So you wanna be a Cabaret star?

Whether you’re a man who likes singing in women’s clothing, a woman who likes singing in men’s clothing, a ventriloquist, a magician, or even a talking dog - life as a Cabaret performer might be for you…

First, the history
Cabaret in the UK owes its origins to the old music halls when a typical evening’s entertainment would consist of a dog called Billy who could bark "Rule Britannia", and a man with a large beer-belly telling ‘jokes’ about his wife’s mother. These days of course, the world of cabaret is vastly more dynamic and entertaining.

Who, what, where, when?
Today’s cabaret artistes can be found performing in theatres, pubs, clubs, holiday camps, hotels, TV studios, or even on a cruise ship. But be warned: the competition is stiff on the cabaret circuit.

Ladies and gentlemen, a warm hand if you please for the ..
singer, band, dance-troupe, mime act, ventriloquist, sword-swallower, fire-eater, juggler, magician, illusionist, escapologist, comedian, impressionist…

I can do all of the above, when do I start?
You don’t need a fistful of certificates to get up and entertain people. Nor do you have to be of any particular age (Charlotte Church was 12 when she made her professional debut). However, you might consider acquiring a bit of professional training before you embark on the stage.

Do-ray-me-fah-so-la-te-doh!
It seems that every town in Britain has a stage school for the under-18s. These aren’t bad for starters, but you might consider going to an accredited drama school and doing a musical theatre course (See Links).

Get off the stage!
For those of you whose talents are not catered for at colleges, universities or stage schools, there’s only one way forward: learning on the job. The best way to do this, if you’re not already doing so, is to enter talent contests (yikes!) at every opportunity. It's a great way to test your performance in front of a real audience.

Show us what you can do then!
Once you’ve built up your act (typically, you’ll need between ten and thirty minutes of material you’re comfortable with), the next thing is to hit the auditions circuit. These are horrible, but necessary affairs. Remember, the more you do, the easier it becomes. (See Links for peerless advice on how to cope with auditions).

Sign here, please…
Once you’ve got a couple of bookings under your belt, it’s time to find yourself an agent. The vast majority are highly reputable operators, who will do the hard work of finding you more work whilst (hopefully) you’re too busy working!
(See Links for further first-class advice on how to get an agent, along with contacts and links).

Currently resting
is the popular term for someone in the profession who is temporarily unemployed - unfortunately, an all too common event. If you can accept this, and are determined to pursue your dreams regardless, then fine, you’ve got the right attitude. If not, then best stick to being an amateur. Very few people make it in this industry, and those that go on to make it big are extremely thin on the ground.

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