as well as our spirits and selves need to be circulating in this wondrous time of being alive on this planet. The palm reading I had with Keirion was just astoundingly spot on and read with such gentleness and quiet perception. Very impressed by everyone and everything and gave me a really amazing lift to see such a creative community of kindred souls. Thank you for inviting me along, it is just what I needed. (Angel Daden, Exploding Cinema)