FANE Passes on the Programming Baton of London's Crazy Coqs

Fane, the independent programmer of Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zédel in Piccadilly, has announced that after six very happy years programming the venue, they will be passing on the programming baton at the end of 2022.

The Wolseley Hospitality Group (as Corbin & King are now known) hope to announce the new programmer by the end of September.

In a joint statement, James Albrecht & Clemmie Haynes & Alex Fane said:"Programming Crazy Coqs has been a huge privilege - one of the best and most unique opportunities on the London cultural scene. The quality and location of the venue are peerless and the thrill of shaping the programme and working with literally thousands of extraordinary artists has taken our breath away. We wish The Wolseley Hospitality Group and the new Crazy Coqs programming team all success for the next chapter of this unique venue.

"We have had the great fortune to work with artists and promoters from far and wide, hosting memorable débuts, shows exclusively devised for Crazy Coqs, international talent from Europe and the US (with Crazy Coqs becoming the 'home across the pond' for many Broadway stars), as well as iconic residency shows, longer runs and annual festivals that have all helped cement Crazy Coqs' celebrated reputation. For Crazy Coqs, Brasserie Zédel and Fane, much has changed in the last six years, especially since the pandemic, and the timing for a new partnership feels right for all parties."

Fane's Crazy Coqs journey began at the very beginning, when the venue opened in 2012 and Alex Fane, now MD of Fane, was the floor manager. Alex's time at the venue under the mentorship of Jeremy King played a significant role in his creative and entrepreneurial journey, and the eventual launch of Fane Productions. Since taking over the programming of Crazy Coqs in September 2016, Fane have programmed 2 shows a day, 7 days a week equating to more than 700 shows a year, or over 3500 shows taking into account lockdown.

Seeking out the best of emerging and established talent in the UK and the US, the vision has been to present an unrivalled programme of live entertainment. Since 2016, audiences have steadily grown and by, 2019, pre-pandemic, Crazy Coqs played to an average of 78% with some of the busier months nudging 95%. The pandemic was a terrible shock for the venue and artists, but Fane and the Zédel team were very proud to be open every day it was legal, with 2 shows a night socially distanced at 50% capacity, most of which sold out and at a time when the majority of venues across the nation remained closed. The indispensability of intimate venues like Crazy Coqs and the value of live performance never felt so immediate.

The current Fane team will remain in place until the end of 2022.

For 2023 programming enquiries, artists and promoters are asked to wait until the announcement of the new programming team, expected by the end of September 2022.

Among the many Crazy Coqs highlights curated by FANE are:

Residency shows with Miss Hope Springs, The Jay Rayner Quartet, Marcel Lucont's Cabaret Fantastique, Harold Sanditen's Open Mic Party, Bounder and Cad, Miss Betsy Rose's The Beguiling Hour and Mark Petty's Crazy Coqs Presents.

The only weekly residency, The Black Cat Cabaret, has sold more tickets than any other show and recently completed a two-week run of 'Halcyon Nights', created specifically for the venue.

From the US, Liz Callaway, Lorna Luft, Lillias White, Billy Stritch, Melisa Errico, Linda Lavin, Donna McKechnie, Scott Alan, Jason Kravits, Christina Bianco, Judy Carmichael, Benjamin Scheuer.

From the UK, Maria Friedman, Julian Clary, Rob Brydon, Giles Terera, Rachel Tucker, Joe Stilgoe, Gary Williams, Clive Rowe, Clare Teal & Jason Rebello, Bonnie Langford, WordTheatre, La Voix, Joanna Lumley, Dawn French, Hadley Fraser, Liane Carroll, Ria Jones, Sarah Louise Young, Anne Reid, Lorna Dallas, Marisha Wallace, David Bedella and four artists we have sadly lost in the past few years... Fenella Fielding, Lynn Ruth Miller, Tina May and Paul Ryan.

Originally produced by Fane at Crazy Coqs, Alexander Bermange's 'I Wish My Life were Like a Musical' has gone onto 2 sell-out runs in Edinburgh.

The RPO and Philharmonic Orchestra have both performed concerts in Brasserie Zédel with 20+ piece orchestras.