Back in the land of tassels!

Hi folks!
I thought it was probably about time I get back on the blogging train since I have in the last month or so been performing again post baby and have so many exciting things to share with you!

I was flat out all of September with Metropolis 2040 at Red Bennies. We had a 6 show run and I enjoyed every minute of it! I cannot praise creatrix, Vesper White, enough for her vision, attention to detail and creativity in this stunning show. It is such a joy to see our artform being driven by thoughtful, artistic people and I finished the season feeling triumphant and utterly inspired! I will be posting pictures and a proper review shortly, so stay tuned.

In Burlesque Festival news, we have bid farewell to co-founder, Sapphira, as she embarks on some very exciting personal projects and I wish her the very best!
We have got some REALLY exciting surprises in store for 2012, but I will have to keep a lid on it for a bit longer, though I tell ya, it aint easy! As always it is going to be bigger, better and all round bombastic!

I have a few other nice little projects coming up including a new event "Sirens of Sin - The Seven Deadly Sins Reavealed!" Which I will cover in a later post, as well as a burlesque open mic (open shirt?) night, which will hopefully be launching by the end of the year.

The Fringe festival has been on in Melbourne, which unfortunately I have completely missed out on, but from the looks of it there have been some killer show and I am hoping to make it to Fringe Royal Rumble this Sunday (and you should too!) where the cream of Melbourne Fringe Festivals performers have been hand picked to enter into mortal combat in the Red Bennies Mexican Wrestling ring of carny carnage! Burlesque vs Vaudeville! Comedians vs Cabaret! Mime vs Circus! - its going to be outrageous!
Sounds too good to miss out on! You can get tix here.

In other news, The Gorelesque beast is on the road! Last weekend Sydney got their first taste and tonight and tomorrow Adelaide, before the bus of gore comes home to Melbourne. This looks like a blood-tastic feast, and if B-grade horror films and zombies are your thing I implore you to check it out. See photos here. Tickets available through the website.

This is what The Armchair Traveller had to say:

"Armchair Traveller had the shock and awe treatment - or should that be shock and gore - at Gorlesque! Touring nationally this October - catch it - so you too can be covered in blood, meat, vomit, mothers milk and flesh! Yes - Armchair Traveller was up stage and is now soaked in gore! A night well spent!"

And thats all for now! I look forward to seeing you at a show real soon.

Kisses, RR

Burlesque in Melbourne this weekend!

This weekend is the is a veritable feast of Burlesque happening in Melbourne! Come see me run my mouth as MC on friday, as well as perform, and Saturday I will be getting my gore on...

FRIDAY

A night of burlesque to celebrate the launch of 'Burlesque - A Retrospective', Samantha Diamond and Angela McConnell present an event you won't want to miss... Featuring performances from many of the books stars, including a final farewell performance from Miss Diamond herself, book signings, amazing prizes, dancing and debauchery, book your tickets as this will be a night to remember! ! Special giveaways on the night for "Best Dressed" patrons so dress to impress! Prizes from: The Pinup Gal Kiss Me Quick Hexotica 'Burlesque - A Retrospective' Launch Party Friday Oct 29th 8pm - Late Red Bennies - 373 Chapel St, South Yarra $20 entry includes $5 off the book Buy tickets here. SATURDAY    Due to an overwhelming demand for tickets, a second and definitely final show will be staged for Halloween 2010. Can't keep a good zombie down! The Gorelesque crew are proud to present yet another evening of dark burlesque, horror-riety and gore-a-go-go for your voyeuristic pleasure! Featuring firm crowd favourites from the first show, and an array of fresh meat show treats for those wanting more! Plus! ...A brand new film from the Gorelesque studios, installations and surprises by our resident Gorehound Girls, a special late-night horror show for the truly twisted, and the world's first interactive human Operation game! Come and play with the scream queens on October 30th! F*%k what you've heard, this is THE place to be on Halloween! We're going to howl, party, and help the undead dance until dawn... Shake the grave dust blues away. GET SOME! Starring: The brain-eating... MISS NIC Creature from the burly lagoon... VESPER WHITE Scream teen beauty queen... GYPSY WOOD The hoop-wielding heart-stopper KIRA HU-LA-LA (SYD) The flame-haired secretary of your dreams... TANK The grave-shaking, tomb stomping... BETTY BLOOD Freddy's nightmare... FOXTROT INDIA Goddess of destruction herself... ROSY RABBIT Your favourite creep from the deep... ROD LARA Voodoo ragdolly... TULLY JADE With your evilly dead MC, the great ASHER TRELEAVEN And DJ DOT COM to help you make a mess of yourself on the dance floor PRIZES FOR BEST DRESSED from our generous sponsors. Dress for Halloween! $15 PRESALE, $20 ON THE DOOR Tix available Friday 10th September from www.redbennies.com. Get in quick, we sold out in advance last time! Early 'til late!

"Burlesque a Retrospective" Book Launch

Featuring some of Australian Burlesque's brightest stars, 'Burlesque - A Retrospective', is sure to become a cult favourite. Starring burning fixtures of the Burlesque stage, from some of Australia's most famous burlesque names, to rising stars you will soon know and love, 'Burlesque - A Retrospective' is a must have for any Burle...sque enthusiast, or just the curious!

To celebrate the launch of 'Burlesque - A Retrospective', Samantha Diamond and Angela McConnell present an event you won't want to miss... Featuring performances from many of the book's stars, including a final farewell performance from Miss Diamond herself, book signings, amazing prizes, dancing and debauchery, book your tickets as this will be a night to remember! 


Burlesque a Retrospective

A Pictorial Book Starring:

Cat of Nine Tails
Dolores Daquiri
Foxtrot India
Kelly Ann Doll
Lux St Sin
Rosy Rabbit
Samantha Diamond
Sarah Lea Cheesecake
Scarlett
The Strawberry Siren

Special giveaways on the night for "Best Dressed" patrons so dress to impress!

Prizes from:

 

'Burlesque - A Retrospective' Launch Party
Friday Oct 29th
8pm - Late
$20 entry (includes $5 off purchase of the book)
Red Bennies
373 Chapel St, South Yarra

Buy tickets online here!

 

Noir Revue.... The review

A couple of weeks ago I performed in the Sydney Fringe festival as part of "Noir Revue" which fellow performer and showgirl extraordinare Sarina Del Fuego masterfully put together.

It was such a treat to be in a run of shows! The nature of being a burlesque performer means no two gigs are ever alike, you are always in a different venue, with different co-stars and although it is an exciting life there is something to say for being able to really sink your teeth into one show each night!

I chose to do a performance unlike any other I have ever done, more theatre than burlesque it was based around the premise of a woman waiting for her man to get home, the torment she experiences deciding she has had enough and has to leave and finally the realisation that she can't. It was really powerful for me and I even had a few tears on stage on one of the nights! A woman scorned...

On the nights that I performed I was blessed to have some truly talented co-stars who as a whole gave each night (that different slightly from the last) the feeling of a dark and sordid Berlin cabaret, smokey and moody and tantalisingly sultry.

There was ofcourse the madame of the house herself, Sarina Del Fuego, who did a couple of different numbers, one was a sensual nude illusion fan dance with truly epic blue feather fans (the envy of all backstage!) and a cheeky, smokey number that had the crowd's gaze as she weaved her way through them puffing and mincing...

One of my favourite aerial performers, Missy, performed an agonsingly beautiful and slow aerial hoop number. Spinning slowly she had such fluidity and control in her act, it really was draw dropping! what a talented lady...

Missy also performed a dark, ambiguous cabaret chair duo with fellow aerialist Paloma Negra, who also stunned the crowed with her graceful and delicate trapeze routine...

 

 

As always, Kelly Ann Doll had the crowd eating out of her hand! Kelly is one of those acts that never fails to impress, she is an exceptional dancer and flawless entertainer and I have loved every single show I have ever see her do... A total star!

 Unfortunatly I don't have photos of all of the performers yet, but will update when I do! We were very lucky to have the gorgeous Scarlett Jezabel come all the way from Tasmania along with Tiger Lilly. Unfortunately I didn't get to see either of their acts though I could most deffinitely hear the crowd's appreciation and I have heard nothing but great things of these two, especially of Scarlett's beautiful peacock number which oozed elegance...

We had with us one of the most beautiful cabaret voices I have heard in a long time. Chantal has this amazing voice that is at once smoky and moody then clear and sweet and a bell, a pleasure to hear as well as see, a classic beauty with the most amount of beautiful gowns and divine accessories (and a lightning fast changer!)

It really was a treat to be part of the show, I can't thank Sarina enough for bringing together such a fabulous cast! the atmosphere was perfect, with the audience at the front tables becoming part of the show and observerers at the same time. The week went by so quickly and before we knew it, it was the finale show and Cleveland street Theatre was left with the tang of smoke and heady purfume and an air that something very special had taken place...

To read some other reviews of the show click on the links below.

Scarlett's Letter's

Betty Brimstone