Goodbody gathered guests for dinner and investing insights at a special evening to celebrate the festive season …
An invitation to “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” the lavish stage production about a nightclub in turn-of-the-century Paris, with dinner at The Terrace at the Circle Club at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, was the hottest ticket in town this week. When word got out that Goodbody and THE GLOSS were hosting, it was yes to the best seats in the house and a special choreographed dining experience in the opulent deco-style elegance of The Terrace. Who doesn’t love champagne, delicious food with a side of entertainment? A match made in heaven.
It was also an opportunity to hear the latest updates from Goodbody’s all-female wealth advisory team, on this occasion from the leading lights of the investing world: Michelle O’Keefe, Head of Wealth Advisory and Catriona Coady, Head of Tax (pictured left and centre). After champagne, in a succinct and inspiring “In Conversation With …” orchestrated by MC broadcaster Ciara Doherty (right), Michelle and Catriona described this time of year as one when many women get a chance to think about their financial plans for the next year and beyond. Michelle alluded to the passion in Moulin Rouge: “It might seem like passion doesn’t belong in wealth planning, but you would be wrong! We need to be passionate about planning our lives, and planning for life events.”
Referring to Goodbody’s recent survey which showed that while 78 per cent of women take control of their and their families’ day-to-day financial management, this figure drops to 15 per cent when it comes to investing. “So we know this is not about capability, it’s about confidence.” To build confidence, Michelle said: “Educate yourselves, read about the financial markets, get comfortable with the lingo, start small and your confidence will grow.”
Catriona advocated for more communication: “Tax and inheritance is not an easy subject to talk about, but if we talked about it more there would be less uncertainty in families.” She talked about cashflow modelling as something that is extremely important for women who might be facing a change in their circumstances or retirement. “It’s about securing your position first before you think about what you leave behind for your beneficiaries.”
With those nuggets to discuss before the 7.30pm curtain-up, two courses were served before the brilliantly effervescent show began, directed by Alex Timbers. Out come the corset-clad boys and girls of the night (in all colours, shapes and sizes) and the fashionable members of the Parisian demimonde in Catherine Zuber’s fabulous costumes. Stunning sets by designer Derek McLane took us from Montmartre to the Champs Elysées, from the slums of Paris to the fashionable districts while main cast members Satine (Verity Thompson), Christian (Nate Landskroner), Zidler (Cameron Blakely), Toulouse Lautrec (Kurt Kansley), The Duke (James Bryers) and Santiago (Rodrigo Negrini) dazzled, transporting guests to another world.
During the interval, guests returned to The Terrace for dessert. Exuding glamour from a bygone age, the space felt as beautiful and exotic as that seen on stage. Act two was a super-charged, intoxicating mix of cabaret and music-hall dance scenes to a backdrop of seamlessly blended tracks from artists Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Madonna, Katy Perry, The Police and many others, culminating in Moulin Rouge’s most emblematic dance, the French cancan. As the ensemble belted out, “Hey sista, go sista, soul sista, flow sista,” attendees could not resist joining in and there was much laughter as they got to their feet to sing along. Post-performance, there was more champagne in The Terrace, a lovely start to the seasonal festivities.
Click into the gallery to see some of the guests in attendance.
Photographer: Conor Healy, @pictureitpix
Set the stage for the new year: Circle Club and The Terrace are a private members’ club, part of Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, offering exclusive, premium experiences for members with tiered annual memberships that provide best seats, pre-show dining and access to The Terrace.
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