New Work Underway
Following the explosion of ideas and creativity after the North East Cabaret & Burlesque meeting; I’ve flung myself into my new act. It’s an idea I’ve been playing with for some time but wanted to ensure I had the correct skills & time in which to do it justice. January seems to be a good time for this.
I’ve been aware for some time now that maybe I’m not producing the type of act that challenges me enough creatively. I utterly adore the dramatic, epic and theatrical pieces in my repetoire but I miss the clowning & characterwork of my circus background. This year, I want to focus on an act that will push me both in performance, costuming & choreography. Now that my act consultation workshops are really taking off, I know my attention to detail in other performer’s act must now be focused on my own too.
I don’t know where this act is going yet but simply put it’s a 1930′s roller skating effort act.
I’ve been researching authentic variety skating acts as inspiration including the wonderous Myra & Eileen, double spin geniuses The Lucerne Skaters amongst modern jam skaters. Since the average stage I’ll be performing on will be quite small & possibly carpet, I’ve been looking for tricks that are more about foot movement rather than speed or jumps. I’m rehearsing tap dancing on my quads today and tomorrow – it’s hell on my calves!
My acrobatic coach once said that to be the best clown in the world, you must be the best acrobat in the world. Certainly this is on my mind during training; repeating the same tricks again and again so that when I go to alter them for comedy it won’t just look like I can’t do the trick. Slow rolling into the splits is obviously a great gag but I have to learnt to do it safely or one snapped muscle later I won’t be performing for long…
I’ve wanted to experiement with effort acts for ages; primarily the term means ‘an act where the final goal is of percieved slapstick difficulty to the performer.’ Chaplin is a great example of this and I did explore the idea of riffing on his amazing tightwire routine.
Don’t be fooled; the safety wire is of course there but now known as a ‘lunge’ it’s a requisite for all highwire artists. Chaplin’s technique on the wire is superb, his body tension and core strength whilst moving hide hours and hours of training. I still wish I could do something with a homage to this routine but lugging a tightwire around venues is just horrendously hard. I very much miss wire dancing.
Back to this act, my costume inspiration is looking like purple and gold or gold and black. Satin for the most part and heavily influenced by 1930′s ice skating ‘fashion changer’ Sonja Henie. The design of short skater dresses comes mainly from Henie’s insistence on a better costume to present her line & flexibility. I’m looking forward to drawing up a pattern for a satin circle skirt as soon as I’ve decided on the damn colour scheme!!
So! The act will play between the idea of everything going a bit wrong. It’s hardly ‘Starlight Express gone 30′s’ but I’m hugely enjoying the making process.
Music; well music is a different matter. I can’t decide if I want something fast/slow or a piece that edits into another piece. I know this act has to be a long one, at least 6minutes in order to get across the idea & skills but I don’t want to hack music together simply because it fits. In a very different ‘making’ process for me, this act idea didn’t come from a piece of music! I’d been playing roller derby for most of 2010 until I realised I don’t enjoy the game myself – I really loved the skating!
I’ll be looking for venues & dates to play with this new routine in a few months so keep an eye out!
Posted in New Work, Solo, Technical | 
Tags: All by myself, Costume, Experiments, New Act | 
No Comments »
FK presents North East Cabaret & Burlesque General Meeting
23RD JANUARY 2011 2-4pm
Frayed Knot HQ
Cabaret or Burlesque performer based in the North East?
Know everyone or just some of the usual faces?
Are you one the usual faces?
Are you looking for support?
Are you just starting out and don’t know how to begin?
…Do you have something to offer the community at large?
Frayed Knot Circus and Cabaret would like to invite participants of the ever expanding scene here in the North East for an early 2011 discussion. Held in our Newcastle city centre offices & rehearsal space some of the session will be short talks but primarily designed to create working relationships. The building is generally private entry, details on how to enter will be released upon RSVP nearer the date.
Primed as an informal event with a view to regular sessions, we will be offering a space to explore new friendships and create a stronger feeling of community in the region.
We also invite members of the community to contact via email if they would like to present a short talk at the event or show a work in progress.
Open to performers, promoters, costumiers, stage technicians and creatives. PLEASE invite relevent folk from the region who I’ve missed off.
Please come prepared with ideas on…
What you have planned this year as a promoter/performer/designer?
2 tangible goals for 2011.
An idea of something you would like within the region but find lacking.
Please RSVP so we can get a sense of numbers for tea; as always feel free to bring baked goods 
Facebook page can be found here
Any questions or suggestions can be left on the wall OR via email to
info@frayedknot.org.uk
Best wishes,
Amelie Soleil
Edd Muir
Frayed Knot Circus & Cabaret
www.frayedknot.org.uk
www.ameliesoleil.com
__________________
Frayed Knot are based at Floor 5 @ Norham House – a creative arts and media resource base in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne – is a project that has emerged from the ‘Newcastle Art in Empty Spaces’ scheme. Throughout 2010, with funding support from Newcastle City Council, a wide range of projects were organised that used empty shops in the city centre for a variety of arts activity. Floor 5 @ Norham House has been established to develop that Art in Empty Spaces work.
The Floor 5 @ Norham House Mission Statement is as follows;
F5 @ NH will support the development of new work, with a specific emphasis on encouraging practice that is cross platform and multi media.
F5 @ NH will provide facilities for recent graduates and create opportunities for new and emerging talent.
F5 @ NH will serve as a resource base to make work that will spill out of the building and will develop other areas of the city centre as creative sites.
Posted in Event, Frayed Knot, New Work, North East, UK | Tags: 2011, Burlesque, Cabaret, Circus, Community, Frayed Knot, Newcastle | No Comments »
It’s a new dawn…
It’s all go at Frayed Knot Head Quarters, we’ve just moved house a hop skip & a jump from the train station and finally decamped into our city centre offices. Those wanting to visit may do so via email appointment; we’re based at
Floor Five Initiative, Norham House, New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne
It’s a very exciting project that’s allowed FK to move into offices that also house rigged areas, rehearsal spaces, 50 artists below and technical, textile folk all around. We’re really lucky through our involvement with Northern Street Arts to be in the space and can’t wait to utilise it fully.
December flew by in a collection of random events, shows and parties. I attended Anna Fur Laxis‘ ‘Confidence for Camera’ workshop in Leeds and WOW! What an afternoon! Filled with tips, tricks, quality suggestions and a huge amount to consider, I really can’t wait to put it all into practice. Thanks Anna!
Final gig of 2010 was Cherry Loco’s Twisted Christmas at The Classic Grand, Glasgow. Loved it, even though I was dosed up to the eyeballs on painkillers. Especially loved the 7am viewing of ‘Planet Terror’ with La Loco as the sun came up.
Christmas was spent in the sunny shores of Spain at Casa Momma & Poppa Soleil, Edd and I ate too much, drank too much and ultimately failed to get anything done in our time off at all. Ooops!
Back to the UK, the snow and the hot tubs of Bedlington for the NYE party to end all NYE parties. Stuff your big corporate doos, your expensive entry fees – best friends, rum and lidl fireworks is all we need!
Back to work with a few workshops & classes, the last remaining schools projects FK were contracted to before embarking on our life of full time debauchery. Ahhh then the big old house move from doom. We didn’t move far but we don’t have a car, it’s a little distressing to say the least.
But now its DONE!
So what’s for 2011?
We’ve taken January off this year to settle into our new offices, create some new work and apply for the tiny bit of funding available. We’re not entirely sure what 2011 will bring for FK but we know there’s some HUGE changes coming up and we’re willing to embrace the chaos.
Our 1st public gig of 2011 has not yet been announced so we’ll wait for that to be released. We’ll be appearing in Burlesque Magazine this month and have a trip to Amsterdam to round off January. In the meantime, the Frayed Knot website will be getting a do-over and we’ll be fighting with boxes of reciepts to file our taxes in time.
Have a fantastic start to the year!
Posted in Frayed Knot, NYE | Tags: 2011, Cherry Loco, December 2010, Frayed Knot, NYE | No Comments »
Snow Joke…
When it snows in the UK, the world seems to stop. It’s always baffled me; as the daughter of a Canuck I’ve always been told ‘that’s not snow… let me tell you about SNOWWWW’ so this little puff of white shouldn’t cause so much trouble.
But it has and my; this fortnight it really did!
First up, Frayed Knot had a local show five minutes from our house in Newcastle, La Maison du Peche at The People’s Theatre. This was AMAZING for us, no travel issues no dragging kit everywhere and no worries about getting there on time. Even with the snow we could plodge on through and happily a friend drove the jar & pole to the theatre anyway yay!
It’s a theatre I have very fond memories of, having performed here as a little kid and it was wonderful to be working with a great tech team who are really passionate about making everything work. The show whilst affected in attendance numbers by the weather was an absolute belter and it was fantastic to meet local artists who we usually don’t get to work with. Constance Peach and Mark Pinder have a lovely show on their hands and it was really nice to be part of the first one.
The foyer contained some great stalls and I finally got to meet the wonderous ladies of Tiki Tearaway hair flower boutique. Ever since recieving a hand delivered hair flower when I was in a tight squeeze and needed a flower for a shoot THAT day, I’ve had a hugely soft special spot for them. Their products are adorable and I’m especially in love with their Christmas range. It’s also absolutely wicked to see a local company have such passion for the scene and to be so supportive. Ahh I lurrve them, go visit them; go now, buy stuff for secret santas moms, sisters, people on the street…goooooo!
Sadly I had hoped to perform my new number but wasn’t well enough so the serpentine on a raked stage was order of the day followed by Edd and I’s whip act. Brilliantly, the flower once whipped out of my mouth landed in the lap of the wonderful Meg La Mania who then later took us home for rum & eventual sleep! This was actually pre-planned, not a result of the flower’s trajectory, we don’t make a habit of going home with whoever caught the flower. Maybe we should.
Performing my serpentine at Maison
We ended up staying with Meg and The Steve as the snow was a little ridiculous and well, they had rum and we didn’t. Also we love them. Poor Edd had to shoot off early for his audition rehearsals and I started packing the house for our move later this month. Oh the Glamour…
Following Maison du Peche; I do have to mention I’ve fallen a little bit in love with a maid called Betta and I was delighted to see her again last night at The Coquette Collective Xmas Golden Garter in Sunderland. Originally this was Edd’s event with me making an appearence for the double act BUT following the snow and an audition, Edd was caught up in Amsterdam stuck on a flight that didn’t move for 6 hours. Since he couldn’t actually contact me during this, I’d presumed he wasn’t going to make it and jumped onto the Metro to make it in time for the show. All credit to the folk at Golden Garter for being HUGELY patient with the changes and their understanding. Especially for making me feel so welcome backstage n’all!
I’m particularly proud that due to walking from the Metro, I decided to not bring a suitcase. Ladies and gentleman, you may be astounded to see that in this bag, I carried 3 full costumes, makeup, haircurlers (unused sadly), a bowler hat and all the kit for the whip act should Edd miraculously arrive in time. The coffee cup is there for perspective and was timely provided by the marvelous and adorable The Duke de Milo.
Tiniest Tease Plus Miracle Bag
Absolutely adored the acts, Gretchen Tice’s Noddy Holder’s Christmas Pud was a special favourite and I performed my hat and cane routine plus my veil fan charleston. Whilst I bloody loved my digital gobo stars in the background for the cane act, I really should have realised a spotlight wasn’t a good idea. Stupidly I stepped out, couldn’t see a bloody thing and ended up not doing any throws or fun hat tricks – I know only I know whats meant to be in the routine but I was disappointed in myself I must say. Again, amazing tech crew at the show, there seems to be a link here; small local theatres run by volunteers & paid staff who actually give a shit. Wow!
Brilliant display of wares in the foyer, I got to meet the very lovely Emma Taylor from Emma Taylor Corsets and fawn over her beautiful high waisted trousers. Ladies, if you’re looking for heavier weight beautiful trousers defintely check out ETC’s as they are stunning!
The beautiful Jayne from The Libertarian was also in attendance. A creator of magnificent hats and hair pieces, I’ve already eye spied a gift for my secret santa and really love the drama of Jayne’s pieces. Grab her items before she’s ultra famous as I think Jayne’s already been snapped up by one uber amazing retailer, burlesque dancers take note the lady does commissions.
Wonderfully, again I saw the brilliant girls from Tiki Tearaway, look at their wigs!!
Wigtastic! (photo Paul Wright)
Also on hand was the as always outstanding Mr Paul Wright, one of my absolute favourite photographers. I hadn’t seen Paul in about a year so it was lovely to catch up, as usual despite camera trouble, Paul has already uploaded pictures to facebook & his personal site. I really can’t recommend him enough as an event and promo photographer, he’s fantastic.
So, the show was fab, the free bubbly & mincepies made it extra wonderful and I got a lift home in the MarkPinderMobile with Constance, Trixie, Jayne and unintentionally Pedo-Bear (long long story…)
My poor Edd finally arrived in Newcastle at 9pm and came straight home to bed. After waiting six hours on the plane, he eventually took off and luckily since all flights from Schipol have been cancelled today. We have some exciting news to announce in regards to the future of Frayed Knot but I believe we’ll wait until after Christmas for that. I know I know, shurrup until you’re going to actually say something
THIS WEEK!
I’ll be preparing our studio for a shoot with my fantastico Emma Neale otherwise known as Miss Rain Photography, attending Anna Fur Laxis’ confidence on camera workshop in Leeds and meeting with the much missed Cecilia Rouge to discuss exciting plans for 2011. Oh and to eat huge amounts of food.
My sympathy to everyone stuck in airports & rail stations, what a crazy crazy week!
Much love,
Amelie x
Posted in Christmukkah Shows, Event, Photoshoot, Solo, UK, Uncategorized | Tags: Coquette Collective, Local, Maison du Peche, New People | No Comments »
Hallo!
I’m more than a little delighted to announce the revamp, update and re-launch of Amelie Soleil Dot Com!
A place on the internet for me to leave little lovenotes, photos & keep folk up to date on what on earth I’m doing.
Have a peek around, I’m aware there are some little issues to be fixed but I really didn’t want to miss the goal date of today, any small errors you think may have been missed can be dealt with via the contact page.
You may notice some very old blogs hovering about below, they’ve been taken from other sites/journals I’ve used in the past. I’m moving a huge chunk from Feb – August this year over at the moment so check back if you’re interested!
WEB BANNERS & PROMO
I’ve had a few requests for web banners & promo links so please feel free to use the ones below. You can right click save the image then use as where applicable. Please do drop me a line if you do choose to link.
This week, Frayed Knot are performing at The Coquette Collective in Sunderland as soon as arriving back from some work in Amsterdam (weather permitting!)
Currently, we’re sitting amongst this:
If we get out, we’ll let you know!
Amelie xx
::PS New webdesign was inhouse, logo design courtesy of the outstanding Charlotte Thomson
Bedlam for Halloween!
Rather fantastically, this year Edd and I were asked back to one of our favourite events ever; Belfast’s Bedlam Ballroom. A large affair that always brings a superb crowd, seriously last year’s halloween costumes included a Day of The Dead Mariachi Band and the whole team of Ghostbusters!
Always a horrendous 7am flight, we met the delightful Frankii Wilde at the airport and suprisingly didn’t have to fight with check-in over the pole. Sleazy Jet you constantly suprise me.
A ridiculous 35 minutes later and we’ve landed in Belfast, swept away in the always suave even at 8am Uncle Tadgh mobile and on our way to the perfect Ulster Fry. Oh Maggie Mays on Botanic Ave, how I do love thee and your potatoey goodness!
Quick nap at Tadgh’s before we can check in to the oh-so glorious Ramada hotel (we found out too late there was a spa/sauna we could have used dammit!). One emergency hair bleaching situation later and several coffees, we’re off again to the venue, the metamorphic Blackbox.
It’s always nice re-visting venues you know and people you think are fantastic. Tadgh and Continous Hornby, the two promoters and their wonderful squadron of helpers have everything under control; even to ordering pizza to the dressing room for two rather shaky and tired dancers – cheers Helen!!
Being Halloween; I had planned a special act for the evening. Following pretty much everyone I know commenting on my current likeness to one Sookie Stackhouse, I figured I’d exploit that in a cheeky covered in tru-blood bonanza. Thanks to the power of facebook, I cottoned on that the second blonde performer for the evening not only had the same idea but was WAY futher in her planning that I was – eeek!
So I decided to make my nearly ready new magic inspired act ready toot sweet for Bedlam – a little close to the wire my new props only arrived on Thursday morning but I made it and ‘Cut to The Chase’ made it’s little shiny debut rather well. As I commented on twitter that day, I had spent 3 days playing with razor blades only to cut myself on my boarding card!
Edd as usual went down a freakin storm, Miss Wilde’s Sookie act was epic and oddly completely different to what I had planned. We thought it a shame, had we known earlier we could have planned a ‘Sookie-Off’ blood, white tshirts you get the picture…
Our whip act is really coming into it’s own now – we can play with the characters so much and whilst it’s still in development we can see how it will change into the 20 minute piece we want. I especially loved that Edd whipped the onstage drumkit’s cymbol – nearly wee-ed myself giggling!
Helen (singer), Me (drunk), Siobhan(stagemanager), Frankii Wilde(ace)
Always a perfect evening, after packing up we chatted to the beautiful people of Belfast, some of whom we hadn’t seen for a whole year. Then a lift back to the hotel by the lovely Graeme who would also take us back to Maggie Mays in the morning.
Admittedly, me, Edd and Frankii sat up chatting in our rooms until 5am after arguing with reception over what constitutes a sandwich. A panini is surely a sandwich no? So bloody make us some dammit; rant rave hiccup oh dear…
I also make the best hotel hot chocolate known to man. Fact. Maybe even a factoid.
**Edited to add, yeah I got a beer trophy. I borrowed a tray from the hotel for my razor act and somehow managed to come home with it. Score!
Join The Rebel Alliance!
I have to show off my new teeshirt from TeeFury. It only took a few weeks to come through from The States and I’m utterly in LOVE!
Yeah, you’re jealous I know it
Jar Jar Kinks
Enough of the post Christmas rest! I’m on a mission and the mission requires a pneumatic drill, a karate belt, sheet of bullet proof plastic and a hair dryer.
Yes… it’s JAR MAKING TIME!
Thats the current jar up above with the new base & top next to it. This one is going to be a full four inches smaller in height which is a little scary for my squishy situations but much more fun for acrobatic experiments!
We weren’t going to make this one; I had decided I wanted to invest in a prop builder and spend a little of my hard earned on something really special. Until we realised that with most prop makers in the UK; unless it can be formed from fibre glass; well it just ain’t happening.
So, back to the way the first one way made. Patience, a little swearing and hoping the plastic doesn’t flip back and smack you in the face.
This happened twice and I look a little like an abuse victim on the left side.
So… today Edd and I duked it out in the workshop we are lucky to have, drank stupid amounts of tea and tried not to die of deathly cold. It’s a little hard to drill when wearing gloves.
It’s 2am, I’ve only just got home but look look what we made! (And no, it’s not a fucking cocoon)
Posted in Frayed Knot, New Work, Uncategorized | Tags: Experiments, Girl in The Jar, Prop Making | No Comments »
Hallo Twenty Ten!
Full on terrified panic is about to commence. We had a little disaster this week in that I’ve had a lot more work on than expected and have also torn a ligament in my right foot. This means I haven’t been able to train my flexibility and now I’m just a grumpy bear.
On the good side, I’ve started 2010 a little more positively and focused than 2009. I think 2009 was lost behind the back of the sofa; we didn’t recover from returning from the States and nothing reallydeveloped for us. This year is the year of FK and we’re going to try our best.
I had a wonderful new year, spent with my best friends giggling, talking utter rubbish, falling over in the snow, eating quorn burgers surrounded by Transformers. It was epic 
I’m going to post something from a website I often frequent; it’s a forum for burlesque and cabaret performers and this question is asked every year. These were my responses;
1. Performers, maids, promotors etc – what has been you favourite night you performed at/promoted/organised/maided/compered/helped out with this year?
I’ve been really lucky and performed at some outstanding events this year but my favourite to return to again and again is always The Wetspot in Leeds. I always get to see friends, spend time with Ryvita, drink tea and the crowd is always fab.1a. Without naming names – tell us about the worst show you were involved in/watched this year (if there was one!)
It was an international gig and I was quite vocal on twitter about HOW desperate I was to leave and be back home. Lets just say me and the promoter didn’t see eye to eye.2. What was/is your first and last gig of 2009 (watching or performing)?
First burly gig was High Tease in Edinburgh after two weeks of teaching high school kids how to juggle post Christmas break.
Last gig was a private function on 30th December, my last public performance was early Dec in Milan as I tore a ligament and couldn’t dance for the rest of the month.3. Who were your favourite performers/acts to watch this year?
Beatrix performing her Bellboy act at The Wetspot
Cecilia Rouge’s Bubble
Vicky Butterfly
Kitty Bang Bang
Meg La Mania’s ‘Tonight Tonight’
Satan’s Angel
Marisa Carnesky
Diva Hollywood
Frisky & Mannish
4. What was the best costume you saw this year (and who did it belong to)?
Cecilia’s boob lights! In the bubble of course…5. What was the worst thing about being a burlesque fan/performer this year?
Nothing, oh except the constant feeling we should move to London6. What have you achieved/been proud of this year?
I’ve worked consistently this year, my like for like is 21% on 2008 and I’ve been getting much more quality bookings. Most of my big work came from international events; alongside repeat bookings in Europe, I performed in Paris & Switzerland for the first time. I’ve also learnt to listen to advice even from people who’ve just started as sometimes they have an incredibly astute view on something as a near outsider.Also, it’s not burly but I did curate and run an eight week Street Theatre festival in Newcastle that gathered audience upwards of 50,000. That was stellar!
7. What were your Burly related goals this year, did you achieve them?
No, not really. I did hope to increase my media presence, get my website done and finish my showreels. However, (and thankfully) I was too busy so they are my goals for this year too! I also realised I was going to shoehorn myself into media that I wasn’t suited for (eg. Bizarre/alt mags) so am trying to think of a different approach8. What are your Burly related goals for 2010?
To explode on the international variety circuit, have a great residency in Germany and hopefully get another contract out of it.
To run a 12 week festival with sponsorship from the Olympiad, curate and run Frayed Knot’s FIRST in a promoting capacity cabaret show.
To develop greater working partnerships with performers & promoters I’ve come to trust and respect over the past year.9. Burlesque in the media in ’09… any thoughts?
Nope, except it was a little easier to buy off the peg this year!
I’m still not sure if the above is an accurate representation of how I really thought 09 was or if it’s what I don’t mind being seen on a public forum. It was interesting to see my answers from last year 2008/2009;
1. Performers, maids, promotors etc – what has been you favourite night you performed at/promoted/organised/maided/compered/helped out with this year?
There’s been quite a few this year but I think the Jeepers Peepers when Diva Hollywood guested was my fave. I don’t think I slept for two days with all the nattering and giggling!
1a. Without naming names – tell us about the worst show you were involved in/watched this year (if there was one!)
I have an odd feeling this is actually the same as Emeralds! In addition, the promoter was incredibly selfish, my friend fell through part of the dressing room and got hurt and they put a BIKE LOCK on the fire exit as security. Lessons in not trusting promoters learnt…
2. What was/is your first and last gig of 2008 (watching or performing)?
First gig was Volupte beginning Jan, last was unexpectedly last week in Milan. I had planned to be performing 19,20,24,30,31st but I’ve got horribly sick and had to cancel{edited to add – this seems to be a yearly occurence eek!}
3. Who were your favourite performers to watch this year?
I was very lucky to see and meet my idols Michelle L’Amour and Dirty Martini. Kitten on The Keys blew me away.4. What was the best act you saw this year (and who did it)?
Bobbie Burlesque’s reverse strip at Tease-O-Rama, simple, perfect and sexy as hell. It completely redefined my ideas of what an act can be, contain and represent. I also saw Dirty Martini’s balloon act, I’d already seen it on video but it was still unbelievable.5. What was the best costume you saw this year (and who did it belong to)?
For concept, Jo Boobs Weldon’s Godzilla (complete with feet) for construction and execution it has to be pretty much anything by Vicky Butterfly.6. What was the worst thing about being a burlesque fan/performer this year?
Some horrible politics, nasty email messages etc. Also having to fight to ensure performers were getting paid properly and being looked after.7. Who have you met and made friends with this year though burlesque?
Blimey, I don’t want to name names but I’ve got a lot friendlier with the Scottish contingent with some beauties amongst them. I think most of my good burly friends I’ve known for over a year now.8. What has been inspiring your performances/modelling/costume design etc this year?
Shadows and playing with light. My head was also spun by the glitz of the American scene so I’m sure next year I’ll be adding sparkle to most of my costumes9. What have you achieved/been proud of this year?
Being a full time performer, arranging with almost military precision 34 days of nonstop shows in the summer throughout Europe.10. What were your Burly related goals this year, did you achieve them?
I wanted to break out of the ‘northern’ scene and ended up going international so I’m incredibly pleased. On the negative, I really wanted to work on my pinup photos but I still can’t face it. I had a good start to the year then it went horribly wrong.11. What are your Burly related goals for 2009?
Work more in London and spend Jan/Feb overhauling costumes, acts and ideas. I also want to work more with my partner on double acts.12. Burlesque in the media in ’08… any thoughts?
I was very pleased to see the beautiful article in the Daily Fail with Chrys Columbine and friends. It was actually well written and shot.
Actually, after looking through the above; well I finally managed to do some pin up shoots with Paul Wright & Miss Rain PLUS I got my first modelling assignments with Able Grable and Lovechild Boudoir. Edd and I did perform together a lot more, especially in the festivals and we worked on a summer project together too. Most of my costumes were repaired or revamped to lots of lovely comments so hey maybe 2009 was more awesome than I previously thought!
I do seem to be cursed with being ill at Christmas it seems; I think maybe my body just gives out.
Anyway; Happy New Year
Running till I’m sick, sewing till I’m swearing…
It’s six weeks until I leave the UK with Edd for our residency in Germany. So far, we’ve both been trying to get strong and fit; a quest that has been affected by the lack of heating in our home, training space and workshop. To be honest, we’re behind schedule and it’s not good.
Costume Update:
I’ve decided finally on the patterns to use, after playing ‘cut out dollies’ with butterick and a scanner.
Mom and I then took an ardous trek up to the upholstery store to get the following fabrics; I’m after a more vintage/dirty look than the usual glitz & glamour so it’s browns, deep reds and creams all in this wonderful rustic silk;
I also ordered 10m of pure silk to make a new serpentine that should arrive tomorrow. I’m currently alternating cutting patterns with running on the eliptical in the effort to be ‘fit, strong and healthy’. All I really want is a Chinese and a day off
Posted in Frayed Knot, New Work | Tags: Cabaret, Costume, Development, Frayed Knot, New Act | No Comments »
