Slip behind the velvet curtains at Crown Melbourne and you’ll find yourself somewhere between Paris and a dream. Piper’s Playhouse, the city’s newest after-dark playground, has arrived and it brings with it a heady mix of jazz, burlesque, and decadence where the Piper-Heidsieck champagne never stops flowing.
Created by Crown Melbourne’s entertainment team and the acclaimed producers at Velvick Inc, this riverside cabaret unfolds like a night out in Montmartre rewritten for modern Melbourne. From 22 January to 28 March, Thursday through Saturday, guests are invited into a world of glamour and mischief under the glow of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne.
Inside, the air hums with music from the Jake Amy Trio, their fusion of jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and soul spilling across the room. Mirrors reflect sequins and secrets. One door reveals a discreet peep show; another hides a sleight-of-hand illusion so intimate it feels almost conspiratorial. By the end of the night, you’re no longer sure where the show ends — and real life begins.
Drag royalty Jimi the Kween presides over the revelry with magnetic charm, joined by Diesel Darling, the high-octane “Danger Barbie” of Australian burlesque with their aerial splits, high kicks, sparks, and champagne-glass spectacle. Around them, an ensemble of aerialists, magicians, and sirens, including Magician Mr Marmalade, Becky Bubble’s soap-film show, and singer-burlesque star Clara Fable [we saw her in Limbo: The Return – read the review here] transform the stage into a kaleidoscope of daring, desire, and delight.
As the show wraps up, the evening slips effortlessly into the Piano Bar and Salon: a free-entry lounge with Parisian soul and a touch of late-night mischief, inviting guests to linger over melodies and champagne.
As producer Tom Velvick puts it, “Piper’s Playhouse brings cabaret back to its roots – daring, intimate and irresistibly alive. This is a show built on spectacle and soul, where extraordinary artists take risks and the audience is invited to lean in, let go, and celebrate the night.” For Piper-Heidsieck CEO Stéphane Decaux, “cabaret has always embodied audacious creativity and joy”, both of which flow freely here, alongside the champagne. So say tchin tchin at Piper’s Playhouse in Melbourne over the next 2 months.
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KEY INFO FOR PIPER’S PLAYHOUSE
WHAT: Piper’s Playhouse, a Parisian-inspired cabaret club offering a limited-season, immersive nightlife experience
WHERE: Crown Melbourne
WHEN: Thursday to Saturdays 22 January – 28 March 2026. Ticketed show Thursday and Friday at 7:30pm, Saturdays 5:30pm or 8:30pm.
Piano Bar and Salon from 9pm to 1am Thursday and Friday, and 10pm to 1am Saturday.
HOW: Tickets to the show component of the evening can be purchased via the website. Otherwise entry is open to all over 18 from 9pm Thursday and Friday and from 10pm on Saturday.
HOW MUCH:
Thursdays & Sundays: VIP $125 | Cabaret $100 | High Table $65 | Standing $45
Fridays & Saturdays: VIP $135 | Cabaret $110 | High Table $75 | Standing $55
NOTE: The VIP Piper-Heidsieck champagne experience which include a complimentary glass of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne:
