The famous cabaret Chez Michou fears it will not reopen in September

The famous cabaret Chez Michou fears it will not reopen in September
The famous cabaret Chez Michou fears it will not reopen in September

The transformist cabaret of Montmartre is experiencing financial difficulties. The commercial court must rule in mid-July on whether or not to continue its activity.

In difficulty, the famous Parisian drag cabaret Chez Michou, a hotspot in Montmartre, may not reopen in September, after 68 years of activity and a possible last evening this Sunday, its manager told AFP on Saturday. The commercial court is due to rule on July 16 on whether or not to continue the activity.

“I don’t know if the cabaret will reopen in September,” said Catherine Catty-Jacquart, the niece of Michou, the founder of the place who died in early 2020.

The cabaret, which generally only closed in August, brought forward its summer closure this year to July 1, after a final dinner show.

23 employees

“The cabaret is in difficulty. We live from day to day. Reservations are not being filled for July despite the announcement of the Olympic Games,” lamented Ms. Catty-Jacquart, citing the consequences of the Covid pandemic on the business, “strikes, demonstrations, parking problems, especially for coaches.”

“The Michou cabaret is a big family. We stick together as much as we can but we feel a lot of bitterness. We receive a lot of love from our customers but the situation is serious. I’m fighting for my ‘Michettes ‘. The cabaret created by my uncle is at the origin of the transformists”, she underlined.

Chez Michou employs 23 people, including artists and the staff of the dining room, kitchens and reception. A mecca of drag and the smallest cabaret in Paris, its extravagant transvestites imitate Sylvie Vartan, Johnny Hallyday and Dalida.

Drag queen shows and transvestite shows have seen a resurgence of interest in recent years, driven by establishments that have been able to target a younger, trendy audience, such as Madame Arthur, also located in Montmartre, but this momentum has not benefited Chez Michou.

-

-

NEXT The Plage Sud shopping center rises from its ashes