We are 'Pride'

On 16 May 2026, Brussels Pride celebrated its 30th anniversary. Thirty years of struggle, pride, and visibility for the LGBTQIA+ community. It is recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Brussels-Capital Region. Under the theme "When Times Get Darker, We Shine Brighter," more than 200,000 people came to the Belgian capital.

The official opening, three days earlier, took place at The VIAGE Theatre. We deliberately chose to partner for it with a local, queer creative community that understands this story from the inside. Who better suited than Mademoiselle Productions, the company behind Cabaret Mademoiselle, the Brussels collective of drag, burlesque, circus, and comedy founded by Renaud Delauvaux, better known as Mademoiselle Boop? Lou Treuttens, head of projects and partnerships, took charge of the production. She brought together seven artists, two dancers, and a lighting director on our stage.

Rainbow

For Lou, it was immediately clear that this was no "ordinary" assignment. "The most important thing for me was to bring together a panel of artists broad enough to reflect what Pride actually is." She knew that with seven artists you can never show all the colours of the rainbow, but she aimed for a line-up as diverse as possible, both in identities and in disciplines. Drag, burlesque, live singing, performance: each act had to reveal a different facet, and every artist belonged to the Brussels queer scene.

As Head of Projects & Partnerships, Lou forms the bridge between venues and artists. She translates the partner's request into a concept, chooses the right performers, and makes sure the show works from start to finish.

Carte blanche

When asked about the "story" of the show, Lou immediately adds nuance. This was not a classic performance with a single storyline or fixed characters. "The common thread was mainly that I wanted to give the artists the chance to truly bring what they wanted. I gave them carte blanche over the universe they wanted to show and what Pride means to them." That freedom produced an evening full of contrasts: from a werewolf number by Ernesto Coyote to sensual, poetic tableaux and playful, mildly anarchic moments.

A dream venue for queer imagination

For many of those acts, the VIAGE space is an unexpected gift. Where some numbers normally take shape on a tiny stage of just a few square metres, they now unfolded on a wide theatre stage with professional lighting and sound. The grand hall of VIAGE also became an extension of the cabaret: more space, more technical capacity, but the same soul.

"For me as a producer and for the artists, I think this venue is a dream – Théâtre Le VIAGE. It's magnificent, it's vast. There are so many staging possibilities, with double curtains and curtains running in every direction." – Lou, Head of Production at Cabaret Mademoiselle

She praises the technical teams and the freedom she was given. "We were given no creative restrictions whatsoever and could put on the freest show we could wish for to open Pride 2026." Freedom is the key word for Lou; it is the essence of cabaret and of this production.

This collaboration fits perfectly within VIAGE's broader inclusion story, as the first casino in the world to receive the Queer Destinations Committed label. VIAGE is "pride proud" of its contribution to letting local queer talent shine without restraint on a unique stage!

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