Cabarets of Death

Cabarets of Death, published by Strange Attractor Press, documents three legendary Montmartre cabaret restaurants operating between 1892 and 1954 that staged elaborate theatrical death spectacles themed around Hell, Heaven, and Nothingness. Written by late cultural historian Mel Gordon and co-curated by artist Joanna Ebenstein, the 180-page heavily illustrated volume features 112 pages of musical scores alongside original postcards, menus, drawings, and ephemera from contemporary journals and tourist materials. Gordon explores the dinner shows, bizarre character performances, and transgressive visual displays—including nudity and optical illusions—that made these establishments the most controversial attractions in Paris. The work traces a largely forgotten form of underground popular spectacle and morbid entertainment culture, granting access to avant-garde theatrical traditions and decadent subcultural history within fin-de-siècle and interwar European bohemia.

Published by Strange Attractor Press — AI-generated summary. Visit the publisher to learn more.