The Slipper Room, Variety theatre in Lower East Side, Manhattan, US

The Slipper Room is a two-level variety theatre and house of burlesque, comedy and neo-vaudeville on the Lower East Side. Its interior, described by The Village Voice as a reinterpretation of mid-19th-century European opera houses, has fleur-de-lis wallpaper, purple banquettes and a stage that rises the full two storeys, giving balcony visitors a view from above.

The Slipper Room opened in 1999, founded by James and Camille Habacker as the first venue built to showcase New York's emerging neo-burlesque scene. In 2001 and 2002, city agents fined and padlocked it under Prohibition-era cabaret laws, once for a male go-go dancer and once for patrons dancing. The owners helped form the Legalize Dancing NYC coalition, prompting reform of those laws.

The regular variety shows feature performers, dancers, drag queens, sideshow acts, and comedians creating inventive routines with complete artistic freedom. This format reflects how the audience engages with experimental entertainment in an intimate setting.

The stage vaults the full two storeys, so balcony seats give a bird's-eye view of the action while the stage-level floor puts you within reach of performers who have been known to lick, tickle and mock the front rows. The room is a two-level theatre and bar, so pick your level before booking.

After evening shows, the theater transforms into a dance floor where guests can interact with performers and other audience members. This continuation of entertainment creates a casual space for socializing and dancing.