The Invisible Cabaret Podcast: Mental Health & The Arts

Invisible Cabaret

Join hosts Ferrero Rochelle and Rosie Verbose as they explore the topics of mental health and creativity, with a different artistic guest each time. New episodes every fortnight! Invisible Cabaret is a performing arts troupe exclusively devoted to exploring mental health. Through burlesque, comedy, original music and more, the troupe seeks to express and question assumptions and expectations surrounding mental health. Will you STRIP AWAY STIGMA with us? Find out more at www.invisiblecabaret.org and come to a show when it's safe to do so!

  1. 07/09/2021

    ‘F*ck the Rules, F*ck the Boxes’: Burlesque, Burnout & Body Positivity with TRIXIE KIXX

    Ferrero Rochelle & Rosie Verbose are joined by professional dancer & burlesque artiste, Trixie Kixx! Trixie is a powerhouse queer woman with a passion for body confidence centred around how movement makes us feel, not what we look like. She regularly performs with House of Burlesque and teaches lessons in London and online. She's also a Queen Crystaller (read, the gateway drug for Rosie Verbose's stoning obsession, as discussed with Sammy Sparkles!). Join us as we chat about burlesque, practising body positivity/ body neutrality as a dancer, and more. CW: discussion of weight & body image throughout Keep up to date with Trixie on Instagram: @trixiekixx, and follow her work with House of Burlesque & Off The Rails Studios while you're at it! Trixie teaches a class every Tuesday at 8:10pm online and in the studio at Off The Rails (@offtherails.studio), open to all women. *** What are you grateful for? Be in the next episode of our podcast and tell us what has you feeling thankful lately. You can Tweet us at @inviscabaret, DM us on Instagram or send us a voice message. *** Things mentioned in the podcast: Trixie in action: classic burlesque strip, example routine from a class House of Burlesque's lockdown rehearsal process Tempest Rose's Gypsy monologue act Trixie's Bloody Mary act - photos on our social media & website; learn about Mary I here! Waacking (you can learn this with Mademoiselle Ginger  Advice on curating your social media for better mental health Re. curating your social media feed - see our episode with Reed Amber for more on this 'Eleveneriefe' meme  Roch mentions Miss Mustardseed - check out our episode with her here (also about body positivity!) Hypothyroidism Boots Botanics skincare Kew Gardens *** Edited and mixed by Matt Ennis, www.mennismixing.co.uk Music: Shades of Spring by Kevin MacLeod , available by license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 www.invisiblecabaret.org

    41 min
  2. 06/11/2021

    ‘Bonus Points If You Go To Therapy’ | Fantasy and Reality with Anti-Shamer, REED AMBER

    Years of crushing finally pay off - our favourite mental health and sex-positivity icon, Reed Amber, joins us on the podcast! You may know Reed best from her work with Florence and the gang over at Come Curious, or from their podcast, F*cks Given. In this episode, we talk to Reed about her journey from hating to advocating: her body, therapy, social media, the works. From CBT to OF to IBS, we're DTF with Reed FTW.  Plenty of 'adult' language in this one, you have been warned! CW: OCD & intrusive thoughts (3 mins to 15 mins approx); suicidal thoughts (05:53 - 06:10); brief mention of psychosis (06:14 - 06:30); body image, dysmorphia (23 mins to 33 mins approx); brief discussion of SW (33 mins - 38 mins approx) with reference to trafficking (36:30 - 37:30) and fetishes (37:30 - 38:00); brief mention of death & bereavement (39:00 - 39:30). Keep up to date with Reed Amber on Instagram, Twitter, OF and more. Find her work with Come Curious on YouTube and Instagram. *** What are you grateful for? Be in the next episode of our podcast and tell us what has you feeling thankful lately. You can Tweet us at @inviscabaret, DM us on Instagram or send us a voice message. *** Things mentioned in the podcast: How to pursue therapy: some resources - NHS & self-referrals (UK), BetterHelp Hypochondria vs. health anxiety The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Macksey Meditation & mindfulness for panic attacks Parasympathetic nervous system (Reed was right first time! @ 20 mins ish) Bloating & IBS - signs to be aware of for similarly-presenting health conditions Social media addiction Documentary: The Social Dilemma, available on Netflix *** Edited and mixed by Matt Ennis, www.mennismixing.co.uk Music: Shades of Spring by Kevin MacLeod , available by license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 www.invisiblecabaret.org

    44 min
  3. 05/28/2021

    ‘It’s Healthy to Sweat (and Kinda Sexy!)’ | Fitness & Femininity with LENA MAE LENMAN

    We hope you've stretched this morning, because we're chatting to performer, producer and Solid Gold fittie, Lena Mae Lenman! Lena is an irrepressible creative force, whose outlets include the Hundred Watt Club, photography (@lena_lenman_photography on Instagram) and 80s fantasy aerobic program, Solid Gold Fitness. She brings her bubbly personality to the podcast, as well as her long history of neo-burlesque performance, to inform a chat that ranges from dressing up to stripping off, and why laughing is the best of all ab workouts! CW: societal ideas of weight gain and how it can impact on our mental health briefly touched on throughout the discussion - no body shaming but if this may be triggering for you, please be kind to your mind and put yourself first. Find Lena Mae Lenman online on Instagram & OF. *** What are you grateful for? Be in the next episode of our podcast and tell us what has you feeling thankful lately. You can message us on Facebook, Tweet us at @inviscabaret or DM us on Instagram (@invisiblecabaret)! *** Things mentioned in the podcast: Hundred Watt Club  Cosplay & ‘crap cosplay’ in lockdown, e.g. Spice Girls Solid Gold Fitness is on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & Twitter Some thoughts on ‘toxic femininity’: “The Cycle of Female Rivalry"; thinkpiece on women bullying at work; thinkpiece on media pitting Meghan vs. Kate Imperius curse in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (please note we do not endorse JK's recent transphobic stances and are considering the magic of HP to be separate from the creator!) Demi Noire: check out our episode with this diva! Lena's Music Hall alter ego, Aunty Mae Libby app by Overdrive 'How To Be Both' – Ali Smith  BookSwap 'Daytripper' – graphic novel by Gabriel Bá and Fabio Moon  Some useful links for the mental health issues mentioned can be found on our website. *** Edited and mixed by Matt Ennis, www.mennismixing.co.uk Music: Shades of Spring by Kevin MacLeod , available by license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 www.invisiblecabaret.org

    34 min
  4. 04/30/2021

    'Someone You Love Is a S-x Worker' | Stripping Away Stigma with VICTORIA ROSE

    Ferrero Rochelle & Rosie Verbose had a fascinating time chatting to burlesque performer, Hoxton Cabaret producer & founding member of Cybertease (a pioneering online strip club), Victoria Rose! She shares some of her experiences of how mental health, creativity and s-x work all intertwine (sorry about the censorship, blame the Internet 🙇‍♀️). We're so grateful Victoria took the time to educate us on what it's like working in the s-x industry in general, and particularly her perspective on being a SWer with Borderline Personality Disorder. Find Victoria Rose online on Instagram, Twitter & OF. Full URL of episode transcript here: https://invisiblecabaret.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/VicRose-transcript.pdf CW: this episode is not graphic, but we are talking about SW throughout, so we do touch on themes around s-x and the dangers involved. There's also some coarse language from the start. *** Things mentioned in the podcast: The Jerry Springer Show  Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) / Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD) - for more on this, have a listen to our chats with Lucy Dickson and our very own Mouncealot! Hoxton Cabaret Cybertease: also on Twitter Secretary (2002) Some advice on working from home with ADHD Nordic Model & Bristol Strip Clubs - if you'd like to get involved in the activism surrounding this issue, Bristol Sex Workers Collective have some great resources. If you're the sort of person who wants to hear both sides, here's what radical feminists in favour of the Nordic Model say. Rochelle's Instant pot What is a Doula? Cybertease Patreon SW union Some useful links for the mental health issues mentioned can be found on our website. *** Edited and mixed by Matt Ennis, www.mennismixing.co.uk Music: Shades of Spring by Kevin MacLeod , available by license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ www.invisiblecabaret.org

    35 min
  5. 04/26/2021

    'My Absolute Aim in Life is to Share Joy' | World Burlesque Day with SAPPHIRA

    Happy #WorldBurlesqueDay! We're celebrating with this bonus episode in addition to your usual Friday fare, to talk to the day's creator, Sapphira. Sapphira is a performer, musician and entrepreneur who also runs the Ibiza Burlesque Festival and always has several arts- and mental-health-themed projects on the go. We chat about bringing burlesque and clubbing together, her love of piano, and how finding her personal expression through burlesque helped her heal from an oppressive background. Find Sapphira online: @sapphiramusic on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. She's also on LinkedIn. You can find out more on @worldburlesqueday on the same platforms. Join in with the #BoogieInBoots Challenge on Instagram or TikTok! CW: descriptions of religious trauma from 8.55 - 16.10ish; brief mention of institutionalisation & psychosis (around 10.35 - 11.05); small, happy discussion about pregnancy (23:45 - 25:20). *** What are you grateful for? Be in the next episode of our podcast and tell us what has you feeling thankful lately. You can message us on Facebook, Tweet us at @inviscabaret or DM us on Instagram (@invisiblecabaret)! *** Things mentioned in the podcast: Neo-burlesque: a beginner’s guide Ibiza Burlesque Festival - a little *teaser* video Dita Von Teese performing in Ibiza  Amnesia (Ibiza club)  Cirque du Soleil Check out Sapphira's book, Burlesque Or Bust  Brethren sect Understanding psychotic breaks  Cafe Del Mar compilations  Sapphira's favourite, Tones, composed by Marc Durif Ferrero Rochelle’s balloon pop  Cotton candy grapes! Some useful links for the mental health issues mentioned can be found on our website. *** Edited and mixed by Matt Ennis, www.mennismixing.co.uk Music: Shades of Spring by Kevin MacLeod , available by license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ www.invisiblecabaret.org

    27 min
  6. 04/23/2021

    'I’m a Big Fan of Suppressing Stuff' | Smashing Stereotypes and Breaking Chains with LILLY SNATCHDRAGON

    Oh BOY, do we have a treat for you. It was such an honour to go deep with the ridiculously talented icon that is Lilly SnatchDragon. Lilly is a multi-award-winning Neo Drag Queen Burlesque Performer, co-founder of The LADS Show and the all-Asian cabaret collective, The Bitten Peach. Quite a few trigger warnings for this one as things do get raw and real, but this just gives us more reason to love the CRAP out of her. As the kids would say, a queen who talks so openly and honestly about mental health? We have no choice but to stan. Find Lilly online: @lillysnatch on Instagram & Twitter. You can also keep up with latest show news on Facebook. CW: extensive conversation about experiences of racism (especially first 23 mins) & PTSD throughout; suicidal ideation (25:13); grief, bereavement,  cancer, death of a loved one (27:50 - 34 mins); brief mention of vomiting (29:56 and 33:18); Atlanta shootings (37:38 - 37:50). *** Things mentioned in the podcast: East15 Acting School Miss Cairo: @prettymisscairo  Rubyyy Jones (@rubyyyjones) - listen to our episode with them here! Me the Drag Queen: @methedragqueen Familyyy Fierce Lolo Brow: @lolobrow Lilly's 'Thai Beginnings' act Maxi More @fairyprincessmermaidbarbie Kawaii: an introductory article Microaggressions: how to spot them & some suggestions for dealing with them Lilly’s 'Chains' act RVT Bitten Peach: @bittenpeachuk The Cocoa Butter Club: @thecocoabutterclub Stonewall advice for coming out later in life Visual migraines: link between headaches & PTSD Nervous breakdown: how to recognise one Signs of burnout Mark Anthony: @markanthony.dragking Polly Rae: @misspollyrae Atlanta shooting & how to help the #StopAsianHate movement

    45 min

About

Join hosts Ferrero Rochelle and Rosie Verbose as they explore the topics of mental health and creativity, with a different artistic guest each time. New episodes every fortnight! Invisible Cabaret is a performing arts troupe exclusively devoted to exploring mental health. Through burlesque, comedy, original music and more, the troupe seeks to express and question assumptions and expectations surrounding mental health. Will you STRIP AWAY STIGMA with us? Find out more at www.invisiblecabaret.org and come to a show when it's safe to do so!