‘We are a living archive’: Inside Paris’ queer underground cabaret scene
A feature examining Paris’s thriving underground LGBTQ+ cabaret ecosystem, extending beyond the mainstream Moulin Rouge and Crazy Horse venues. The article documents smaller, queerness-centred establishments including La Bouche (a lesbian cabaret operating from a cave space near Sacré-Cœur, founded by Bili Bellegarde and Mascare in 2022), Venus Noire (a troupe centred on Black queer performers founded by Michelle Tshibola), and Madame Arthur (celebrating its 80th anniversary in Pigalle, established in 1946 as a gender-flipping alternative venue). The piece contextualises this scene within cabaret’s historical queerness, referencing Colette’s 1907 Moulin Rouge performance with her lover Missy and the Weimar-era Eldorado club. Additional venues documented include Pov’Konnes, Les Meneuses, L’Heure Exquise, and others. Interviews with performers La Biche, La Believance, and pianist Flack Fontaine emphasise how these spaces blend historic legacy with contemporary queer performance culture. Photography by Chanel Victor accompanies the reporting.
Original article published on Dazed — AI-generated summary. Visit the website to read the full article at the source. Image via Dazed.
