CABARET ARENA

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Pure outrageous fun is the order of the day at Latitude’s quirky little cabaret house. With a list of new and glamorous additions added to the bill, the Cabaret Arena is the necessary sparkle sprinkled over the top of the weekend.
The Gawkagogo Freakshow’s eye-popping freakazoid comedy, art, theatre and cabaret show bursts into Latitude with characters that include Elephant Man Elvis, Norma Guntz (and her Tom Jones Celebrity Tumour), Dennis Hopperfield and Master of Mentalism. Using the classic grind show format, Gawkagogo Freakshow consists of a rapid-fire, action-packed 15-minute freakish variety bill. The show features quick-change cartoon-style costumes, weird puppetry, stage illusion and audience interaction, to produce an experience unlike anything the audience has ever seen before.
London burlesque cabaret troupe Burly Q will show us a thing or to with their tassel twirling, jet set lifestyles, cocktails and fanfare when they take to the stage. Inspired by the likes of Bettie Page and Dixie Evans, this is a 50’s Hollywood type of teasing of the finest kind. Art directed by the hilarious, glamorous, and exuberantly irreverent, Fancy Chance the undisputed comic spectacle of the UK Burlesque circuit and the best tassel twirler this side of the Atlantic, this is burlesque of its highest form.
Latitude is pleased to be play host to avant-garde showgirl Marisa Carnesky and her Magic War Show in the Cabaret Arena on Sunday. This burlesque starlet and professional dancer-turned-illusionist is not one for card games or pulling rabbits out of hats, dress in a gold and purple costume she is a collision between a World War 1 nurse and She-Ra decorated with Masonic symbols. A stalwart of London club Duckie and the brains behind 2004 hit Carnesky’s Ghost Train, she uses magic and illusion as a metaphor for war. Carnesky hosts like a sinister doll come to life, drawing attention with conspicuous relish to how magic, like modern battle, both celebrate violence.
The Launderettas are regulars at the Guilty Pleasures club nights where people have danced the night away at previous Latitude’s. They will be performing an alternative version of everybody’s favourite high school classic – ‘Grease’. Drag out your hoop earrings and cork stacks and fellas slick back that hair, this show is a sing-a-long.
We've all had that lost moment at a festival, the wind blowing softly against your face with the music and the sun surrounding you as you smile. But wait, just as your inner harmony feels as settled as can be you see a face that makes your heart skip a beat and as usual there is nothing you can say. Enter the soulful strut of The Voguettes, 5 blonde women all dressed in red walking with equal measures of sunshine and thunder. Catch them on Friday as they spread the love with paper hearts for you to leave a message for that someone special and on Saturday you can hear them perform an exclusive DJ set over at the Cabaret Arena. Love is in the air this summer so why not step into The Voguettes world, or indeed their kissing booth and have a little fun?
Winners of the World Disco Dancing Competition in 1983 Glitterbanditz are still doing the same moves and wearing the same costumes with the added addition of beer bellies. With hot pants too tight and glitter covered dance routines these boys are enough to give The Full Monty chaps a run for their money. Belting out original tracks influenced by the feel good retro of Wham! and Mark Bolan, Glitterbanditz interpretive dance routines have to be seen to be believed. The boys have supported Blondie at the London Hippodrome and George Michael at Wembley (as the second act ever to perform at the new Wembley stadium) so they certainly know how to work an audience – don’t miss them strutting their stuff at Henham Park.

These wonderful new additions will be joining the likes of the ever hilarious and inventive Vauxhallville and the self proclaimed king of cabaret Lenny Beige in a fantastic Cabaret Arena line up.
Elsewhere at the ground-breaking Latitude Festival there is a quite astonishing comedy line-up including Omid Djalili, Ross Noble, Frankie Boyle and Rich Hall in the Comedy Arena.
The jewel in the centre of the aptly titled Pandora’s Playground, the Cabaret Arena will entice the audience in with feathers, dance and frivolity and then trap them with sharp wit, truly spectacular stage shows and the kind of beautiful and bizarre happenings that are difficult to pull yourself away from.
Latitude is full of life-affirming experiences and here is another one in the Cabaret Arena. Learn to play the Ukulele in an hour, or rather watch the brilliantly funny Sam Brown, Donal Coonan and Sally Phillips, attempt to in the little Cabaret House during their wonderfully witty daytime sketch show ‘Learn To Play The Ukulele In Under An Hour (How George Formby Saved My Life)’ – join them in a four-stringed, one hour pluckfest as they teach you the Ukulele basics. Brown and Coonan met at University where they acted and produced several short films. Brown has gone on to teach Latin and find the time to direct ‘Magpie Park’ at West Yorkshire Playhouse. Coonan is best known as a presenter, writer and actor who has worked on radio as well as having his own Channel 4 show ‘This is a Knife’. Sally Phillips is a very successful comedy writer and performer with credits including ‘Green Wing’, ‘I’m Alan Partridge’ and ‘Smack The Pony’.
Join the gang and you will learn to sing-a-long with a patented Formby uke-karaoke machine and be able to impress your friends and relatives with your musical abilities. The Ukuleles will be provided!
After performing live shows for 5 years and picking up a nomination in 2006 for the Writers Guild Award, female comedy duo Trippplicate have gone from local heroes to national favourites. The Trippplicate family consists of performers Katie Lloyd, who originally found fame as ‘Naughty Rachel’ in Channel 4’s ‘Green Wing,’ and comedienne Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, the performing duo are joined by director and co-writer Verity Woolnough. Their various live stage shows including ‘Timetrippers’ and ‘The Receptionists’ have received rapturous reviews and Latitude is proud to be presenting the latest instalment of their repertoire at the Cabaret Arena.
Latitude’s quirky little cabaret house is life-changing and mind-altering. You’ll be enticed in and changed forever. Well, once you've experienced the highs of a Burlesque striptease there's no turning back! Pure outrageous fun is the emphasis here.
With that in mind, Latitude welcomes the self proclaimed king of cabaret Lenny Beige. Infamous for his London West End club The Regency Rooms which started life in 1995 and sold out every one of its 10 seasons. Beige became a cult hit with regular appearances on TV chat shows and Channel 5’s ‘Night Fever’ with many celebrity fans including Robbie Williams, Terry Wogan and Jamie Theakston. Latitude are delighted to have Lenny Beige performing in the Cabaret Arena this year with his energetic all singing all dancing comedy extravaganza!!!