Ellesmere showgirl performs at Windsor Castle
When Shropshire showgirl, Janet Mayer had an email asking her to perform at Windsor Castle she thought it was a hoax.
But this weekend Janet and her fellow cabaret artist, Aim Benton, took to the stage in a special outdoor showing of The Greatest Showman inside the inner courtyard at the castle, not open to the public.
The duo work until the banner of J’adore La Vie -Cabaret & Couture’ .
Janet, 28, from Ellesmere, has modelled on catwalks in London and Paris and appeared in some of the top fashion magazines while their cabaret act is sought after across Europe and beyond.
Yet the letter from Windsor Castle took her completely by surprise.
"We actually thought it was a scam when we first received an email whilst boarding the plane to a job a couple months ago.
"It’s not every day you get an email from the chairman of Windsor castle. We read it to each other several times before it actually sunk in and found that it wasn’t a scam as another performer was mentioned in the email who had recommended us for the event.
"The performer and cabaret scene is so small In London everyone brings something different to the table and people who are good stand out and get booked. Identity and originality is everything and we were thrilled that we were recommended."
Janet said Windsor castle has a cinema club and her majesty gives permission for the grounds to be used for screenings for the workers at the castle.
"We entertained the workers in the inner courtyard of the castle which the public are not allowed to enter and were pointed out to which part the queen lives in."
"Every time they screen a film they also have some form of entertainment before the film starts and the film they were showing was the greatest showman so of course they required showgirls. We opened the show with a classic showgirl number to One of Frank Sinatra’s greatest. Hits ‘you make me feel so young’ .
Entertainment also included an acrobat, opera singer and the royal band.
"They ended with God save the Queen sung by the singer and the band which was amazing to witness in the grounds and then the film started screening.
"What we do with our company @jadorelavieduo is hard work but it brings wonderful experiences with it."
