Beautiful World Cabaret with Wayne Sleep

Twelve scintillating cabarets with London’s divine and glorious Artistes. Each coming with their own particular skill and angle to celebrate, and spend time with, our Beautiful World. In harmony with the London Wildlife Trust.

Only very recently, I moved to a house by the river and had my first ever garden, and it’s made me reflect on this truly beautiful world we live in.

So when my wonderful friend Janie Dee asked if I’d put together a cabaret show on the ‘Beautiful World’ theme, I jumped at the chance!

Expect a mix of career highlights, including my Dying Swan routine – and a few surprises… I can’t wait to see you there!

Full Festival Line-Up:

13th May, 9:15PM Beautiful World Cabaret with Janie Dee

​Janie Dee is a renowned British actress and singer, celebrated for her versatility across stage, film, television, and radio. She has earned multiple accolades, including Olivier Awards for her performances in Carousel and Comic Potential. She is also the founder of Beautiful World Cabaret.

14th May, 9.15PM | Beautiful World Cabaret Gala with Rob Brydon

Rob Brydon MBE is an actor, writer and producer. His credits include Barbie, Swimming with Man, Cinderella, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Days of Bagnold Summer, Blinded by the Light and the role of Inspector Lestrade in Holmes and Watson 

19th May, 9.15PM | Beautiful World Cabaret: ‘Litter and Be Gay’ with Josephina Ortiz-Lewis

​Josephina Ortiz Lewis is a British actor, singer, and dancer, known for roles in musical theatre productions such as Zanna, Don’t! at the Old Joint Stock Theatre. The cabaret, clowning, and drag debut with Litter and Be Gay, a show addressing climate justice, performed as part of the Beautiful World Cabaret series.

20th May, 9.15PM | Beautiful World Cabaret with Wayne Sleep

Wayne Sleep is a dancer, director, choreographer, and actor who appeared on the BBC series The Real Marigold on Tour and ITV’s The Real Full Monty.

21st May, 9.15PM | Beautiful World Cabaret with Laura Pitt-Pulford

​Laura Pitt-Pulford is a British actress renowned for her work in musical theatre, earning a 2016 Olivier Award nomination for her role as Milly in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. She has also appeared in television series such as Emmerdale, portraying Carol Butler.

24th May, 7PM | Beautiful World Cabaret: ‘Songs of Love and Protection’ with Ian Shaw

Ian Shaw is one of the most recognisable names on the UK jazz scene, performing in the UK and worldwide solo and in collaboration with an array of first-class musicians and ensembles. Recipient of two BBC Jazz Awards and a Parliamentary Jazz Award

25th May, 5PM | Beautiful World Cabaret: “Nothing like a Dame” with Dame Felicity Lott & Jason Carr

​Dame Felicity Lott is an acclaimed English soprano renowned for her interpretations of Strauss and Mozart roles, including the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier and Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro. She has performed at major opera houses worldwide and is celebrated for contributing to French mélodies and German lieder.

26th May, 7PM | Beautiful World Cabaret with Barlow & Smith

Composer Bella Barlow & Bookwriter/Lyricist A.C. Smith have been writing together for a decade. Barlow & Smith’s joint works include Lock&Key(VAULT Festival, Pick of the Week in The Stage), Dream Queen: Janie Dee (Globe Theatre), Christmas in the City(Workshop, concept album produced by Ian Shaw), and Vanya’s(in development with support from Old Vic New Voices).

26th May, 9.15PM | Beautiful World Cabaret: “Seven Deadly Sins on Earth” with Sister Mary

​”Seven Deadly Sins on Earth” is a cabaret show performed by Sister Mary, a comedic character portrayed by actor and singer Tim McArthur.

27th May, 7PM | Beautiful World Cabaret with Carly Mercedes Dyer

​Carly Mercedes Dyer is an Olivier Award-nominated British actress celebrated for her dynamic musical theatre performances. Her notable roles include Cassie in A Chorus Line at Leicester Curve, Erma in Anything Goes, and Anita in West Side Story.

27th May, 9.15PM | Beautiful World Cabaret with Em Hoggett

Em Hoggett, also known as EM The Master, is a British award-winning music artist, actress, writer, director, and classical pianist. Beginning her musical journey as a child prodigy in classical piano, she has performed with renowned artists like Lang Lang. She has released several albums and singles, including her debut EP “What I Want To Say To You,” which addresses her personal experiences and supports sexual assault survivors.

28th May, 9.15PM | Beautiful World Cabaret with Dame Maureen Lipman

​Dame Maureen Lipman is an English actress, comedian, and writer renowned for her extensive work in theatre, film, and television.

Wayne Sleep won a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School in 1961 and joined the Royal Ballet Company in 1966 becoming a Senior Principal Dancer with roles created for him by Ashton, MacMillan, de Valois, Layton, Neumeier and Nureyev. Uniquely, he played Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in both the opera and the ballet at Covent Garden as well as acting the part in many theatres around Europe. Also as an actor he had principal parts in The Servant of Two Masters, She Stoops to Conquer, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Tempest, Twelfth Night and, in musicals, he created two roles in Cats and played the EmCee in Cabaret for over a year in the West End, performed the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the Soldier in Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale, Uncle Willy in High Society, Harry Nilsson’s The Point at the Mermaid Theatre, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance at the Palace, Wayne’s World of Dance, Bits and Pieces, and The Magic of the Musicals. Films: The Virgin Soldiers, The First Great Train Robbery, The Tales of Beatrix Potter, and he has topped the bill in 24 pantomimes.

As a choreographer he created, directed and appeared in DASH which for the first time incorporated all genres (including ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary), and after many London seasons culminated in a world tour, and led to the Hot Shoe Show on BBC Television. Wayne has directed and appeared in many Charity Galas, including; A Good Night’s Sleep, Princess Margaret’s 70th Birthday, Dame Beryl Grey’s 75th, The Friends of the Elderly (to which both the Queen and Princess Margaret attended), Design for Dance, and Design for Birds.

Wayne was the subject of This Is Your Life, The South Bank Show Series, appeared on The Royal Variety Show several times, directed and presented Big Ballet and more recently The Real Marigold Hotel, BBC Radio 2‘s Friday Night is Music Night, ITV’s The Real Full Monty, Celebrity Big Brother, and he has also been a guest on many television chat shows.

Appointed OBE in 1998, he received honorary degrees from the Universities of Exeter, Teeside and Plymouth, and is a recipient of the Carl Alan Award. He has two entries in the Guinness Book of Records and was Show Business Personality of the Year in 1984 from the Royal Variety Club of Great Britain. He is a Patron of the British Ballet Organisation and Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Dance. He is also a patron for Prostate Cancer UK, England Wheelchair Dance Association, the Royal Voluntary Service, and many other charities. Wayne has also received the Legends of Industry Award from Variety, the Children’s Charity.

His portrait by David Hockney is in the Tate Gallery, and he is represented in the National Portrait Gallery.

His charity, The Wayne Sleep Foundation, helps students who have successfully gained a place at a performing arts vocational college. He continues to pass on his knowledge through private tuition and workshops for all ages.