About Me
"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
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
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
The Biz. ITV Eastern Region. July 2001
About
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
The Buzz Feature BBC Radio
Hope FM
The
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
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
"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
Mike Hancock. Cabaret Heaven.
What a star! Thank you for gracing
Phil Harrison, Grand Theatre
A triumph! They loved your singing and hung on every word of your
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,
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.