Playing with fire

A couple of weeks ago I spent a few hot and smokey hours in a warehouse in Birmingham learning the basics of working with fire. It's a skill I've been wanting to learn for such a long time and I was so excited to finally get started! The workshop was run by Red Sarah, a very well known and respected circus and burlesque performer from London.

There were four of us in the class and after running through all the health and safety issues and selecting our equipment we took it in turns to get the feel of the fire on our skin, building up our confidence and reducing our arm hair as we went! The first time I touched the wick to my tongue was a strange experience but the taste wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting and I managed to extinguish the fire on my first try at eating it *smug*.

It was such a fun afternoon and I highly recommend Sarah as a teacher if anyone else is thinking of having a go. Details of her workshops are on her website (linked above).

Lovely wooden handle fire sticks bought from Red Sarah

New use for a champagne ice bucket!

Essential fire gear

I took a little video at the end of the afternoon but it won't load here :(  I'll try and fix that and post it later.

I've been practising whenever I can in my garden, inbetween the torrential rain and gail force winds, and I think I've freaked my neighbours out a little.... and the dog. So watch this space for a fire eating burlesque act. I already have a great idea in my head and have started making the costume already!

This Saturday is our 3rd birthday at Dr Sketchy's Nottingham! We have performances from Marianne Cheesecake and Coco Malone and modelling from Eliza DeLite. We have so many surprises in store and a prize table busting at the seams with goodies for our audience, including another massive stack of comics from our newest sponsor Page45, the only place to get comics in Nottingham (and I'm not just saying that because they sponsor our show, they are truly awesome and really know their stuff!)

Will I see you there?

Scarlett
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ElectroTease and the Gilded Merkin debut!

It's been a few days since these two shows but I've been taking a well earned rest!
Last Friday I took a trip a little way down the M1 to Leicester, to perform at a show called ElectroTease run by Eliza DeLite.

It was lovely to see Eliza, Rose and Constance again and meet the other ladies on the bill.

Eliza, Constance and I backstage in our "dressing cave"

This was such a fun show and the audience were lovely. I even went out and had a quick dance afterwards (in my balloon pop costume as I had forgotten to take a dress with me!)

Here's one of my favourite shots from the night, taken by Grace Elkin, mid confetti puff!

Copyright Grace Elkin

After the show I dashed to Nottingham to pick up Missy Malone at The Queen of Clubs, a new gay bar that's just opened, where she'd been performing that evening. I'll be there myself next week so it was lovely to meet the guys who run it. There were some very fancy looking drag queens in that place! Then we headed back to mine for puppy cuddles and tea.

Rocket the wonder dog

The next morning we popped into Hopkinson's before Missy caught her train to London. This was shamefully the first time I'd set foot in there but I'll definitely be going back again! I came away with a set of stem rose glasses, some cute green vintage buttons and this gorgeous red vanity case.

On Sunday, after months of planning and promoting, it was time for the debut Gilded Merkin show!

Nottingham Post article Sat 7th July. Photo of me by Ina Glo Photography

It's fair to say I was a bit of a nervous wreck before the show started but there was far too much to do for that to get in the way! I will admit to running downstairs at one point, through the huge queue that was forming, to find my mum and get a quick "good luck" hug before we opened the doors!

Everything went so well, far better than I could have hoped for, the venue was absolutely rammed with people and the show ran without a hitch and perfectly to time! It's not surprising really though considering the performers I was working with, all total pro's, and the staff at The Glee Club who were all fantastic!

Backstage with Anna Fur Laxis, Fred Bear, Millie Dollar, Edd Muir, Mysti Vine and stage maid Lea

Here are just a few of the great shots taken by Candee Photography....

Me

Velma Von Bon Bon

Millie Dollar

Fred Bear

Mysti Vine

Edd Muir volunteering Fred to take part in his act

Coco Malone

Anna Fur Laxis

Velma Von Bon Bon and Fandango

Millie Dollar

Mysti Vine

Edd Muir

Anna Fur Laxis

Crowd shot featuring Eliza (and Mr) DeLite, Aislinn Ball, Betty D'light and Chaz Royal

I'm still on a high and have been getting wonderful feedback from so many people saying how much fun they had and that they can't wait for the next one which is fantastic to hear!

The next date is Sunday 11th November and stars Missy Malone, Tricity Vogue, Missy Macabre, Sherry Trifle, Carrie-Ann (Dita Von Teese tribute) and The Great Aziz! I'll hopefully see you there!

Scarlett
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The Gilded Merkin: Burlesque & Cabaret comes to Nottingham

Those of you who follow me on Facebook and Twitter will no doubt know about my new show, The Gilded Merkin, which debuts in a little over a week on Sunday 8th July at the Glee Club in Nottingham!

I've been wanting to get my teeth into producing a large scale variety show for quite some time and earlier this year I put my plans into motion!

The line up is amazing, all headliners in their own right, from the international burlesque and cabaret circuit.

We have.....

ANNA FUR LAXIS Axe flinging illusionist burlesquer
MYSTI VINE Queen of Dark-asm
MILLIE DOLLAR Star of the Martini Lounge
COCO MALONE Sultry Jazz/Soul songbird
VELMA VON BON BON Comedic burlesque pocket rocket
FRED BEAR Compere extraordinaire
and
EDD MUIR Acrobat supreme from Frayed Knot Circus

And thanks to the wonderful Charlotte Thomson-Morley for the cheeky artwork!

More great news is that as of today we have our first sponsor, BooBoo Kitty Couture, who will be giving us a made to measure pencil skirt for one lucky winner at the event! So dress to impress ladies as we'll be doing a best dressed competition to decide who gets it. I promise I will think of a suitable prize for the gents in the audience too so no slacking lads!

Doors open at 6:30pm and tickets are selling really well for this 300 seat venue so be quick about it if you want to come! It's only £15 for this huge show. You won't want to miss it!

Buy your tickets HERE!

Scarlett
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