How often do you get invited to sing along to a classic movie whilst being served cocktails and canapes? Even in my line of work, the answer is never.

The film was Grease, which, as a woman of a certain age, I first saw as a child. Seeing Grease now as a parent myself, I wonder how age appropriate it was. Mr P and I tried sharing it with our (eight and ten year old) children recently, but after a few uncomfortably teenage references, Mr P and I decided to call it a day long before John and Olivia sashayed off in their matching leathers.

With no minors to worry about, I grabbed two school mum friends – the Pink Ladies — and hot footed it up to Leicester Square to immerse ourselves in the 1970’s version of the 1950’s.

The screening was in a speakeasy-style room hidden away at the back of the cavernous Piano Works basement. Inside is a small bar, red velvet-lined walls and tables and chairs and a piano on which a singer was pounding out requests from the audience. Every so often one of the waiters would take the microphone. 

The canapes were plentiful but lacked a little on the vegetarian front. For once, this isn’t about the food, although, there is a menu of bar snacks or more substantial eats for divas looking to dine.

The pre-movie warm up, led by the Sing Easy team, got us in the mood, then it was straight into the movie.

JT was beyond camp and Olivia N-J, a vision in lemon netting. We sang our hearts out to the lyrics displayed on the screen and smirked at the nudge, nudge humour. Despite the hours I spent learning the lyrics from the album cover, I was still surprised to see just how many wrong words I’ve been singing for decades. Lucky really as some of the lyrics were far more fruity than my version. 

Both Pink Ladies and I had a knockout night and will definitely return. It’s not the movies every night — each night has a different theme — from show tunes to chart toppers, it’s all there.

Sing Easy is at Piano Works West End, 47 Whitcomb Street (off Wardour Street), London
WC2H 7DH