Iestyn edwards

"Loved it! Must see more...clever you!"  Anne Robinson via e-mail.

I am a classically trained singer, actor, vaudeville headliner and author of the memoir My Tutu Went AWOL, published by Unbound Books in March 2017.  As seen in the line-up for Saturday nights at the Cafe de Paris, the Hippodrome Leicester Square, the Rah Rah Club and as specialty act on the international Evening of Burlesque tour.  I've toured four times entertaining British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, performed privately for all the senior members of the royal family (with the exception of Prince Charles), guested in the Olivier Award winning show C'est Barbican.  For Channel 4: Madame Galina's Whirlwind Guide to Ballet and The Rough Guide to Choreography.  For BBC: Ruby Wax Does the Business.  Acclaimed internationally at theatre runs in Stockholm, Cape Town, Trondheim, Helsinki, Amsterdam, the Seychelles, Copenhagen, et al. 

                                    Film Credits

James - Use Your Energy Wisely!  Directed by Mary Nighy 2012

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0S2YlgbCdY

Office Ballerina, produced and directed by Mary Nighy 2011

www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7gyKvEc-Vc

                                           TV Credits

Links for Ballet Russes. GPD. Sky Arts. January 2009.

Mini-doc   Artsworld.  May 2008

BFBS Forces TV.  January 2006

Boom Janet Street-Porter. Pilot  TalkBack ITV.  February 2006

Ruby Wax Does The Business, BBC3 September 2004

The Rough Guide To Choreography. Channel 4 July 2004

Madame Galina?s Whirlwind Guide To Ballet Channel 4 July 2004

All Sorts Feature Channel 4.  Five broadcasts between 01 and 05.

Arts East.  ITV1 Eastern Region.  Roland Rivron November 2003

Big Breakfast Edinburgh Special Channel 4 August 2001

The Biz.  ITV Eastern Region.  July 2001

About Anglia Feature May 1999

Anglia News Item February 1999

Newspapers and Radio

The Telegraph, feature

The Shortlist, book preview

Vice Magazine, book preview

Saturday Live, Radio 4, March 2017, interview about My Tutu Went AWOL

Time Out Bargain of The Week

The London Paper Feature

The Buzz Feature BBC Radio London

Hope FM Cape Town Interview

The Times Cape Town Feature

Desert Island Discs  Recording played by Joanna Lumley

BFBS Radio

Midweek Radio 4

Real Magazine, feature spread

La Donna Della Reppublica

Full House Magazine, feature spread

Mail On Sunday middle-page spread

Woman's Hour, Radio 4, guest crowned (ironically)  Forces' Sweetheart

Soldier Magazine

Iraq Diary published in Wales On Sunday

BFBS Forces Radio

The Times T2 Cover story

Loose Ends Radio 4

Sunday Times Style Feature

In The Radar.  Mail On Sunday

The Times 2 Libby Purves

                                       Press Quotes

"A fond farewell to the spectacular Madame Galina, who held us in thrall every night this week?eccentric and entertaining?More! More!"

                                                   Chistopher Matthew, Daily Mail TV Critic

"Irrepresible, tour de force variety?totally dominated the proceedings, in a good way of course."

                                                    Tommy Holgate, The Sun

 "An excrutiatingly funny cod ballet masterclass. Whipped a quiet Monday crowd into frenzy!" 

                                                     Swedish Daily Journal

"Totally absorbing?had the whole audience enraptured."

                                                   48 Hours Cape Town

"Bonkers diva brilliance...his jokes are spot on and the dancing not nearly as bad as you might expect from a flat-footed lard arse...he is essential viewing"                                    

                                                  Evening Standard

"Madame Galina is sensational...brilliantly written and fantastically funny."         

                                                     ***** The Stage

"Amazing...the body movements of Natalia Makarova, the body type of Johnny Vegas.  Madame Galina is a unique and fabulous creation."

                                                       **** The Scotsman

"With aplomb in everything she does, the autocratic chubette serves up cunning double ententes and multiple pirouettes while chivvying the audience into hilarious onstage participation.  More bolshy than Bolshoi!"

                                                         The Herald

                                             Testimonials

Heart-stopping...truly divine singing...a rich, masculine singing voice used with such emotion - and I had to follow him!

                                               Roger Lloyd Pack

 I very much want to thank you for your magnificent performance. It was enjoyed immensely by all, not least Her Majesty the Queen.

                                                Lord West. Minister for Security.

Hilarious but also rather touching! Go, Tutuboy, you rock!

                                                 Joanna Lumley by e-mail

You were the highlight of my wedding evening.  You looked - may I say - so beautiful, and as for your dancing: totally unexpected - those pirouettes!  Your routine with the best man and my father were hysterical!  Thank you so very much.

                                                    Lady Antonella de Brasz, wedding for Henry Bonas Events

You read the room perfectly to get belly laughs out of us all. 

                                                    Emma Kettle, Team Origin

All done lovingly and with great wit and charm.

                                                    Nicholas Parsons

 Iestyn has a beautiful voice and the artist's ability to slide between being poignant and being funny without the slightest sense of a jolt or change of gear.

                                           Craig Brown

 One of the all-time greats!

                                                     Matt Witley, Chief Exec Medium Rare Cabaret

Madame Galina, what can I say? You ARE the show! Thank you for making our usually very low key corporate team night an absolute gem of a memory at Volupte. I don't think I have ever seen some of our team smile let alone laugh that hard!! (especially shy little Michael, he is now very popular in the office.)  

I am now your number 1 fan and will definitely be spreading the Galina word. I really admire and respect your work with the Armed Forces serving abroad, my boyfriend is a Royal Marine and I can't wait to bring him along to see your show next time, he will wet himself!

If I could sum up my Iestyn experience in three words they would be HILARITY, CLASS, MAGIC!

                                                Jess Robbins, PA to GM'S  Samsung Electronics UK Ltd

Genius!!! Genius!!! What can you say about Madame Galina? A sensation at the Showzam Ball. Totally. 1200 people in the palm of his/her hand. SO quick and witty. Madame Galina really has to have the big time now?

                                                     Antony Johns

One of my favourite acts ever.

                                                      Bioux Lee Hayes,   Hippodrome Casino

He sounded fantastic and his singing was a wonderful contrast to the other acts in the show. . And as Madame Galina he is just fabulous. It?s been sheer pleasure working with him ? he is a joy!
                                                           Sarah Rowlands

Of the many variety acts I've put on in the last 13 years, Madame Galina was one of the funniest and loveliest to deal with. Not only was he hilarious with great rapport with the audiences in Otley and Hebden Bridge but, amazingly, he can actually dance which rather took people's breath away. I can't recommend him highly enough.

                                                           Mike Hancock. Cabaret Heaven.

 What a star! Thank you for gracing Blackpool with your balletic presence Iestyn. You added a touch of class to the Showzam Festival and kept everyone en pointe on Saturday evening. Just wished you were around for longer. I loved meeting you, thought your act was fantastic and I do hope we get a chance to see you again.

                                                            Phil Harrison, Grand Theatre Blackpool.

A triumph! They loved your singing and hung on every word of your Afghanistan stories ? both poignant but also managing to coax rolls of laughter, particularly when your Royal Marine kept dumping you out of the way on whatever armoured vehicle was near to hand!!! I could just see it. And as for Madame herself, what is there more to say? Bravo you for yourself, but also because it makes me look bloody good for booking you!

                                                             Jeremy Nicholas, Gramophone Magazine

 Dear Iestyn, I've had some fabulous feedback about your performance at my party - thanks again for being a brilliant professional and really approachable guest. People really appreciated the chance to chat with you afterwards.

                                                              Rt. Hon. Diane Anans

 You were completely wonderful. Everyone was going round saying: 'Could you believe what we just saw?' Thank you very, very, very excellently much!

                                                              Sarah Bullen,  Avington Park.

I cannot thank you enough for coming to dance last Tuesday, you quite made the party and everyone said how fantastic and funny you were and how much they enjoyed your act. I must say I did not realise either my son (Jamie) or nephew (Charlie) had so much artistic flair, you made them do things I have never seen them do before! I do hope you got back alright, though sorry you did not stay for supper, it sounded as though you had a very full week and I quite understood you having to go, I just think we were very fortunate you agreed to come at all.

                                                                    Lady Georgina Black

                                     Venues include

The Clore Studio Royal Opera House, Kempinski Resort, Seychelles, Grand Theatre/Tower Ballroom/ Merrie England North Pier/Paradise Lounge Blackpool, various military bases in Iraq/Afghanistan, Barbican London main stage/Pit, The Baxter Theatre Cape Town, Soho Theatre, Leicester Square Theatre, Soho Revue, Leeds City Varieties, Sheffield City Hall, Hay-on-Wye Festival, Madam JoJo?s, Cabaret Heaven: Otley: Leeds: Hebden Bridge, Oval House Theatre, Stratford Theatre Royal, Leeds City Varieties, Lowry Salford, Royal Court Liverpool, City Hall Sheffield, Lowdown At The Albany, Hay-On-Wye Festival, Royal International Pavilion Llangollen (three times), Theatr Clwyd, New Wolsey, Waterfront Newport, Torch Theatre, Theatre Royal Winchester, Spiegeltent in Brighton, Colchester and Rotherham, Theatre Royal Bury St. Edmunds, Theatre Royal Margate, Pleasance, Westacre Theatre, Crystal Ballroom Waldorf Hotel, Die Freche Muse, Queen?s Head, Cosmo Club, Cobden Club, Club Kabaret, Everyman Cheltenham, Norwich Arts Centre, Haverhill Arts Centre, Riverside Studios West Acre, Rothes Halls Fife, Unity Theatre Liverpool, Chester Gateway, Theatr Hafren, Theatr Brechioniog, Wyeside Arts Centre, Maltings St. Albans, Guildhall Grantham, Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield, Square Chapel Halifax, Keay Theatre, Quay Theatre.