Cheer Up Luv!
A Cabaret presented by Wayward
June 28 at 7:00pm
A fierce, funny cabaret inspired by the phrase women know all too well.
Join us for an unforgettable night of music, mayhem, and unapologetic honesty with Cheer Up, Luv! a bold feminist cabaret exploring the moment when patience runs out, the smile drops, and the reply you’ve always wanted to give finally comes out loud and clear.
Blending powerhouse musical theatre numbers and soulful classics alongside your favourite songs from the acclaimed WAYWARD musical, this cabaret dives into rage, resilience, exhaustion, joy, and the delicious freedom of saying what you really think.
Expect stories of catcalling, people-pleasing, quiet fury, survival, friendship, and rebellion, all told with wit, warmth, and a healthy dose of chaos. Laugh, cringe, cheer, and maybe even feel a little seen as our performers unleash the words women are so often told to swallow.
Bring your friends, raise a glass, and join us for a night that celebrates the tipping point, because sometimes “cheer up, luv” is the very last thing you should say.
Seating is unreserved. Terms and Conditions Tickets are sold subject to our terms and conditions Wheelchair users and other seating accommodation requests If you are a wheelchair user or have another request for seating accommodation, please book via telephone (020 7353 1700) or email the office at least one week in advance so we can make arrangements to meet your needs. One carer per wheelchair user may attend at no cost if booked at the same time. |
 Chaachi Deane (Book, Music & Lyrics) is an actor-singer, songwriter and dramatist whose work blends bold emotional honesty with sharply comic storytelling. She shapes the concepts, characters and narrative world of Wayward, crafting melodies, lyrics and the book with a distinctive mix of wit and tenderness. Working closely with Izzy Ajani, the pair develop the show’s musical ideas and shape the feel of each number. Her songs and scenes have been performed at The Phoenix Arts Club and The Other Palace, and she co-created the music for the BBTA-nominated Ain’t I a Woman? (2024). |
 Izzy Ajani (Music & Orchestration) is a pianist, composer and multidisciplinary artist known for inventive underscoring and richly textured musical design. She develops the harmonic landscape, accompaniment and arrangements for Wayward, as well as music directing the duo’s work. Izzy also works with Chaachi on generating and shaping melodic ideas, creating the show’s musical identity through a genuinely co-creative process. Her compositions for the BBTA-nominated Ain’t I a Woman? (2024), have been featured in performances across London and East Anglia. |
 Charmaine Jing (she/her) is a Hong Kong-born and London-based actor singer. Previous credits include Ilse in Spring Awakening (The Byre), Cathy in The Last 5 Years (The Byre), Darcy in An Acquired Taste (The White Bear), Kid in Compositor E (Omnibus), and Goblin in Scenes for 15 Actors in a Time of War (Alexandra Palace). |
 Elaine Kline (She/Her) is a London-based American actor/singer/theatre maker. Originally from Boston, MA, Elaine earned a Bachelors in Music Performance from Berklee College of Music, and is an MFA Acting graduate of East 15. Recent performances include: The Scarborough Fringe, The Pheasantry, ArtsDepot, Calling at Hoxton Hall, and Semi-Monde at the Bridewell. You can also catch her performing her one-woman show, A Full Plate, as part of Camden Fringe at the Rosemary Branch Theatre on the 14th and 17th of August! |
 Shelby Corley (she/her) is a Gemini from Los Angeles, California. A recent graduate of East 15 Acting School, she is especially proud of her work with Native Voices, the only theater in the United States devoted to producing new works by Indigenous American artists. Recent credits: Party Favour (Fringe Theatre Awards Nomination for Solo Performance in a Play), Golden Age (Greenwich Theatre Pick of the Fringes). |
 Lani Calvert is an actor, singer (and recently qualified yoga teacher) who trained at Mountview! She has previously sung on cruises, in cabarets and in concerts. Her most recent credits include Shakespeare for Breakfast and Toil and Trouble with The Globe Players. She is directing this year’s production of Shakespeare for Breakfast at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. |
 Sophie Hirsh is thrilled to be taking part in Cheer up, Luv! and to be back on stage after a brief hiatus spent raising her two young children. Most recently, she performed in Alturas Theatre Company’s New Artist Cabaret. Previous credits include Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, Woman 1 in Songs for a New World, and Carmen in Fame, all with City Academy. Sophie is excited to be finding her voice – and her spotlight – once again. |
 Kate Gabriel is a North London based actor who trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, graduating with an MA in Musical Theatre. She has appeared in theatre and cabaret performances across London and is excited to join Wayward Theatre Company for this concert. |
 Originally from the Canary Islands, Alex Isora is a 3rd Year BA Musical Theatre student at Italia Conti Graduating in 2026. Her previous credits include: performing at The Other Palace in Stage Fright: The Blood Soaked Songbook as a Featured Vocalist and at The Phoenix Arts Club in ‘West End Show Stoppers’ as a Featured Vocalist. Outside of musical theatre, Alex is a circus artist, specialising in Aerial Hoop and Silks, and Stilt Walking and having worked with France based circus company Cie Les Enjoliveurs. |
 Emily Carmichael is an actor who, despite having made her debut in a musical at ten years old, is fairly new to this particular world. Her roles in productions have ranged from open-air Shakespeare to touring to fringe theatres in her native London. So far this year, she has appeared with the award-winning sketch comedy group, Forced Rhubarb, played Dawn in Jerusalem, and Emily in Emma or Emily, a play with opera. Following its acclaimed opening at the Brighton Fringe Festival in May, the production will be a part of the Tête à Tête opera festival in September at The Cockpit in London. Emily is also the lead singer in The Likewisers, a covers band whose programming ranges from The Runaways to Wilson Pickett. |
 Anoä-Kanelle Calpas (she/they) is a multidisciplinary London-based performer by night and scientist by day, currently studying at Imperial College London and training with the National Youth Theatre. As an avid fan of bold storytelling and complex characters, she is thrilled to be part of another Wayward cabaret, following five sold-out performances over the past few months. Other recent credits include the BBTA-winning Ain’t I A Woman?, Hairspray (SEDOS), The Crucible (SEDOS), Rep Book of Fate (Taylor Jay Productions), Funny Girls: A Celebration of Barbra (Sanderson & Rattray), ACT ONE (Happy Now Theatre), and a featured performance at Merton Pride 2025. |
 Taleesha Gheewala studied Music with Musical Theatre at the University of Chichester and enjoys performing a diverse repertoire spanning classical music and musical theatre. Alongside her work as a singing teacher and choir leader, she continues to pursue her passion for performance and storytelling through song. She is delighted to be part of Cheer Up Luv! and to share this powerful celebration of women’s stories. |
 Bruce Williams has played guitar and bass in several bands over the years. More recently he has moved into musical comedy and is one half of 3 Wise Men, as well performing solo as ‘bluesman’ Bunny Hopkyns. Bruce became involved in Wayward after Bunny performed on the same bill as Chaachi and Izzy last year. |
