Little Peaches
just peachy
Burlesque and cabaret star Little Peaches has no problem being fruity — as she opens up about owning the stage and breaking down barriers as a disabled performer
Words Thomas Stichbury
DANCE THERAPY: Performing gives Little Peaches some respite from the pain of her condition
Images BBC
Most of us feel more comfortable with our clothes firmly on (oh, hello, Spandex), and on the occasion where a birthday suit is required, flattering lighting is non-negotiable; “No, babe, you can’t switch on the bedside lamp!” Not Little Peaches, though, who has embraced the bare necessities of life, tapping into the storytelling power of her badass body as one of the most exciting burlesque and cabaret stars on the scene.
Born in Australia but based in Liverpool, Little Peaches was diagnosed with Ehlers- Danlos syndromes (a disorder affecting the body’s connective tissues) when she was 23. Doctors told Little Peaches that she would end up in a wheelchair if she continued dancing — but dance is her life and a temporary escape from the dayto-day pain of her chronic condition. Now performing in her chair, she is doing everything she can to uplift and improve accessibility for disabled artists.
“I was diagnosed and told that I needed to stop dancing, but I had to dance”
The fruits of her labour were her scintillating pre-COVID show DisabiliTease, featuring solely performers with visible and non-visible disabilities, the subject of BBC documentary DisabiliTease: Owning the Stage. Catching up over video call, Little Peaches, who identifies as queer femme, discusses living with — but not being defined by — EDS, and how she is knocking down barriers. There is also an unexpected amount of lobster chat, which is pretty (ahem) clawsome.