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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/

Proudly Sponsored by Crystal Parade - https://crystalparade.co.uk/

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🎙️ 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

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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/

Our Second sponsor is the fabulous Lindsay McGlone your go to I.G expert

https://lindsaymcglone.co.uk/

Support the show

🎙️ 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

Send us Fan Mail

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/

Our Second sponsor is the fabulous Lindsay McGlone your go to I.G expert

https://lindsaymcglone.co.uk/

Support the show

🎙️ 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