In the Spotlight: Dominus Von Vexo!

Rubys Rebels
Jan 21
11 min read

Q. Can you tell us a bit about your journey? How did you first get into drag and burlesque?

I was someone who didn't fit in. I hated school. I wanted more for myself. I had little access to the arts. Then I saw a little film called Step Up. The freedom I saw from the dancers pushed me to join my local dance school at 16 (which is ancient in the dance world). I did one hour a week doing ballroom and Latin beginners, with older people, and I loved it. I got asked to teach. Then I went to uni. From there, I co-founded a society called BCU Burlesque. This was when the musical Burlesque was big! Rather irresponsibly, started teaching and producing shows. It was accelerating and filled with community. It showed me the power of this art form, how it changed and empowered people for the better. It was diverse and beautiful. An echo chamber, yes... but something that defined the start of a life-changing journey for me. It was around this time that I started going out to the Birmingham scene. Lots of alcohol and queer fun, haha! The drag scene was starting to build up. But it lacked diversity and creativity, everyone looked the same. I was performing boylesque, and it just was not accepted. The women I cared about were not accepted. So I started doing drag as a business move. They understood it then. It had worth. I challenged bars and produced sell-out burlesque shows as House of Allure, bringing women into that space, different bodies, ethnicities and different skill sets. It changed the game in the Birmingham queer scene. There was a lot of rage, a lot of learning about the industry and how I can best contribute to it. But it really fortified my morals, values and love for these art forms. I see my journey as ongoing, and I can't wait to see what my next steps are! Birmingham is different now because of this work, and it changed for the better. Many others and I really banded together and made something impactful.

Q. You’ve become one of Birmingham’s most recognised performers and producers. What has been the most memorable moment of your career so far?

Agh! Such a hard question! There are so many moments. I can't just choose one! So I have chosen 3!

Producer Highlight: Worlds Away 2023

I produced a sell-out show at The Nightingale Club in Birmingham. This was the first gay club I went to and I was hooked. Several years later, I pushed the technology the venue had to its limits. Elevated burlesque and drag to a level of creativity that the city had never seen. It was diverse, political, raunchy and artistic. I managed to secure Arts Council funding, allowing us to reach the stars. It was just a really significant moment, where me and others transformed the space into something really special, showing our queer scene what you can do when you put your mind to it. It was a really defining game-changing moment. It paved the way for a lot of wonderful Birmingham art to follow. We are bringing a version back of it for Birmingham Drag and Burlesque Festival 2026... I can't wait! It is definitely my most sentimental creation.

Performer Highlight: Boylesque Drag Festival Berlin Wintergarten 2025

I was gagged when I got the email to perform. I had seen the Windergarten before. It is breathtaking. It has a huge glass wall of Josephine Baker... a legend! I was booked to take my 'No Ordinary Love' act (really stripped back, something I made for me as an artist, free of producer and commercial needs), in this beautiful lavish venue. I was gagged, because I was working class from Rubery. I haven't danced, had access to the arts or had any training. It was a real moment to reflect on my journey. I got through a lot of trauma, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, suicide attempts, and a hard journey with bipolar. It was one moment for me and a solo artist. It will stay with me for a long time. It also motivated me to push so much harder.

Community Highlight: Birmingham Pride Parade

This will be my marking decade of doing this. Each year, my class and I perform down the streets of my hometown. Being proud, bringing joy and living authentically. Made up of queer people, women supporting other women, allies (which I think should have a space, these people also deserve space in our community, they were the ones helping people during the aids crisis too). It is a beautiful mix of people, inspiring adults of all ages and children. That joy means something to people. In a dark world, it brings such a lot of light. I put my best foot forward for this because pride is a protest. Our space has to be fought for, and things are so much better for many of us, it isn't for everyone. Queer joy is important to be seen.

Q. You're the creator of the House of Allure and now the Birmingham Drag & Burlesque Festival. What motivated you to start classes, producing shows and supporting other artists?

I have always loved teaching, being creative and supporting others. This has been the constant motivation throughout my career so far. I love seeing other people shine, I love being excited over new ideas, seeing people grow, bringing joy to audiences, challenging social norms, and being political. It's fun, it's fabulous, it's colourful! I am obsessed with it! I get to be surrounded by people, nine times out of ten, who share the same morals and values. I live and breathe this world. I think seeing so many underdogs succeed and grow is the real reward. I am also shit at any other type of work... so I guess I will keep on going, doing what I love.

Q. How does your creative process work when developing a new act or performance piece?

I don't have a linear process when creating work. Through producing shows and being fortunate enough, I have a lot of bookings and demands. Sometimes a themed show will come along that requires a one-off act, sometimes I need a commercial piece, which is very pretty to help with commercial bookings. Stages of different shapes and sizes, how I transport something, etc. All comes into it. Sometimes I sketch, sometimes I see a film or listen to a piece of music. Each springboards in different ways. I think I do a lot of different types of acts, so it makes sense that the process massively varies for me. One thing that I do focus on is how I make something me, and does it connect to my soul. I have a book filled with ideas, some come out immediately, others sit and fine-tune for years, or I can't quite click it into place yet. I think the creative process can sometimes be quite disjointed for producers. For me, our performances always come last. We need to make sure a show sells, people are safe, and the audience is comfortable. This can impact the creative process a lot for me. I found entering competitions provided me with a bit of fire to create for myself as an artist. I was never interested in winning (although it is a lovely feeling), but it was about making a promise to myself, to invest and nurture my own process outside of producing, judging, teaching, etc. I know not everyone enjoys competitions, and it can create toxic environments. But I was able to find my space within that. I share bits of my creative process, such as sketches on my Instagram! I always enjoy talking about this, so feel free to DM me. I love hearing about how others make their work too!

Q. Burlesque and drag can blur traditional performance boundaries. How do you approach or challenge gender and identity through your art?

This is such an interesting question! I think I use both burlesque and drag as a tool to be creative. I like to try different ideas, channelling into power and feel lots of different things. I use these art forms as a vessel to express that. I don't think that I necessarily think about gender and identity when I do it. I am just in a state of being and express quite freely, which is a really wonderful thing. I have always respected women a huge amount, and I think that through queer coding in Hollywood and Disney villains, women were often given 'queer' roles. So that influenced and inspired me a lot, being something I could identify parts of myself in. Seeing different bodies and people celebrated, being unapologetic, being political, and having a point of view are the types of role models I look up to. Thus, influencing the type of performance I do. I think working in commercial spaces sometimes, looking the way I do, challenges a lot of heteronormative ideals and creates a lot of conversation. Of course, there are horrible comments or negative feelings. But on the whole, I find it brings out the best in people and opens some beautiful conversations. It is actually something I really enjoy about my job. It gives me a lot of hope for the future!

Q. What’s one lesson you’ve learned about yourself through performing that you didn’t expect when you first started?

So many lessons learned and so many more to learn. I think for me, it was about how much power I hold. Power in the sense that if I want to make something happen, I absolutely hold the power to do that. It takes a lot of work, but I can create that if I put my mind to it. Growing up and being working class, I have ended up on stages I never dreamed possible at one point. Pumped hundreds of thousands of pounds of work into our industry. Helped elevate others to reach their potential, so they can shine. These were all things I didn't think working-class people could achieve. So that was something I have learned and something I am very proud of.

Q. When you’re not performing or producing, where do you go to recharge or find inspiration?

Rest! What is rest! This is something I still struggle to navigate. There are always things to do, demands to meet, and issues that occur. It is a tough balancing act. To switch off, if I can afford to. I enjoy going to the Disney/Universal Parks. Being on top of a rollercoaster, scared for my life, takes performing and producing out of my head. Not sure that is the healthiest... and says more about me haha! But it does recharge me.

Inspiration strikes in all kinds of places... mainly the shower... but often when I just let my mind wander, amongst all of the chaos and demands of work. I do give myself time to just sit, explore and remind myself to love what I do and remain creative. Finding that creative space for any performer and producer, when they step into that commercial world, is often one of the first things to go. It takes a level of discipline to look after your creative soul like that. I find that inspiration in those spaces just floods in. I view inspiration as a gift, and I think my natural curiosity, love for both drag/burlesque and learning, allows me to keep engaged.

Q. For emerging performers looking to break into burlesque or drag, what’s one crucial piece of advice you would give them?

Don't do it!... Just joking! It is always a super exciting point for anyone entering these wonderful artworks for the first time. My advice would be... try everything... explore... respect the journey. You might not know yourself, what you want to say, and who you are. Even if you have a good sense of who you are, that changes and constantly evolves. Don't try to define yourself too early. Organic evolution and growth are worth its weight in gold. Take that time to develop your creative voice, find what you like, and learn where your strengths are. It is a long game... but the rewards are plentiful.

Q. How have audiences and the performance scene changed since you began, especially in terms of inclusivity and diversity?

I think this is something that is always changing. I have seen diversity and inclusivity fluctuate constantly. Sometimes it's thriving, other times not so much. It is great seeing more conversations about how producers are all on their journeys and starting to talk more. I think that has and will integrate a lot more change and make way for more good practice as a whole. There are amazing producers out there doing amazing work. I do think that COVID and the lasting impact this has had on the entertainment industry has caused a lot of barriers for performers in terms of pay, opportunity and worth in venues' eyes. This has wiped out a lot of creative diversity, I feel. I think we are very much back in the age of the showgirl, in the age of a high kick, split drag queen. I want to see more skill and concept diversity. The talent and ideas are there. We just need the industry to thrive for all of that beautiful work to come to the surface more. There is always work to do, voices that need to be heard, and bodies that need to be platformed. It takes a team effort to keep it all going in a positive direction. Burlesque and drag are built by people who have had to earn and fight for their space. That fight is still happening. It can be exhausting, challenging and taxing. But we all need to keep doing it to keep it all alive.

Q. You’ve recently launched the Birmingham Burlesque Festival, with its first edition debuting this November. What inspired you to create the festival, and what does it mean to you personally?

The industry has suffered a lot in the past few years. It still is. Over 50% of queer spaces have closed in Birmingham alone. I have seen so many wonderful shows cancelled. Producers stop. Performers feel defeated. House of Allure has done extremely well. We have luckily still sold out and kept afloat... but it has been a challenge. We like so many others, are in survival mode. Birmingham Drag and Burlesque Festival is something I always wanted to do. But it was just a small idea in a book.

With so little hope for the industry... I felt I needed to amp it up. Go big or go home. If the industry is suffering, and it's a struggle. Let's pull in the other direction. I want to fight for the talent in Birmingham and contribute to our industry. It is my hope for the festival that something wonderful is made that can have a positive impact on our communities and industry and create something sustainable. It is a lot of work, but it feels right. I feel ready! I am so excited! I hope to see a lot of people there and hope that it can become an exciting staple in the UK Burlesque and Drag calendar. I am putting everything I can into this. My heart and soul! It is giving me the same fuel as when I first forged House of Allure... COVID diminished that fire. But I'm ready to Walk With Thunder!

Find more information about the festival here, and I hope many people consider applying or come along!

https://www.birminghamdragandburlesquefestival.co.uk

Just for fun! This or That?

Sequins or feathers?

I am an ostrich boa hoe!

Lip sync or live vocals?

I think the audience would prefer me to lip-sync, hahah!

Audience cheers or backstage bants?

Backstage bants fill my soul, if you get the right backstage, it can be magic.

Classic burlesque or modern twist?

I like authenticity! Whatever shape it comes in.

Red lipstick or bold eye makeup?