Atmosphere, atmosphere (The Hotel du Nord)

Member Name: debod

Product:	The Hotel du Nord
Date:	17/01/01 (77 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A fun English-speaking night out, cabaret ambiance, French cultural experience

Disadvantages: Shows are not on every week

Europe's top comedy venue has to be the Hotel du Nord. A bar/restaurant most of the week, on certain Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays it turns into an intimate, cabaret-style, talent-house... for anglophones!

In the last couple of years Graham Norton, Rob Newman, Ed Byrne, Johnny Vegas, Tommy Tiernon, Ross Noble, Phil Kay, IanCognito, Rich Hall (to name but a few) have graced the tiny stage in front of the black velvet curtain, seized the microphone and given the performances of their lives... often lasting over two hours and involving much improvisation and larking around with the audience. This is not a "Comedy Club" where several performers make up the show. Here, it's you and one comedian going on a comedy marathon. This is where comedians will often try out their new material for the Edinburgh Festival... they take risks... they
.............................................. ..
lose themselves in mid-flow and go off on tangents. Seeing these shows is a real one-off experience.

The audience tends to be a wonderful mixture of English and Americans living in Paris and tourists of all nationalities. There are regulars who come to every show, and make for a friendly, family atmosphere, while a healthy injection of newcomers each time keeps the place lively and fresh. Dark wood tables are set out in the back room, with its red carpet and mirrors, and glitter pillar, which sends shimmering light off in all directions to match the comedians' inventiveness.

If you think it's silly to go to an anglophone event while in Paris, be reassured that the Hotel du Nord holds a mythical, iconic place in French, cultural history. Marcel Carne's famous film of the same name is based on a book that is set there. To prove the affection which the place inspires in French hearts, I can tell you that when it was threatened with demolition a few years ago, Parisians campaigned to save it. The title of this Opinion is a legenda
ry quotation from the film. A young hussie and a middle-class dreamer are standing on one of the bridges over the foggy, adjacent canal. The man remarks on the atmosphere. The hussie replies: "Atmosphere, atmosphere... does my gob look like it's interested in atmosphere?" (Excuse the translation). ALL French people know this line, and will recite it if you mention the Hotel du Nord to them.

So, you can legitimately spend an evening laughing at great British and American comedy, while soaking up the "..." of an authentic piece of French history. It might be a nice idea to spend the day wandering around the Canal on a Sunday, when it becomes pedestrian and bohemian, with people cycling or roller-blading along the banks. You can take a barge trip which lasts a couple of hours and provides a fascinating look at the engineering of turning bridges and locks. I'd suggest La Marine on the Quai de Valmy for a sea-food dinner, or for smaller budgets the cheap and cheerful Bourgogne in rue des Vinaigriers (about 60F for three courses). Then at around 8.30 pm stroll over to the Hotel du Nord, relax and let someone make you laugh.

Practical info:
Tickets cost between 100F-120F (ten to twelve pounds). This is a reasonable price for a good night out in Paris. Drinks are slightly pricy: from 20F for a small beer or a soft drink, to 50F for a bottle of wine, or spirits, and 100F for a large pitcher of beer. Sandwiches are sometimes available. Check on shows in "Pariscope" (3F), as they are not on every week, and sometimes the comedy is replaced by acoustic jazz/blues music... which is a fun night out too.

Summary: