Scene magazine caught up with Sebastian Angelique from Cabaret Bohemia to spill the tea on their exciting new projects and events. From the award-winning creators of Blues and Burlesque, straight off a five star Edinburgh run, this is a variety show with a twist, these trailblazers of neo-cabaret present a night like no other – combining the best of burlesque, comedy and circus with live music in an underground immersive revue. Cabaret Bohemia invites you into a world of enchantment and captivating artistry; it’s the kind of show that can only be experienced live.
Bringing you cult headliners of the international scene, from sultry striptease artistes to fire-breathing harlequins and vaudeville variety stars, all underscored by award-winning live piano directed by Pete Saunders (Dexy’s Midnight Runners)
Let’s start with the basics – what cocktail would Cabaret Bohemia be and would it come with a warning label?
Cuban rum to for the revolutionary fervour
A dash of champagne for some old-school glamour
And a firework. For the absolute chaos.
This show doesn’t come with a warning label – but it will self-destruct in 30 seconds.
How has found family, a cornerstone of queer culture, influenced your collective?
By building the show and marketing it as artists, we all contribute in our own way to a collective endeavour. Our collective was built through our own found families on the performance scene, and we want to create a space where audiences and artists can be that for each other.
You say this is not just cabaret, but revolution. How does moving away from corporate entertainment structures change what audiences experience?
By taking the power away from corporate institutions and venues, we are create the show directly by the hands of the artists. Instead of the show being another Moulin Rouge or Great Gatsby experience. We aim to push the boundaries, to encourage play and experimentation and to give our artists the resources and space to explore the limits of their art. For the audience this means a show, a structure and an experience totally unique to this venue, this night and this audience. We want you to be part of the show’s creation, to create a moment with you, not just to spoon feed you electro-swing covers and Amazon feather boas.
What three queer historical figures would you choose to perform and what would their acts be?
Grace Jones on fire pole.
Gertrude Stein plays air guitar.
Oscar Wilde does aerial hoop.
Marsha P Johnson on vibes.
How does putting power back in performers hands translate to the business side of running shows?
We are working directly with venues who trust and encourage artists to do what they do best – create art! There’s no single producer behind, or person in charge, Cabaret Bohemia and decisions are made jointly around a campfire at 2am whilst eating smores on a riverbank in downtown Berlin.
What does radical performance mean to Cabaret Bohemia in 2025?
Radical is more than an aesthetic, its art which is inherently political both in its production and in its performance. In Cabaret Bohemia artists are respected as experts in their own medium- you would never go to a doctor and tell them how to do surgery- these artists have dedicated their lives to their art form, and should be trusted to deploy it, with total and complete control over what they choose to develop and present.
How does your work respond to the pressures of the current political climate affecting LGBTQ+ rights in the UK
Our work aims to prioritise inclusivity and diversity, challenge preconceptions and promote queer counterculture. The word queer in itself is revolutionary, it means ‘to trouble’ and that’s what we’re here to do, to cause some trouble. In the current political climate, the existence, proliferation and success of counterculture in itself is a political stance.
If your cabaret was a safe house during a queer revolution, what would be the secret password?
“Hold my drink, my tits are burning”.
How do you create space for both joy and resistance in your performances?
Cabaret is unique in the performing arts in its potential for creating radical spaces that host the underrepresented and marginalised. Like the Situationists of the 1960s or the Dadaists before them there is an inherent politics in this – cabaret is an art form that uniquely combines counter-culture, transgression and fabulous entertainment.
Check out more info, media, socials and events on Cabaret Bohemia’s’ website
They are heading down to Brighton for the Fringe in May (dates tbc), but you can catch Cabaret Bohemia:
15th February- Loveshack London
21st February- Century Club, Soho
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