Behind Burlesque with Isabella Bliss

What If One Brave Class Changes Everything ? Rose Thorne's Story

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/fan_mail/new] It starts with a back injury and a collapse in confidence, then turns into a life built around stagecraft, community, and service. We sit down with Rose Thorne, UK cabaret producer, performer, and founder of Cabaret vs Cancer, to talk about what burlesque looks like when you stop treating it like a costume and start treating it like a practice. We go back to the East London roots of Rose’s journey with Good Time Mama Jojo, the nerves and blur of those early performances, and the moment she realises she has found something more than a hobby. From there, we get practical about producing: the reality of being your own PR, marketing team, bookkeeper, and front of house, plus the one thing that can make or break a show that audiences never see. Rose lays out why backstage etiquette matters, how to treat stage managers and tech with respect, and why dressing rooms have to feel safe if you want a scene that lasts. Then we follow the thread that turns cabaret into real-world impact. Cabaret vs Cancer begins with a charity calendar and grows into a registered charity that has raised and distributed more than £460,000, supporting people affected by cancer through ring-fenced grants and practical help. Along the way we talk body image, social media comparison, switching off technology, and the quiet power of small kindnesses that build a chosen family. If you’re a performer, producer, or fan of burlesque and cabaret, you’ll leave with grounded advice you can use straight away and a reminder that community is something we build on purpose. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review with the moment that stayed with you. To reach out to Cabaret Vs Cancer - https://www.cabaretvscancer.co.uk/ [https://www.cabaretvscancer.co.uk/] Proudly Sponsored by Crystal Parade - https://crystalparade.co.uk/ [https://crystalparade.co.uk/] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/support] 🎙️ Behind Burlesque. The Burlesque Podcast— Hosted by Isabella Bliss Pulling back the curtain on life behind the glamour. ✨ Real stories. Raw courage. The sparkle beneath the spotlight. 🎧 New episodes every month — listen, subscribe, and leave a review. 🌐 Follow us on Instagram @behind_burlesque and @miss_isabella_bliss 📩 For partnerships & guest enquiries: behindburlesque@outlook.com www.isabellabliss.co.uk

From Zimbabwe To Brighton: Drag, Burlesque, Art and Becoming The Madame

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/fan_mail/new] What if fear was a pool you could swim in? We sit down with The Madame—Brighton’s glitter-dipped force of nature—to trace a life built from courage, community, and craft. From a conservative childhood in Zimbabwe to earning icon status on the south coast, she unpacks how drag and burlesque became both art and antidote: a way to rewrite internal scripts, set hard boundaries, and choose joy over ego. Across an hour of candour and wit, we map the evolution of a persona and the human underneath. The Madame talks about leaving a safe residency for the unknown, why auditions are art even when they don’t land, and how to protect an “artistic signature” in a copy‑heavy world. We dive into the overlap between drag and burlesque—parody, pageantry, shared rhinestones—and the practical realities audiences never see: pink tax discoveries in the shaving aisle, heels that change how you move, and the Monday crash after weekend highs. You’ll hear how stripping taught consent in real time, what it takes to keep your voice when the sound is bad, and why hydration and good shoes might be the most underrated stage tech. Grounding sits at the heart of it. We trade tools that actually work: transcendental meditation before tough shows, one‑line‑a‑day journals that reveal life cycles, seaside walks that reset frazzled nerves. We question social media’s highlight reels, reframe jealousy as a compass, and practice self‑validation when the crowd is silent. There’s a gift for nine‑to‑fivers too: build an alter ego for hard rooms, a steady advocate you can switch on without draining your battery. Above all, we return to the same note—art is worth most when you remain yourself. If this conversation gave you courage or clarity, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more creatives can find us. Your support helps bring more brave voices to the mic. This episode is sponsored by our amazing lead sponsor Crystal Parade a one stop place for all your gorgeous crystals and sparkles for costumes and beyond.  https://crystalparade.co.uk/ [https://crystalparade.co.uk/] Our Second sponsor is the fabulous Lindsay McGlone your go to I.G expert  https://lindsaymcglone.co.uk/ [https://lindsaymcglone.co.uk/] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/support] 🎙️ Behind Burlesque. The Burlesque Podcast— Hosted by Isabella Bliss Pulling back the curtain on life behind the glamour. ✨ Real stories. Raw courage. The sparkle beneath the spotlight. 🎧 New episodes every month — listen, subscribe, and leave a review. 🌐 Follow us on Instagram @behind_burlesque and @miss_isabella_bliss 📩 For partnerships & guest enquiries: behindburlesque@outlook.com www.isabellabliss.co.uk

A Happy Accident That Sparked a Movement

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/fan_mail/new] Glitter can be armour, but it can also be a welcome sign. We sit down with award-winning vintage cabaret performer, producer and self-expression coach Dawn Gracie to explore how a life of sequins, show tunes and quick wit became a force for community, inclusion and joyful ageing. Her route was anything but linear: a childhood spent glued to classic musicals, a karaoke machine that led to a band, and a Goodwood Revival win that opened the door to paid care home shows. From there, Dawn built a career hosting, teaching, and producing cabaret that puts connection above perfection. We go deep on the craft of hosting as stewardship—reading the room, setting boundaries, keeping performers safe, and turning mishaps into magic. Dawn shares the moments she’ll never forget, from bra-on-the-light chaos to acts that bend reality with humour and heart. Along the way, we touch the roots of variety and vaudeville, the influence of icons like Madonna, and the way drag and burlesque have always made space for people to show up as themselves. The heart of the conversation is community action. Dawn co-founded Chichester Pride and created Dicky Bows and Petticoats Club, a daytime cabaret for people 65+ designed to tackle isolation with tea, bingo, drag, and burlesque. Tins-for-tickets feed the local food bank; volunteers make it sing. We also face the realities of modern show business: sudden social media bans, rising censorship, and AI deepfakes. Dawn lays out practical strategies—websites, mailing lists, local partners, and kinder backstage practices—that keep artists visible and audiences cared for. Expect candid lessons for performers and producers, a celebration of absurd brilliance alongside classic glamour, and a clear message: art is activism when it builds safety, laughter and belonging. If you care about cabaret, community and keeping stages open to everyone, press play, subscribe, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What story resonated with you most? This episode is sponsored by our amazing lead sponsor Crystal Parade a one stop place for all your gorgeous crystals and sparkles for costumes and beyond.  https://crystalparade.co.uk/ [https://crystalparade.co.uk/] Our Second sponsor is the fabulous Lindsay McGlone your go to I.G expert  https://lindsaymcglone.co.uk/ [https://lindsaymcglone.co.uk/] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/support] 🎙️ Behind Burlesque. The Burlesque Podcast— Hosted by Isabella Bliss Pulling back the curtain on life behind the glamour. ✨ Real stories. Raw courage. The sparkle beneath the spotlight. 🎧 New episodes every month — listen, subscribe, and leave a review. 🌐 Follow us on Instagram @behind_burlesque and @miss_isabella_bliss 📩 For partnerships & guest enquiries: behindburlesque@outlook.com www.isabellabliss.co.uk

A Mime, A Microphone, And The Making Of Authentic Cabaret

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/fan_mail/new] The room decides where the act goes—that’s the electric promise of cabaret. We sit down with performer, writer and director Alexander Lutley to map a journey from actor training and Madrid mime school to global stages, unpacking how a silent clown named Pi and a silver-tongued host named Mercury grew from the same creative core: authentic play with the audience. We dig into what burlesque really is—la burla, satire, and liveness—and why the art doesn’t exist without the crowd. Alexander shares the out‑of‑body rush of letting a character ignore the rehearsal plan because the audience invites a different game. We talk about communication beyond language, touring with English in non‑English rooms, and how gesture, rhythm and eye contact make jokes and meaning travel. You’ll hear how acts are built from story, costume or music, and why pacing, tone and transitions turn a lineup into a true show. Expect candid talk on craft: weeks of research, design, and rehearsal hidden under “effortless” stage moments, plus the resilience required when tech is thin and the martini glass has to appear on cue. Identity runs through the work without becoming a lecture. Alexander reflects on queerness as an inherent presence and on the politics of simply showing up as your real body. We explore why authenticity reads as sexy, how comedy and seduction coexist, and the practical ethics of performing for the audience that’s actually in front of you. For newcomers, there’s clear guidance: know your why, set boundaries, and build toward the experience you want—be it confidence, community, or a career that tours the world. Along the way, we celebrate collaboration, passing the baton between acts, and the simple, radical joy of letting the inner child lead. If you love cabaret, burlesque, clowning, stagecraft or the artistry behind audience connection, this conversation will spark new ideas and maybe a little mischief. Listen, share it with a friend who needs creative courage, and if it resonated, subscribe and leave a review so more curious minds can find us. This episode was sponsored by Crystal Parade - https://crystalparade.co.uk/ [https://crystalparade.co.uk/] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/support] 🎙️ Behind Burlesque. The Burlesque Podcast— Hosted by Isabella Bliss Pulling back the curtain on life behind the glamour. ✨ Real stories. Raw courage. The sparkle beneath the spotlight. 🎧 New episodes every month — listen, subscribe, and leave a review. 🌐 Follow us on Instagram @behind_burlesque and @miss_isabella_bliss 📩 For partnerships & guest enquiries: behindburlesque@outlook.com www.isabellabliss.co.uk

Glitter, Grit, And Goodtime Mama Jojo - 48 Years Of Stagecraft, Sensuality & Self-Belif

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/fan_mail/new] What if a single dare changed your life? British burlesque legend Goodtime Mama Jojo takes us from a pewter-tankard tip jar to standing ovations, showing how a spontaneous first strip became five decades of stagecraft, sensuality, and radical self-belief. We dig into the real mechanics of tease—how stillness, breath, and timing electrify a room—and why burlesque and striptease belong together as sister arts rather than competing labels. Jojo opens the scrapbook on London’s cabaret clubs, private members’ afternoons, and the 2000s resurgence that brought glamour back to the scene. She shares the origin of her London School of Striptease and London Academy of Burlesque, sparked by activist Tuppy Owens, and the teaching philosophy that made her a sought-after mentor: no clones, no cookie cutters, just bespoke coaching that amplifies each performer’s strengths. Along the way, we talk about polishing West End acts, coaching actors and models, and creating space for performers of all genders, sizes, ages, and abilities. This conversation also faces the tough stuff: snobbery between genres, the erosion of sensuality in favour of acrobatics, and ageism that tries to sideline seasoned artists. Jojo counters with lived proof—legend honours, a roaring Hall of Fame crowd, and a now-iconic C-string escapade that turned near-chaos into triumph. Her closing message lands hard and hopeful: life might be one run, so do not live small. Choose what lights you up, own your body, and take the stage—whatever that stage looks like for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a confidence spark, and leave a review with the question you want us to ask the next burlesque icon. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2542902/support] 🎙️ Behind Burlesque. The Burlesque Podcast— Hosted by Isabella Bliss Pulling back the curtain on life behind the glamour. ✨ Real stories. Raw courage. The sparkle beneath the spotlight. 🎧 New episodes every month — listen, subscribe, and leave a review. 🌐 Follow us on Instagram @behind_burlesque and @miss_isabella_bliss 📩 For partnerships & guest enquiries: behindburlesque@outlook.com www.isabellabliss.co.uk