Showgirl Magic

Is this my first proper 'What I've Been Up To' blog of 2014? I think it might be... I mean I wrote about New Years Eve but that was half in last year and doesn't really count, and the Resolutions post was more about what I *intend* to be up to... can you tell I'm tired?

So, hello! Welcome to 2014 - how's it been for you so far? I'm exhausted already!

This week has been lovely, if a little hectic: on Sunday I worked with Zebrowski Photography to create a sexy little teaser video for 'Psyche'... (more on that later) and take some promo shots.

Teaser video for Psyche...

 

My favourite images from the shoot

On Monday I was in skating rehearsals, getting back to grips with the ice after the Christmas break! It was great fun to be back with the Burlesque On Ice girlies and we all went for a coffee and lunch mid-skate which was lovely.

Tuesday was a day of meetings and running errands before heading to Simon Drake's House of Magic for a late Christmas show. It was great to meet the fabulous Lolo Brow properly at last as she joined the family for the night, and the show was as wonderful as ever! It's brilliantly bonkers to be part of such a fantastic show and I love it!

Mirror Picture! With Lolo Brow, Stevie and Beulah Bell!

On Wednesday I was back in 'real life' work, and had a bit of a brain-frying day, but it was followed up by a few cheeky, apres-work drinkies with Emma, my manager, which made me feel much more normal before I had to dash off to meet Antonia Lynch, the insanely talented costume designer for Burlesque On Ice, to discuss my costumes for the show. I'm very over-excited about them and can't wait!

After a quick coffee and a chat I had to dash off once again to meet the gorgeous Bruise Violet who has made me the most amazing chiffon boa for 'Psyche' - it's like a candy-floss explosion! Simply gorgeous!

We only had time for a quick hug and for me to pick up the boa before I had to jet back across London as one of my favourite people, Lili La Scala, had invited me to watch Black Cat Cabaret at the opulent Grill Room - the show was incredible; the cast was phenomenal, including Lili herself, Dusty Limits, Vicky Butterfly and the sensational Lady Rizo. I felt like I had been whisked to Paris during the Belle Epoque in such beautiful surroundings and it was a perfect way to end a busy day.

The ceiling of the Grill Room

At the weekend I was excited and nervous: finally debuting my new act, 'Psyche' at Proud Cabaret, City. It's been in development for over a year, since I first had the idea to finally getting my act together (excuse the pun) and performing the damn thing so lots of nerves as a year or so's worth of work came together...

Psyche

The act was inspired, in part, by the legendary Gypsy Rose Lee's signature routine 'Psychology of a Striptease Artist', in which she spoke to the audience about what was on her mind. I wanted to lift the lid on the glamour and seduction of burlesque and reveal what we actually think about while we're performing; contrasting the biggest cliches (over-the-top sparkly costume, the most obvious piece of music) with the mundane mind-wanderings of a performer who has done a routine so many times they can think about what to have for tea while seducing an audience...

Fortunately for my nerves, I performed alongside some wonderful people who were all very lovely about the fact that I lurched between petrified silence and verbal diarrhoea!

Mirror Picture! With Taz Zebrowski, Michael Standen, Betsy Rose and Joe Morose!

So that's that! The next few weeks are a whirlwind as we go into intensive rehearsals for Burlesque On Ice; and I can't wait!
xx

Bring On The Bubbly Wine!

Last shows before Christmas are done!! And the last mental week of the year is finally over - bring on the bubbly wine!

The week began, as usual, at the ice rink rehearsing for Burlesque On Ice - excitingly, this week, Sarah Christou and I choreographed my skating solo and it's going to be sex on skates!

My solo choreography!

Shows this week included several at Proud Cabaret, and House of Magic - all wonderful, if slightly exhausting with the end in sight.

 

Mirror Pictures! With Beau Rocks, Betsy Rose, Abi Collins, Taz Zebrowski and Paul Roberts!

  

Mirror Pictures! With Jamie Moon, Lili La Scala, Taz Zebrowski and Missy Fatale! ** With Adama, Taz, Glorian Gray, Mister Meredith, Betsy Rose and Michael Standen!

Mirror Picture! With Ruby Deshabille!

Christmas Cracker! Mister Meredith and Ronnie!

Merry Christmas Gif from Simon Drake's House of Magic!

I also took part in some early morning filming for an advert which will be shown in the new year - it was a long, slightly stressful day, but ultimately rather good fun.

Photo courtesy of Esme Aydin

Early morning call time... bleurgh!

Today I'm off to finish my Christmas shopping, buy wine and watch cheesy Christmas movies all evening! Blissful!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!
xx

Girl on Fire!

Well this has been a wonderfully busy week!

On Sunday, on a whim, I got my hair cut! A combination of regular bleaching, constant heat styling, industrial strength hairspray and a kitten who apparently likes to groom (eat) my hair while I sleep had left my crowning glory in a rather miserable state. So in a fit of pique I marched into the hairdressers and demanded they sort it out!

New Hair! *Very* short!

That evening I was attending the premier of the film 'Burlesque Assassins' starring a host of Burlesque beauties, including the gorgeous Kiki Kaboom.

With the lady of the evening before she was mobbed by adoring fans!

I'm not going to spoil the film for you; if you get chance to see it though, you really ought to! Very funny, silly, tongue-in-cheek in a classic B-Movie style: I laughed all the way through and Miss Kaboom was awesome! The cheer that went up; both in the opening credits when her name flashed up, and on her first appearance in the movie (hi-jacking an aeroplane if you were wondering) was brilliant!

The evening, at Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, was hosted by Ophelia Bitz and opened with a showing of several short films that had been made by members of the Burlesque and Cabaret scene, including East End Cabaret, Meow Meow, Frisky and Mannish and, of course, Kiki Kaboom. They also showed the 'Cabariot' video which got a huge cheer!

It was lovely to see so many of the London Cabaret scene come out in support of Kiki: there was a great atmosphere and everyone had a fabulous night.

 

Kiki in front of the closing credits ** Playing out after the film

On Monday I had made plans to conquer one of my fears: I am terrified of fire - even striking a match freaks me out a little! So naturally I decided to take a fire class with Red Sarah at The Fire School! 

I joined five others in a freezing warehouse in Hackney for a beginners lesson in body burning and fire eating. It was a real mix of people, from those who had obviously come straight from the office, to stay-at-home mums looking for something exciting to do, to those who wanted to progress to performance level.

Red Sarah showed us the basics of what we were going to learn, then worked individually with each of us on each step, going from holding the wick on our hands, then arms, then tongue then finally eating the fire! 

 

Red Sarah demonstrating basic and advanced fire tricks

At the start of the class, my biggest worry was actually a mental one; would my brain allow me to physically put fire on my skin or in my mouth?! However, with Red Sarah taking us through baby steps at a really relaxed pace, and with constant reassurance at every point, I actually did it! 

I didn't burn myself to a crisp, though I did smell like a barbecue and my tongue felt like I'd been eating really spicy vindaloo! I bought some fire sticks that Red Sarah makes herself; I just hope I'll be brave enough to practise without her supervising me all the way!

On Wednesday I was back with Red Sarah! This time we were both taking part at a very exciting film shoot - 'Burlesque 3D' !! I took my 'Peacock Dance' routine and Red Sarah had her 'Cherry Balloon' act, both of which should look great in 3D.

 

Waiting around on film sets

Very expensive, specialist 3D camera equipment - I wasn't allowed anywhere near it!

It was a very long, cold day, but a very exciting experience: I think I pulled muscles in my arms from performing my fan/isis wing act about ten times in a row, and all I could think was 'thank heaven they didn't ask for one of my pointe acts!' However it was great fun and I can't wait to see our acts on screen!

 

Red Sarah on stage and screen ** Mirror Picture!

After the film shoot, I dashed off to Proud Cabaret for a packed out Christmas show with a typically fabulous and festive line-up including Mat Ricardo, Electra and the gorgeous Sophia St. Villier!

Mirror Picture! With Jolie Papillon, Dan Serra and Lili La Scala

 

Messing around backstage

On Thursday I woke up to very exciting news: an interview I did a while ago has been featured in 'Vintage Life' magazine along with a picture of me performing at Proud, taken by Neil Lewis for Behind Burlesque!

Vintage Life - December 2012

It was lovely to feature alongside one of my good friends, Dolly Rose, talking about Proud Cabaret, performing Burlesque and our inspirations and beauty tips! It's the second or third time I've had photographs of me in Vintage Life, but the first time I've been interviewed for it so it's a huge honour to have an article in my favourite magazine!

On Saturday I had a lovely little show at a gorgeous Casino in the West End - I don't think the guests were quite prepared for Burlesque during their dinner, but it seemed to go down very well!

Beautiful 'Capones Hideaway' themed venue

The rest of the week has been filled with admin, new act research (I have a new one on the way that I'm *very* excited about!) and taking time out for coffee breaks and pink wine with some of my lovely friends. 

Coco DuBois Vogueing at Proud Cabaret!

With being so busy at the moment, I'm finding it more difficult than usual to relax and switch off. I was recommended by Lili La Scala to try hypnosis to overcome my insomnia, so I downloaded a couple of 'deep sleep' apps that she suggested. I didn't fall asleep during the recording, even though I listened to it twice, however once the second time round came to an end, I fell asleep straight away! Apparently this is pretty normal for people with completely sporadic sleeping patterns and it should get better in a week or so, so fingers crossed!

Bang Tidy

This weekend saw me heading up to Leeds for the wonderfully named show "Bang Tidy Burlesque" run by the indomitable Heidi Bang Tidy.

Backstage with Lilly Laudanum and Anna Fur Laxis

I was performing my act 'Snowstorm' for the final time before retiring this act - I have had it for so many years and I never felt it was working quite the way I wanted it too, so time to hang it up and concentrate on new ventures. However the show was fabulous and it was lovely to see so many old friends. I even got a few pictures back from the night already!

 

 

Pictures from 'Corbeau' and 'Snowstorm' by Laurie Cooper-Murray

Quote of the night came from Anna Fur Laxis: "Shall I show you how to kerb a mother-f**ker?"

I took a trip to Brighton this week to visit Louise O'Mahony who makes my costumes - we're working on a few new ones so it was time to get measured while wearing my tightlacing corset to make sure the dresses fit! Louise is fabulous and also runs my favourite vintage dress company 'Oh My Honey' 

 

A windy day on Brighton Pier

 

Sneak peek of my new costume bits...

I also managed to have a day off this week, and took advantage of it to go to the National Portrait Gallery with the beautiful Dolly Rose to visit the Marilyn Monroe exhibition.

 

Now those of you who watch the television abomination that is The X Factor will be aware of the head judge, Gary Barlow, using the words "Too Cabaret" to critique a singer that he believes is sub-par. The cabaret community didn't take too well to this insult, and so, organised by Frisky and Mannish, came together for a Cabariot Protest Video...

9:30 *A.M.*?? With Benjamin Louche, Joe Black, Vicky Butterfly, Coco DuBois, Victor Victoria, and Mat Ricardo

It was a long, tiring but utterly fabulous day with the cream of London Cabaret performers, all coming together in a cacophony of gospel vocals. We had brainwashing, sequins, passionate solos, convenient lighting changes, pizza, knives, witty one-liners, makeovers, endless tea, and lots and lots of giggling. 

 

Cabarati Assemble! ** Coco and Caroline take advantage of Joe's doughnuts...

 

Joe Black ** Vicky Butterfly

 

Laurie Hagen and Sally ** Mat Ricardo

I can't wait to see the final result... I shall post it here when it's ready! In the meantime, Mat has also written a blog about the Caberiot, with much better photos than mine! You can have a read of that here...

xx