The Variety Show

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Chris Hogg is a playwright, educator and Associate Professor whose work explores creativity, storytelling and the relationship between human imagination and artificial intelligence. After an unconventional childhood, careers spanning call centres, teaching in Sri Lanka, technology companies and higher education, Chris has developed a distinctive voice as both a writer and researcher. His work examines why humans create, what AI can and cannot replicate, and why presence, collaboration and lived experience remain at the heart of great art.

Episode summary

In this episode of Variety, playwright and educator Chris Hogg joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, theatre and artificial intelligence. Chris reflects on an unconventional childhood in Bournemouth, running away from home as a teenager, discovering writing as a way to make sense of the world and the winding career that took him from call centres and Silicon Valley tech to university lecturing. Together we explore what separates human creativity from AI, why mistakes and “bruised knowledge” matter, the importance of live performance in an increasingly digital world, and how technology might ultimately make the arts more accessible rather than replace them.

In this episode:

• Growing up in Bournemouth and the experiences that shaped Chris’s writing
• Running away from home and finding refuge with his grandmother
• Discovering poetry, studying English and becoming a playwright
• Working in call centres, technology and teaching around the world
• The relationship between creativity, theatre and artificial intelligence
• Why human presence, mistakes and collaboration still matter
• AI as a creative assistant rather than a replacement for artists
• Making the arts more accessible in an age of rapidly advancing technology

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Cabbage the Clown (Eliza) is an award-winning drag clown, performer and costume maker whose work blends clowning, drag, cabaret and theatre. After training in costume construction at the Central School of Speech and Drama and working behind the scenes in theatre, they found their artistic home through drag performance and clowning. Their work explores identity, gender, depression, queer culture and the absurd, combining heartfelt storytelling with chaotic comedy. Their solo show Cinema Drome has appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe, while Cabbage continues to perform across London’s drag, comedy and clown scenes.

Episode summary

In this episode of Variety, Cabbage the Clown joins us to talk about finding a creative identity through drag, clowning and performance. The conversation begins with childhood dance classes in Greater Manchester before moving through musical theatre, studying costume construction at Central School of Speech and Drama and working professionally in theatre wardrobe departments. Cabbage explains how discovering drag kings and theatrical clowning during university led to the creation of the Cabbage character, inspired by vulnerability, depression and teenage insecurity. Along the way, we discuss London’s drag scene, why drag kings remain underrepresented, costume design, Edinburgh Fringe, audience interaction and how performance can become a home for every creative passion.

In this episode:

• Growing up in Greater Manchester, dance classes and early performing experiences
• Musical theatre, Les Misérables and studying costume construction at Central School of Speech and Drama
• Working professionally in theatre wardrobe, costume supervision and design
• Discovering drag kings during university and creating the Cabbage the Clown character
• How clown training transforms insecurity into performance
• Drag kings, misogyny and representation within the drag industry
• Edinburgh Fringe, Cinema Drome and creating theatrical clown performances
• Why drag, clowning and comedy have become one creative hub

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Ian Saville is a performer, magician and ventriloquist who has been practising socialist magic for over 40 years. Rooted in the radical theatre and alternative cabaret movements of the 1970s and 80s, Ian has developed a unique act that uses the language of magic and illusion to explore left-wing politics, class struggle and social history. He performs with a ventriloquist dummy of Karl Marx and has shared stages with performers including Ben Elton and Linda Smith.

Episode summary

In this episode of Variety, Ian Saville joins us to explore a life spent finding the politics in magic and the magic in politics. The conversation moves through his Jewish upbringing in Whitechapel, his schooling at Hackney Downs alongside the influence of playwright Harold Pinter, his early obsession with magic shops and Tommy Cooper, and his years with the radical theatre group Broadside Mobile Workers Theater. Ian also reflects on the alternative cabaret scene, the question of whether art can change minds, and why he has spent four decades performing tricks that make audiences think as well as laugh. Along the way, he performs the Class Struggle rope trick live, teaches the host a knot, and brings out Karl Marx for a word or two.

In this episode:

• Ian's Jewish upbringing in Whitechapel and schooling at Hackney Downs alongside the influence of Harold Pinter
• Discovering magic through childhood kits, West End magic shops and the comedy of Tommy Cooper
• How Broadside Mobile Workers Theater turned Ian into a socialist magician
• Preaching to the converted and whether theatre and performance can genuinely change minds
• Live magic: the Torn and Restored Newspaper, rope trick teaching and Karl Marx on ventriloquism
• The alternative cabaret scene, Palestinian solidarity and what is coming next

00:00 — Opening performance: socialist magic and left-wing splits
01:26 — Growing up Jewish in Whitechapel
04:37 — Hackney Downs School, Harold Pinter and Joe Brearley
06:18 — Falling in love with magic: books, shops and West End dealers
09:25 — Butlins, Tommy Cooper and learning comedy magic
16:12 — University, acting and using magic as an audition piece
18:08 — Jewish pantomime and collaborative theatre
22:22 — The origins of socialist magic and Broadside Mobile Workers Theater
24:33 — Preaching to the converted and engaging workers through drama
28:57 — The Torn and Restored Newspaper: a trick about political splits
30:55 — Teaching the host a rope trick live
35:35 — Karl Marx speaks: ventriloquism and socialist history
41:11 — Alternative cabaret, Ben Elton and Linda Smith
43:31 — The Class Struggle rope trick performed in full
48:30 — Art, politics and the shows that followed
51:11 — Activism, Palestine and what is next

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Sarah-Louise Young is an actress, writer, director, improviser and internationally renowned cabaret performer. Known for her acclaimed solo work, including An Evening Without Kate Bush and Julie Madly Deeply, Sarah-Louise has built a career around live performance, storytelling, music, comedy and audience connection.

Episode summary

In this episode of Variety, Sarah-Louise Young joins us to explore the world of cabaret, solo performance, improvisation and the realities of building a creative life. The conversation moves through her upbringing in Kent, early love of singing and theatre, years of making work at the Edinburgh Fringe, and the long process of finding her artistic voice.

Sarah-Louise also reflects on making shows from scratch, the importance of failure, the relationship between performer and audience, and why live performance still matters in an increasingly digital world. Along the way, the episode looks at creativity, resilience, rejection, class, arts funding, AI, fame, and the strange, beautiful power of being in a room with an audience.

In this episode
Sarah-Louise’s upbringing in Kent and early love of performing
Growing up with music, singing, choirs and homemade variety shows
Discovering theatre and cabaret through the Edinburgh Fringe
The influence of Victoria Wood, Fascinating Aïda and Stephen Sondheim
What cabaret means and why audience connection matters
Making Julie Madly Deeply and An Evening Without Kate Bush
Honouring iconic artists while creating something original
Improvisation, Showstopper! and learning to fail publicly
Why live performance does not need to be perfect
Rejection, reviews and being judged as a performer
Pantomime, vaudeville and the joy of theatrical tradition
The cost, privilege and pressure of the Edinburgh Fringe
Arts funding, access, education and valuing creativity
The work audiences do not see behind a performance

00:00 — Opening preview & introduction to Sarah-Louise Young
01:54 — Growing up in Kent and discovering performance
08:39 — Early variety shows and falling in love with the Edinburgh Fringe
10:10 — Inspirations: Victoria Wood, Fascinating Aïda and Sondheim
11:44 — What cabaret really means
15:42 — Julie Andrews, voice loss and Julie Madly Deeply
19:22 — Creating An Evening Without Kate Bush
23:09 — Showstopper!, improv and learning to fail publicly
26:54 — Rejection, reviews and life as a performer
33:25 — The Bob Ross Effect, creativity and mental health
39:24 — Edinburgh Fringe, privilege and the cost of making art
48:26 — AI, human creativity and why live performance still matters

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Raffaello Morales is the musical and managing director of the Fidelio Orchestra, a London based organisation reimagining how audiences experience classical music. Originally from Rome, and trained in both music and physics, Raffaello’s journey has taken him from academia to finance and ultimately to Fidelio, where he brings together live performance, hospitality, events and cultural programming to make music feel fresh, social and alive.

Episode summary 

In this episode of Variety, Raffaello Morales joins us to explore the shifting world of classical music, live performance and cultural spaces. The conversation moves through the realities of running Fidelio, the balance between artistic ambition and commercial pressure, and the challenge of making classical music feel more open, relevant and alive.

Raffaello also reflects on conducting, audience connection, arts funding, music education and the role culture can play in uncertain times. Along the way, the episode looks at what makes live performance so powerful; not perfection, but presence, risk, communication and the shared experience between performer and audience.

In this episode 

• Raffaello’s upbringing in Rome and early musical training
• Studying music and physics side by side
• Moving to London for postgraduate study and a PhD
• Working in finance before leaving banking
• Building Fidelio as both an orchestra and events business
• The relationship between music, hospitality and community
• Why technique alone is not enough in performance
• The problem of elitism and access in classical music
• Arts funding, education and the role of government
• How classical music can adapt for modern audiences
• Conducting, score study and interpretation
• The importance of eye contact, physicality and leadership
• The beauty of imperfection in live performance
• The future of culture, education and meaningful shared experiences

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Max Fulham is a comedian and ventriloquist who has been performing professionally since his teenage years. Known for his sharp improvisation, playful comedy and inventive use of puppets and everyday objects, Max has built a distinctive career on the comedy circuit and beyond.

His work combines classic ventriloquism technique with modern stand-up, character comedy and a deep love of puppetry. From comedy clubs and Edinburgh Fringe to major theatre stages, Max brings a fresh, funny and highly skilled approach to one of variety entertainment’s most misunderstood art forms.

Episode summary

In this episode of The Variety Show Podcast, Adam Sternberg talks with comedian and ventriloquist Max Fulham about how a childhood Christmas puppet unexpectedly became the start of a career.

Max reflects on growing up between East London, Essex, Scotland and Surrey, discovering performance through singing, dancing, magic and puppets, and teaching himself ventriloquism by watching videos online and practising in front of a bedroom mirror.

The conversation explores the craft behind ventriloquism, from lip control and difficult sounds to character creation, puppetry, improvisation and the hidden acting involved in making a puppet feel alive. Max also introduces some of his puppets, including a restored vintage ventriloquist figure and his character Eugene.

Adam and Max discuss comedy clubs, Edinburgh Fringe, surprise support slots for Engelbert Humperdinck, the importance of play, and the reality of turning a passion into a profession. They also talk about arts education, creativity in schools, and why live performance remains deeply human in an increasingly digital world.

Funny, thoughtful and full of insight, this episode reveals the skill, discipline and joy behind modern ventriloquism.

In this episode

• Getting a first puppet at nine years old
• Growing up across East London, Essex, Scotland and Surrey
• Discovering performance, comedy and puppetry
• Teaching himself ventriloquism through YouTube
• Choosing performance over university
• How ventriloquism actually works
• Creating puppet characters and voices
• Vintage ventriloquist figures and puppet history
• Comedy clubs, Edinburgh Fringe and support slots
• Arts education, AI and advice for performers

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Xnthony is an Irish writer, performer and producer whose work spans musical theatre, cabaret, performance art and live interdisciplinary performance. Originally from Roscommon, Ireland, he has built a distinctive career creating bold, pop-infused work that blends history, identity, politics and humour.

His projects often explore queerness, Irish culture, community life and the ways pop music can be used as a storytelling tool. Over the years, he has developed work through fringe theatre, cabaret venues and large-scale arts support in Ireland, building a reputation for theatrical ideas that are playful, provocative and original. His acclaimed work includes Oliver Cromwell Is Really Very Sorry, and he is also developing new projects including Lourdes and Troll Farm.

Episode summary

In this episode of The Variety Show Podcast, Adam Sternberg talks with writer, performer and producer Xnthony about the winding path that led him from rural Roscommon to a career in experimental theatre, cabaret and musical storytelling.

Xnthony reflects on growing up in an adopted family, discovering creativity through music, drama and community arts, and learning to overcome intense stage fright as a teenager. He shares what it was like coming out at 16 in rural Ireland, and how queerness, difference and a sense of otherness shaped the way he sees the world and makes work.

The conversation explores the realities of building a life in the arts without formal theatre training, from early performance art pieces in post-crash Ireland to fringe shows, survival jobs and years of developing projects with limited resources. Xnthony also speaks passionately about the importance of public arts funding, class access in the creative industries, and why Ireland has become such a strong force in producing world-class artists.

Adam and Xnthony also discuss pop music as dramaturgy, the influence of artists such as Madonna, Goldfrapp, French and Saunders and Kenneth Williams, and the creative power of cabaret as a live form. They dive into the origins of Oliver Cromwell Is Really Very Sorry, a pop musical that reimagines one of the darkest figures in Irish history, and talk about Xnthony’s upcoming work Lourdes, which examines faith, miracles and theatrical spectacle.

Funny, honest and full of insight, this episode is a fascinating look at identity, ambition, art-making and what it really takes to build a creative life on your own terms.

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Artist bio

Laura Wyatt O’Keeffe is a multi-award-nominated Irish theatre-maker, actor, drag king and DJ whose work spans theatre, cabaret, live art and immersive performance. Raised in Cork and trained at East 15 Acting School, she has built a career creating and performing work that blends storytelling, ritual, humour and audience interaction. Her practice moves between conventional acting, devised theatre and drag performance, often exploring identity, community, belief and connection. Through her drag king character Father Jesse, Laura reimagines Irish Catholic ritual through a queer, comic and deeply human lens, bringing performance into theatres, clubs and other unexpected spaces.

Episode summary

In this episode of The Variety Show, Adam Sternberg speaks with Laura Wyatt O’Keeffe about her path from childhood theatre in Cork to acting, theatre-making and drag performance. Surrounded by rehearsal rooms from an early age through her playwright and director aunt, Laura grew up watching stories being built from the inside and began performing herself while still very young. She reflects on how those early experiences shaped her understanding not only of acting, but of audience, structure and the wider world of performance.

The conversation follows her journey through university and drama school, where she trained as an actor while also beginning to make her own work. Laura speaks candidly about ambition, fame, funding and the difficult balance between artistic vision and practical survival, as well as the privileges that time, money and access can bring to making great work.

A major turning point came during and after the pandemic, when Laura found herself drawn more strongly to drag and cabaret than to traditional theatre. Through her drag king character Father Jesse, an Irish Catholic priest delivering mass in unexpected settings, she discovered a form that allowed for deeper audience interaction, humour, ritual and shared experience. Together, Adam and Laura explore religion, performance, community, queer identity and the power of art to help audiences recognise themselves in unfamiliar worlds. The episode closes with an Irish language lesson and a discussion of Laura’s work beyond performance, including an opera-based breathing programme supporting people with long Covid.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Father Jesse and the themes of ritual, identity and connection

00:01 Laura Wyatt O’Keeffe’s career across theatre, drag and DJing

00:02 Growing up in Cork and being surrounded by theatre from childhood

00:04 Early performing experiences and learning by watching rehearsal rooms

00:09 The Irish arts scene, cultural identity and support for artists

00:11 University, East 15 and developing as an actor and maker

00:17 Fame, resources and the realities of sustaining an artistic career

00:19 The pandemic, drag, cabaret and discovering a new performance language

00:23 Audience impact, live connection and why interaction matters

00:26 Creating Father Jesse and using drag to explore religion, ritual and queerness

00:31 Performing for different audiences and challenging assumptions

00:38 Returning to acting and balancing long-form theatre with drag

00:39 Irish language lesson and lighter moments

00:40 Work beyond the stage, including opera and long Covid breathing sessions

00:44 Artistic influences, storytelling and what performance can do

If you want, I can also reduce these timestamps to 10 to match the format you used for the other episode.

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Artist bio

Jon is a Cornwall-born stand-up comedian and juggler whose work combines technical circus skill with sharp comic timing, improvisation and audience interaction. He began juggling at the age of six after becoming obsessed with diabolo, balance tricks and circus props, and soon turned that passion into performances, workshops and paid work while still a child. After initially training as an electrician, Jon took the leap into performance full-time as a teenager and built a career across street shows, cabaret, comedy clubs, theatres, cruise ships and international touring. Known for blending virtuoso juggling with warmth, risk and self-aware humour, he has developed a style that challenges assumptions about what a juggling show can be.

Episode summary

In this episode of The Variety Show, Adam Sternberg talks with comedian and juggler Jon about growing up in Cornwall, discovering juggling as a child, and turning an unusual obsession into a full-time career. Jon reflects on learning diabolo, juggling clubs and balance tricks from a young age, practicing through school lunchtimes, and performing in assemblies long before he had any real sense of what a professional life in juggling might look like.

He shares stories of growing up as the “oddball” who was happy to spend hours practicing while others played football, being encouraged by supportive parents, and learning from local clowns, magicians and street performers. The conversation traces his path from early paid workshop jobs and a brief apprenticeship as an electrician to a life-changing opportunity with Gandini Juggling that pushed him to move to London and try performing professionally.

Along the way, Jon discusses the difference between technical skill and building a genuinely entertaining show, why comedy and juggling belong together, and how mistakes, drops and jeopardy can actually strengthen live performance. He also talks about the misconceptions people have about juggling, the grind behind the glamour, and the strange realities of life on the road. The episode ends with Jon teaching Adam a simple juggling-based fork-and-apple trick, which becomes one of the podcast’s most satisfying small victories.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro, Jon’s comic style, and a preview of performance disasters

00:01 Growing up in Cornwall and starting juggling at six

00:03 Diabolos, juggling props, school performances and becoming the “oddball”

00:08 Supportive parents, early paid workshops, and learning from local clowns and magicians

00:18 Leaving an electrical apprenticeship and taking the leap into full-time performing

00:21 How Jon built a show, found his voice, and learned that personality matters more than tricks alone

00:24 Deliberate drops, live jeopardy, and why failure can make performance better

00:27 Inspirations, juggling’s image problem, and some of Jon’s wildest performance stories

00:35 The A–Z tour, performing in unusual places, and Jon teaches Adam a fork-and-apple trick

00:41 Practice, world records, women in juggling, advice for performers, and the realities of the job

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Artist bio

Ashley Luke Lloyd is a Blackpool-born actor, singer, dancer, choreographer and writer whose career began in childhood on major UK stages and has since spanned West End musicals, touring productions, film, teaching and choreography. He started performing professionally at a young age after being cast in Whistle Down the Wind, touring the UK for four years, and later joined the original cast of Billy Elliot as Michael. Since then, his theatre credits have included Dreamgirls, Jesus Christ Superstar, Saturday Night Fever and Legally Blonde, alongside screen work in films including I Could Never Be Your Woman, working with names such as Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd, Sissy Spacek, Elton John and Tim Curry. Alongside performing, Ashley continues to teach young people in Blackpool and remains a passionate advocate for arts access, regional talent and the power of storytelling.

Episode summary

In this episode of The Variety Show, Adam Sternberg talks with Ashley Luke Lloyd about growing up in Blackpool, discovering theatre through sheer childhood energy, and building a career that has taken him from child stardom to West End productions, film sets and choreography. Ashley reflects on his first break in Whistle Down the Wind, the unusual realities of being a child performer, and what it was like to appear in the original stage production of Billy Elliot at a time when the show was reshaping conversations around masculinity, class and dance.

He shares vivid stories from backstage life, including performing eight shows a week as a child, learning from theatre impresario Bill Kenwright, meeting Elton John, and later working on film projects with Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd and Tim Curry. The conversation moves beyond career highlights into bigger questions about auditions, rejection, live performance, why theatre remains different from film, and why storytelling matters more to Ashley than fame.

Ashley also speaks passionately about arts education, the class barriers facing young performers, and the need to keep creative opportunities open to children from working-class backgrounds and regional communities. The episode closes with a playful segment in which Ashley teaches Adam a small piece of Billy Elliot-inspired choreography and a dramatic line reading from one of his horror films.