Three years of the Perth International Burlesque Festival

Headed by Adora Derriere and Coco Poppin' from Sugar Blue Burlesque the Perth International Burlesque Festival has been hitting its stride from year one.

This year I would be without Perth locals Agatha Frisky and Kitty Litteur who have escaped the cat race and are tending the stages in Toronto - where I'll soon be joining them!
I arrived Thursday afternoon and flagged down a dapper looking Charlie D.Barkle in a three piece grey suit. He took me to Maylands where one of my hosts, Perrie (Ruby Slippers) was waiting on the sunny porch steps.

With Lulu Liquer at the opening party, photo by David Wooley

Ruby accessorised my dress, adding a fur stole, black gloves, necklace and fancy updo to my vintage black velvet gown.
The opening party was great, a chance to mingle and catch up with friends from all over Australia who had made the trek West to Perth as well as the locals who are always in fine form.
From Lallah Rook we moved on to Devilles nightclub where kareoke was in full swing and Magnus was holding court on stage.

Dumplings at Darlings

We took over Darlings for late night dumplings and drinks and then retired for a thankful night in bed.
I awoke after a short five hour sleep and spent the morning sneaking around the house trying not to wake the Maylands girls. Chat their cat was quick to sense that someone was awake and came out to the kitchen to wail for food.

Chat testing the smoothie

Ruby rose to make me a super super food smoothie of banana, cacao, chia see, milk, yoghurt and bee pollen. She tested me for allergies by insisting I rub the bee pollen on my hand.

Charlie dropped by around 11:30 with a giant cardboard box that Anne and I deconstructed to create a crate, we took a tea break before Anne armed herself and painted in the wood grain.

The Amazing Anne (Flying Wolf Co) at work

My phone was still set to Tasmanian time when I  ran outside to where Anne was enjoying a peaceful moment with a cuppa. I fell to the ground in mock pain  and said dramatically "Oh GOD, I'm due at Tech and we haven't finished." As I said this something clicked and I realised... It was only 1:30 and we had another two hours before I needed to leave. Cue me slinking away to make Anne some more tea.

Almost done!

Tech was finished quickly and I headed to the Fremantle markets where I discovered chocolate macadamia infused coffee. SO good.

Freo market's Coffee Connection

Dark of the Night Cabaret was held at the Fly By Night, a large hall  in Fremantle with a spacious stage and a large backstage area. It was a subdued but happy group of performers that settled in to get ready. We shared a large mirror in the dim area, faces ducking in and out at different angles as make up was applied and hair curled.

Is it lucky to hug a unicorn?

I was debuting a brand new act which was exciting but a bit daunting. The costume is by Zoe Felice and although I'm happy with the first section and received some good feedback, the second section needs some work.

Photo by John Leonard

Photo by John Leonard

Photo by John Leonard

Photo by John Leonard

I huddled over the quinoa salad after performing with a couple of the other performers, the food backstage was impressively good and we shunned the backstage gossip to eat our way through three bowls of salad.

Post performance- eating ALL the good food!

Curtain call! Photo by John Leonard

I skipped the after party and fell into bed, this time I slept a good 8 hours, waking in time to get ready for Coco L'ectrics Kicks and Spins workshop. We grabbed a quick coffee from Uncle Joe's before hitting up King st dance centre.

Yeeeah good signwriting!

Perrie with her honey layer cake

The workshop was excellent, fairly easy choreography but a strong emphasis on musicality and building on simple movement to add complexity.

Kicks and spins!

Charlie was in the class and ran Ruby and I home so I could pick up my costume before heading out to tech at the Astor Theatre.
I was one of the first there and once the two stage kittens arrived took them through the choreography they needed to know for Erte. Casey and Jess were fantastic and took it all in stride.
I ran across to Planet Book where Anne was working and then checked out the local general store where I stocked up on post show food.

Backstage was packed but everywhere there was laughter, jokes, costume appreciation and support.
My wig had previously slipped a bit while performing but I stuck about 30 bobby pins into my hair and it felt fairly solid- and itchy!

Backstage with Coco Lectric

I was feeling confident with my Erte act as tech had gone well but unfortunately by the time the kittens had cleared the stage and ran to where I was standing in the wings, Asher the emcee had finished his intro and the music had began. I told the kittens to just "GO!" and strode out looking calmer than I felt.

Photo by John Leonard

 

Photo by John Leonard

The girls (I imagine) followed me out and sadly one of the four veils detatched from my neck, but we persevered and after I realised what had happened - I have a clear image of Jess's apologetic face as she raced past me with the detatched fabric- I just kept going and tried to focus on the choreography and the new end.

Curtain call! Photo by Rachael Barrett

 Backstage I hunched over and devoured my hommus leading Bella de Jac to check that I was ok!

When not eating all the hommus I was posing with Virtue Van Tassel

The Afterparty was indecently close, at the bar across the street. Alyssa Kitt held court on a couch (her feet were sore) Bunni and mr Lambada joined us for a while and Ginger Leah Rye perched on the chaise couch.

Posing with Alyssa Kitt and Ruby Slippers

Sarah Park gave Ruby and I a lift back to Maylands and I spent a while scrubbing my face free of the pancake- I had already started deconstructing, removing my eyelashes and hairpins at the bar, a sure sign that I need to go home.

FOOD.

Brunch at Bread in Common with an assorted group of mostly Perth natives. Bread in Common is, funnily enough, a bakery, however they do have a decent gluten free menu. I had the sauteed mushrooms with macadamia nuts and a giant banana smoothie and felt pretty much like the hungry hippo after it's eaten ALL the marbles. Amazing.

C'mon, tell me we don't pull up well!

We checked out the Retro market and then headed to a bar where assorted performers slowly arrived in stages. Most of us were past legible conversation but we tried anyway.
Ruby and I caught yet another lift with the awesome Charlie, back to Maylands where I was force fed a gluten free pizza with SIX different types of cheese, force fed meaning they politely informed me they had ordered me delicious food which made me feel like I just couldn't refuse. (who'd wanna!)
I caught the red eye with the Miss Kitty's Meow girls, it was a full flight and being someone who can't sleep on planes I spent three hours glaring at the seat in front of me and wishing I could sleep like my reclining rowmate. Instead I watched The West Wing, my new favourite binge show, second only to House of Cards.
 
We arrived in Melbourne at 5:45am and spent the next three hours sitting in massage chairs, wandering the airport, cartwheeling through the halls and - if you're Oopsy Daisy- sleeping on the floor.

Nothing to see here...

Thanks to Mel and Mel and the cast and crew of Sugar Blue Burlesque. You gals (And guys) know how to put on a show!

Miss Burlesque Tasmania 2014 - the view from the judges table

From sitting atop such lofty heights at the judges table, I can safely say that when it comes to a burlesque competition, let me compete any day!
Judging your peers isn't fun- although the Miss Burlesque Tasmania judging criteria that is listed before you makes it easy to be objective- but it's still difficult to hold off clapping and cheering for your favourites and when the music starts there's no where else I'd rather be then backstage with the girls or onstage entertaining the audience!
With a new owner taking the reins of Miss Burlesque Tasmania for 2014 there was a lot of chatter over the possible venue and the location for the competition. All of the competitors bar one were from Hobart, in fact I was the only performer based in Launceston so when the venue was announced there were questions over where to stay, what to transport and who could go.

Each of us received a pin... get outta my way I'm a judge!

Luckily it was resolved and all eight performers made their way to Launceston to converge upon the venue, the Lazy Butterfly.

Our host for the night was Laydee Midnite,  who now owns MBA Tasmania and is the co- owner of Lazy Butterfly and from all accounts ran a tight ship on the night with few delays and only one music mishap.

The judges settled at the table, the audience settled in their sears and Laydee took to the stage, mic in hand to start the show. Miss Burlesque is divided into four sections in the state finals, gown parade, classic, neo and unique

Judges table, L-R- Gen from Vamp, Ruby de Winter, headmistress of Dr Sketchy's Launceston, LSD, Emmi, Kelly Ann Doll, Miss Burlesque NSW 2013
Photo by CezB photography

The gown parade first- most of us grit our teeth through the 30 seconds or so that you're walking out on stage, but the parade provides the audience with an introduction to each competitor.
The stand outs were the girl's who not only ticked the glamour box but also interacted with the crowd, hit their poses and looked like they were enjoying themselves.

Beyonce instagramed this print and faced a storm over the misrepresentation of the state of Tasmania amongst other countries. I like to think that she was just supporting MBA.

The gown parade finished- too soon- I raced back to a spare change room to change and perform, everything was set out waiting for me but of course when in a rush things always go wrong, stockings wouldn't stay up, the wrong gloves were packed... Poor Laydee had to pad for a few more minutes than she expected before I raced in with that drafty feeling that comes with a loose stocking slowly working its way down my thigh...

In my gingham dress by Nasty Ginny, inspired by  a Harpers Bazaar junior ad and of course Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz!

Ceri catches me in a ta-dah moment!

Performing in my red ombre costume by Nasty Ginny

Even better, on the way back, with my white arse bouncing and tasseled pasties twirling I had to run through a packed band room to get back to the second change room- a metal gig was on in the other room. The lucky boys got a free peep show albeit a quick one!

Posing with Kristi of Corsets by Nasty Ginny in front of the collage poster she created featuring me!

Classic and Neo followed and again there were clear favourites for the audience and for the selection criteria- in fact without hearing the results or the score collation we could guess the top five- Grace Cherry, Le Fay, Risquee Jane, Scarlett Jezebel and Velvet Sway.

One of the early posters for MBT 2014

Kelly Ann Doll, Sydney's pocket rocket rocked the stage before the final five emerged to perform in the unique section. Again for the judges I think we found the top three easy to mark, props, costumes, dance move, song choice and general confidence in performing ticked the boxes.

Kelly Ann Doll charging the stage

I ran backstage to my dressing room as the scores were collated and dragged on my sash (backwards) and shoved some pins in to hold the tiara in place. Then I sat back at the table and waited to be called up to help crown the winners... When my name wasn't called and Miss Burlesque Launceston, the first runner up, Grace Cherry had been crowned I stormed the stage in order to help crown the runner up, Le Fay as Miss Burlesque Hobart and Scarlett Jezebel, Miss Burlesque Tasmania 2014.

Miss Burlesque Hobart 2014, Miss Burlesque Tasmania 2013, Miss Burlesque Tasmania 2014

You can check out my journey to Miss Burlesque Tasmania 2013 as a performer in the state and grand finals and you can follow Miss Burlesque Tasmania 2014 Scarlett's blog!

When the barnyard meets burlesque

Photo shoots are exhausting, they start early with hair and make up and finish with the peeling off of eyelashes and the hope that you 'got the shot.' I only do them occasionally and would hate to be a professional model, those girls work hard!

Complaints aside photo shoots are also a lot of fun and ont his one, designer Kristi was always on hand to offer a compliment, a glass of water or adjust the underwear!

Photographer Jess taking close up photos of the corset and knickers

The shoot was Kristi Robertson's label, Corsets by Nasty Ginny, she had previously shot some of the designs the day before, but on Saturday I was with fellow Tassie burlesque dancer Scarlett Jezebel.

Kristi used to design wedding dresses, I remember seeing her studio in 2001, racks of gorgeous dresses, big frothy concoctions and slimmer silohettes. Now after getting out of the wedding game Kristi designs and creates corsets, lingerie and costumes- and is still very capable of designing items that pull in, tuck up and froth over in the best way.

Corsets and lingerie ready for the shoot

This shoot featured some of her new designs that she sells online and at the MONA Market.

Kristi's stall at MOMA

Her studio is located on her property, a hobby farm that has grassy meadows, thick bush land, chickens and an elderly horse, Copper.

posing with Scarlett in Kristi's studio

 For the shoot, Kristi had set up a beautiful tea table in the bush complete with flowers from her garden, hot tea in the teapot and shiny red apples on the table.

tea with Scarlett Jezebel

We also did some shots down the road near a run down barn. I did some turns on the country road before we headed back to Kristi's home at which point she asked, very nicely, if one of us wouldn't mind modelling just one more costume... Scarlett and I looked at each other, both of us were hot and bothered by this point with a hen's party to go to in mere hours. "You can do it Masher's" said Scarlett I rewarded her with a grimace and then remembered Copper... "OK... But can I pose with the pony!??"

The pony is actually a 24 year old dark brown horse who roams freely around Kristi's land. I got changed and Kristi went horse hunting. Kristi felt certain she could lure Copper out of the trees but when she didn't succeed we took the shoot to Copper who viewed my offer of apples with disdain until I held one of them right under his nose!

After feeding Copper two apples I was ready to eat a few myself but instead welcomed a seat in Kristi's gorgeous home to have a quick drink and some cheese- once I'd removed my corset, I imagine the idiom "eats like a bird" was coined by some hapless woman from the Victorian era.

Posing with Scarlett and Kristi

You can find the final photos on Krisi's website

Australian Burlesque Festival 2013- Bunnies, ponies, native hens oh my!

Oh my! What a tour!
The first showgirl to arrive in Launie was New Zealand performer Bonita Dangerdoll, who really is a doll!
I picked her up from the airport on Tuesday morning, promptly getting lost and driving us in a loop before pulling into the grounds of the Launceston Country club- white palings, ponies grazing on one side, golf greens on the other, ducks, swans and Launceston's abundant roadrunner- like native hens.
We indulged at Nannas, a sweet cafe located in the CBD and then walked to the Gorge where peacocks and wallabies roam freely through native Australian bush.

New Zealand's Bonita Dangerdoll at Nannas

Strawberry Siren arrived the following morning with bountiful amounts of luggage and Bella de Jac and Evie Red touched down during the Tech run.
Evie it turns out has a fear of birds... Something I discovered as she wedged herself into a corner of my car whilst I enlightened her to the native hens running about the Country Club grounds.
Dusk was falling and we were amused to note an excited, hot roller adorned Banbury Cross taking photos of the wallabys that were out in force on the Casino grounds.

Backstage was cramped- 5 showgirls to a room isn't ideal but we made the most of the situation. Adelaide's Luna Eclipse adopted a corner at stage right to watch Game of Thrones while Bonita and I stretched nearby as the audince started arrive.

Bella de Jac, Lucy, Luna Eclipse, Evie Red hamming it up backstage

The show started on time which for a performer is both a blessing and a curse.
I'm so used to shows starting late that I was still getting my hair up when the first act, Hobart's Miss Kitty's Meow, hit the stage.
Oopsy Daisy and Tiger Lilly hurried back to shed themselves of their remaining costumes and don cloaks to be my creepy (only for 4 minutes!) skirt waving minions of the sea.
I'm always so thankful to the girls who help me with my act as waving the skirt gives you a work out!

The stage was a little slippery which prevented me from doing some of the more acrobatic choreography and the audience was rowdier then usual while I was performing which led the emcee, Andrew, to challenge them (Wisteria, I have my eye on you darling!) to a duel.

The best bit about performing in the first set was retiring to the balcony to watch the next two sets.
Stand outs on the night for me were Banbury Cross, Perle Noire and from the audience, three dapper gents and their ladies, seated at a table on the left, who were loving the show, clapping along with huge smiles on their faces! I said hello after the show finished and they told me they had enjoyed every minute...

Photo by Ricky Pfieffer

Some quick happy snaps with Bonita, and Perle Noire, who forgave me for being Sassy when I first saw her at tech and I drove myself home, I had work at 4:45am so I was desperate for sleep.

Post show posing with Tiger Lilly and Bonita Danger Doll

uh... with Bonita and Luna Eclipse

with Perle Noire... I cannot wait to see this lady again in a few months time!!!

I managed a quick brekkie with the Kitty's and Le Fay before they, like the rest of the tour, hit the road for the drive to Hobart.

Huge thanks as always to Rosy Rabbit and Dolores Daiquri for putting on ABF for another year and for bringing it to Launceston, my new home town!