Cardiff Cabaret Club is performing Anti Valentines Burlesque this weekend. What makes Burlesque an interesting and enduring art form?
When most people hear the word ‘burlesque’ they think of stripping, but for Stephanie Gawne, it is about art, empowerment, and reclaiming the stage. As the founder of the Cardiff Cabaret Club, Stephanie has spent over eighteen years transforming burlesque into a vibrant, inclusive art form that celebrates individuality and community.
“People assume burlesque is all about striptease, but it’s satire, it’s commentary, it’s transformation. It’s about showing something from a different perspective,” says Stephanie
Stephanie , 54, has been associated with Cabaret and Burlesque for about 30 years now. But Cabaret and Burlesque performers were not always in high demand in Cardiff. “Eighteen years back, burlesque felt quite underground. There was just one other show happening in Cardiff. People were making up routines in their bedrooms, then coming together to share them,” says Stephanie who started the Cardiff Cabaret Club in 2007.
As the Burlesque scene grew in Cardiff, so did Stephanie’s career . Having taught thousands of workshops, she feels that almost every cabaret performer in the city was at some point associated with her group.
Stephanie’s introduction to Burlesque was natural given her background in musical theatre, dance and professional belly dancing. “I’ve always been a doer,” she says. “I thought, why not bring people together to perform as a group, rather than as individuals?”. This idea motivated her to establish the Cardiff Cabaret Club fuelled by the desire to create a supportive community.
Stephanie’s Cardiff Cabaret Club is performing an Anti-Valentines Burlesque at the Wales Millenium Centre this Valentines Day which would be headlined by fellow performer and cabaret host Stephanie Ware aka Eva Von Schnippisch.
“Cabaret is about fantasy, beauty, and music. It’s not just about standing with a microphone in your jeans. It’s about creating a world where people can escape and feel something,” says Ware.
She adds, “I lean very heavily on comedy, so my thrill comes from making people laugh. But I also love those special tender moments where perhaps I talk to the audience, and they’ve seen something they’ve never seen before. It could potentially change their life for the better.”
According to Stephanie, a burlesque performer needs an immediate reaction and validation from the audience. She says, “You’re performing for the audience, not just at them. In cabaret, you want them to react, and if they don’t, you go and get them.”
Ware, echoes this sentiment and says, “It’s a real roller coaster of emotions, and I’m there as the puppet master to help them ride the roller coaster and be safe along the way.”
Every time she goes out to perform, her focus is on the kind of reaction she gets from the audience. “There’s always that moment in a packed room when you realize that I made this happen. The connections, the friendships, the energy, it’s all because we brought people together.”
Having performed around the world, Stephanie champions inclusivity and representation. “I want those queer, neurodiverse people to be sat next to neurotypical Tories or whatever. I want to mix it up”. Ware agrees, saying cabaret is deeply rooted in queer culture and open-mindedness. “I think cabaret is the best community there is, a space where people can let go of their inhibitions and explore new ideas.”
Throughout her career, Stephanie has prioritised fostering a local community in Cardiff. The city now has many burlesque performers, thanks in part to Cardiff Cabaret Club. The club has built a strong community, where performers mentor each other and support those going through personal struggles such as abusive relationships, cancer treatment, life transitions.
Stephanie says that Cardiff Cabaret Club is not just a troupe but a community, where people find friendships, rebuild confidence, and challenge societal norms. This club has influenced the careers of major performers, such as Sandy Sure, who went on to perform internationally.
Despite being in the industry for about three decades, Stephanie says that financial stability is still a struggle for many performers, including her. “People think working in the arts is glamorous, but it’s hand-to-mouth. Some years, I’m producing 30 shows, running supper clubs, working casinos. Other years, I’m investing my own money and hoping people show up.”
Ware says that this job has a big emotional and mental toll. “It’s a very tough life. You have to be quite fit and thick-skinned. You’re traveling a lot, you’re tired, and you might not be eating as well as you could be if you were at home. It can also be quite lonely sometimes,” she says
Stephanie is developing a solo theatrical show titled ‘Showgirls and Sharks’ which will be debuting in April this year while the Cardiff Cabaret Club will have another show titled ‘Burlesque March Madness’ in March at the Wales Millenium Centre.