The Box club Soho is hands-down one of the most exclusive, expensive, and controversial nightclubs in London. It opened in February 2011 and is connected to The Box in New York City, which opened back in 2007. You’ll find it tucked away in Soho at 11-12 Walker’s Court, behind a plain wooden door that gives no hint of what’s inside.
This isn’t your typical nightclub where you just dance and drink. The Box is what they call a “theatre of varieties” – basically a mix of cabaret, circus, burlesque, and nightclub all rolled into one.
But here’s the thing: the shows are extremely adult, often featuring full nudity, simulated (and sometimes real) sex acts, and performances involving blood, bodily fluids, and other shocking elements.
website: The box club soho, london
What It Looks Like Inside ?
The Box takes up about 7,000 square feet across three floors. The ground floor has a reception area where you enter. The main floor has the stage and auditorium where the performances happen. And the upper floors have bars and private VIP areas.
The capacity is deliberately small – only 280 people maximum. This keeps it feeling intimate and exclusive, and honestly, it’s part of what makes it so hard to get in.
The design is all about creating a dark, sexy, theatrical atmosphere. Imagine deep red velvet everywhere – on the walls, the chairs, the booths. There are hazy old mirrors, dark wooden balconies overlooking the stage, and really eccentric wallpaper featuring fornicating cherubs and other naughty imagery. The whole place is lit with dim candlelight, so it feels mysterious and seductive.
The main floor is set up like a traditional theater or cabaret, not a typical nightclub. There’s a stage as the focal point, with tables and booth seating arranged in tiers around it so everyone has a good view. The layout can hold 220 people standing or 120 for seated dining. The idea is that you’re there to watch the performances – the stage is the star, not the dance floor.
Read : London In January
What Actually Happens
Okay, this is what everyone really wants to know about. What are these shows actually like?
The headliner for The Box is a performer named Rose Wood, who’s a transgender artist. She’s created over 70 different performance pieces that involve blood, manufactured excrement, toilets, and lots of nudity and use of bodily orifices. I know that sounds shocking, but Rose Wood sees her work as serious art. Her performances explore themes like identity, gender, vulnerability, mortality, and challenging society’s taboos about bodies and sexuality.
Another famous recurring act is a performer known as “Laqueefa” who plays popular songs using only her genitalia. Yes, you read that right – she creates music with her private parts. It’s one of those things that’s technically impressive in a weird way, but also completely outrageous.
The performances happen on the hour from about 1 AM until 4 AM. So you might arrive at 11 PM, socialize and drink for a couple hours, then catch the first show at 1 AM. Between shows, DJs play house music, R&B, hip-hop, and chart hits, and the place functions more like a regular nightclub with people drinking and mingling.
There’s usually a charismatic MC who introduces acts and keeps the energy up between performances. The production values are reportedly very high – professional lighting, sound, stage design, and technically skilled performers.
Who Goes There?
The Box attracts an incredibly high-profile crowd. We’re talking royalty and A-list celebrities.
Prince Harry has been there multiple times, along with his cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Supermodel Kate Moss is apparently a regular. Other celebrity sightings include Keira Knightley, Kirsten Dunst, Emma Watson, Lady Gaga (who went straight from performing at the Royal Albert Hall), Rihanna, Cara Delevingne, Harry Styles, Rita Ora, Zac Efron, Jude Law, Mark Ronson, Brooklyn Beckham, and loads of others.
Taylor Swift even celebrated her 34th birthday at The Box’s New York location in December 2023, which got a lot of press attention.
Beyond celebrities, the typical crowd consists of:
- Young wealthy people (20s to 40s mostly)
- Trust fund kids and “nepo babies”
- Investment bankers and finance people
- Influencers and social media personalities
- Fashion industry insiders
- People in entertainment and media
- Anyone with extremely deep pockets
How to Get In
Getting into The Box is famously difficult. Unlike most clubs that have guest lists or allow walk-ins if you look right, The Box doesn’t really work that way.
There’s no regular guest list. People literally queue around the block hoping to get in, but walk-ins almost never succeed unless you’re incredibly famous or the door staff happen to like your look. The door policy is completely discretionary – they let in who they want, when they want.
The best way to get in is to book a table in advance. But even that’s not straightforward. You typically need to know someone who’s been there before, or have connections in the entertainment or hospitality industry. Some people book through high-end concierge services that specialize in getting clients into exclusive venues.
The club is open Wednesday through Saturday, starting at 11 PM. Here’s the catch though: they don’t let anyone in after 11:30 PM. That means if you book a table for 11 PM and show up at 11:45 PM, you’re not getting in, even if you’ve already paid thousands of pounds. The timing is strict, no exceptions.
The dress code is equally strict:
- Women: Chic, sexy outfits with heels. Think cocktail dresses, leather skater dresses, sexy tops with designer jeans or leggings, bold jewelry. Designer labels help.
- Men: Smart casual with elegant shoes. Nice shirts (not t-shirts), dark jeans or dress pants, leather or denim jackets, polished leather shoes, jewelry and accessories.
But it’s not just about following the dress code. The door staff assess your overall presentation – do you look wealthy? Do you look like you “belong” at the most exclusive club in London? Are you wearing designer clothes? Do you have the confidence and demeanor of someone who regularly goes to places like this?
The gatekeeping is intentional. This club wants to maintain an atmosphere of extreme exclusivity, and that means keeping out anyone who doesn’t fit their image. It’s elitist by design.
Prepare Your Wallet
The minimum spend for a table ranges from £1,000 to £2,000 on weeknights (Wednesday and Thursday), and up to £3,000 on weekends (Friday and Saturday). And remember, that’s the MINIMUM – that’s what you have to spend just to have a table. This isn’t per person; it’s per table total. But still, even if you’ve got a group, that’s a massive amount of money.
For premium tables with better views of the stage, or for VIP services, you’re looking at several thousand pounds more. Some VIP packages reportedly go into the five-figure range.
In the club’s early days, there were reports of an entry fee just to walk in the door – £150 for men and £50 for women – on top of drink purchases. This practice seems to have been discontinued in favor of the table-booking system, but it shows how expensive the place has always been.
What does that money get you? With a table booking, you get:
- Reserved seating with a view of the stage
- Dedicated waitstaff serving your table all night
- Access to an extensive bottle menu (champagnes, premium spirits, wines)
- Ability to order from the food menu (bistro-style dishes)
- The experience of being in one of the world’s most exclusive clubs
- Watching the performances throughout the night
The drinks themselves are predictably expensive. A bottle of champagne might cost £500-£1,000 or more. Premium bottles can go much higher. Even beer and cocktails are pricey by London standards.
The astronomical prices serve multiple purposes. Obviously, they’re profitable for the business. But they also act as a filter – only people who can comfortably afford to drop thousands on a night out will go, which maintains the exclusive, wealthy atmosphere. It’s economic gatekeeping.
The No-Camera Policy
This is one of The Box’s most famous rules: absolutely no photography or videography allowed.
Staff members watch carefully throughout the night, and if they catch you trying to take a photo or video, you’ll be ejected immediately. No warnings, no second chances. Some reports say they’ll even check your phone to make sure you haven’t taken any photos.
Why such a strict policy?
Privacy: Many guests are celebrities, royalty, politicians, or other high-profile people who want to let loose without ending up on social media or in tabloid newspapers. The no-camera rule gives them freedom to enjoy themselves without worrying about being photographed.
Mystique: Since no one can document what happens inside, The Box maintains an air of mystery. People talk about their experiences, rumors spread, stories get exaggerated, and the legend grows. If everyone could just post videos on Instagram, it would kill the mystique.
Performer protection: Many of the acts are extremely explicit. If photos or videos circulated online, they could be taken out of context, used to shame or harass performers, or exploited commercially without the performers’ consent.
Exclusivity: The inability to prove you were there with photos actually makes the experience more valuable in a weird way. It becomes this ephemeral thing that exists only in memory and conversation.
Controversies and Criticisms
The Box has been controversial since day one, and not just because of the shocking performances.
Sexual Harassment Allegations
This is probably the most serious issue. Simon Hammerstein has faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment over the years. In 2008, two performers who worked as the duo “Twincest” filed complaints alleging that Hammerstein pressured them into sexual acts and created an uncomfortable work environment.
More recently, lawsuits filed in 2023 and 2024 included allegations from multiple staff members describing a toxic workplace culture where sexual harassment from management was tolerated or encouraged. These lawsuits have been settled out of court, but they’ve definitely damaged the club’s reputation and raised serious questions about what goes on behind the scenes.
Is It Art or Exploitation?
There’s ongoing debate about whether The Box represents legitimate avant-garde art or just expensive exploitation disguised as performance.
Supporters argue that the performances challenge societal taboos, explore important themes around sexuality and identity, showcase incredible technical skill, and push boundaries in meaningful ways. They see it as continuing the tradition of transgressive art and cabaret.
Critics argue that much of the content relies on shock value without substance – being gross or explicit just for the sake of getting a reaction, not because it has any deeper meaning. They question whether acts involving fake excrement and genitalia-based music are really “art” or just provocative gimmicks. They worry that some performers might be exploited or pressured into degrading acts.
The truth probably depends on which specific performances you’re talking about. Some acts likely are thoughtful, skilled artistic expressions. Others might be more about shock than substance. But determining where the line is becomes subjective.
Extreme Exclusivity and Wealth Inequality
Many critics view The Box Soho club as a symbol of everything wrong with modern nightlife and society in general. It’s a playground exclusively for the ultra-wealthy, where the minimum spend for a single night could cover months of rent for average Londoners.
The extreme exclusivity – the door policies, the prices, the connections required – means that The Box is essentially inaccessible to 99% of the population. Some see this as obscene excess and a perfect example of growing wealth inequality.
There’s something uncomfortable about a venue where celebrities and trust fund kids pay thousands to watch explicit performances while most Londoners can’t even afford a ticket. Critics argue it exemplifies how cultural experiences in major cities are increasingly reserved only for the rich.
The “Disneyfication” of Transgression
Some cultural critics argue that this club represents a commodification of transgression – taking what should be genuinely countercultural and radical and packaging it as an expensive consumer experience for the wealthy. Historically, transgressive art happened in underground spaces, punk venues, or bohemian circles. The Box takes that energy but sanitizes it with luxury, high prices, and exclusivity.
In this view, The Box isn’t really subversive or boundary-pushing because it’s so thoroughly incorporated into the establishment. When royals and investment bankers are watching your “shocking” performance art, is it really transgressive anymore? Or has it just become another luxury product for the rich to consume?
Current Status and Future of The Box club Soho
As of late 2025, The Box Soho continues to operate and remains as exclusive and controversial as ever. The fact that it’s lasted nearly 15 years in London (since 2011) is actually remarkable given that most nightclubs have short lifespans. The original New York location has been around even longer, since 2007.
The Box brand has talked about expanding to other cities over the years. There have been plans announced for locations in various global cities, though many of these have faced obstacles – from real estate issues to licensing problems to local opposition.
The venue continues to attract celebrities and high-profile guests. It still hosts industry events, private parties, and its regular cabaret nights. The format hasn’t changed dramatically – it’s still expensive, exclusive, and shocking.
However, the workplace culture issues and harassment allegations have definitely impacted its reputation. Some industry insiders are less enthusiastic about being associated with the venue. Some performers and staff have spoken out about their negative experiences.
It remains to be seen whether The Box can maintain its position long-term or whether changing cultural attitudes around workplace conduct, consent, and the commodification of transgression will eventually catch up with it.
Should You Try to Go?
This really depends on who you are and what you value.
You might enjoy The Box if you:
- Have several thousand pounds to spend on a night out
- Are genuinely interested in avant-garde performance art and cabaret
- Aren’t easily shocked or offended
- Want to experience something truly unique and boundary-pushing
- Have connections that can get you a table booking
- Enjoy exclusive, members-club-style atmospheres
You probably won’t enjoy it if you:
- Are on any kind of budget
- Prefer traditional nightclub experiences (dancing, socializing)
- Are easily offended by explicit content
- Object to extreme wealth inequality and exclusivity
- Don’t have the connections or means to get in
Read : London in January