Gala Performers! Part 1
Say Hello To Our Evening Performers!
Well, now you’ve met our Tea Time Teasers, it’s time to meet our performers for the evening Gala Show, The Best In Wales! These performers perform professionally around the UK (and some internationally, too). We really are lucky to have such talent connected to Wales!
So, for the first of the fantastic bunch, we thought we’d introduce you to us! We are Lilly Laudanum and FooFoo LaBelle, the ladies who’ve been talking about bringing you this festival for the past year!
FooFooLaBelle
FooFoo is a classically trained dancer with over 20 years of performing experience in all types of entertainment and theatre. As a burlesque performer she has a huge catalogue of different characters, themes and props. Her routines are brought to life with classy costuming, beautiful choreography lots of panache and audience participation. FooFoo is especially known for her "en pointe" routines, her work is alternatively humorous, erotic, cheeky, comic, and dark. See www.foofoolabelle.co.uk for further info.
Her pre burlesque career has included working as a showgirl, elephant riding, taking principle roles in pantomimes and touring her own cabaret acts. Foo Foo is also a popular belly dancer, who has entertained audiences of many different ethnicity both at home and abroad. FooFooLaBelle is the founder of the Burlesque Cardiff dance school and production house as well as co-founder on The Welsh Burlesque Festival.
What is your connection to Wales?
“I have been living and working in Cardiff for over 15 years. My maternal Grandmother Gwenllian was born in Larne, South Wales and her father was one of the directors of Britain Fairy Steel Works. I had relations living in Gower until a few years ago.”
What are you most looking forward to at Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“Meeting and working with performers I have not met before.”
Tell us an interesting fact about you?
“I worked as a dancer in a circus and rode elephants.”
That is awesome! What’s the funniest incident or thing that's happened to you when you've been performing?
“Too many incidents to choose only one!”
Tell us about the act you are going to perform and why you chose it?
“I will be performing my Welsh Homage ‘Bread of Heaven’.”
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Lilly Laudanum
Lilly is the resident artist and producer of Bluestocking Lounge (Wales) and has been professionally performing in various guises for 20-plus years – the last three in burlesque. Regularly performing across the UK since 2009, Lilly enjoys ‘bringing the dead back to life’ with comical characterisations that combine the historical humour of Carry On films, camp horror of Hammer, a pinch of Victoriana, a smudge of Steampunk and the flamboyance of Dame Barbara Cartland. www.lillylaudanum.com
What is your connection to Wales?
“Almost 10 years ago, a crazy Welshman pushed me off my seat and stole my drink in my friend’s London boozer, the Crobar. Somehow he managed to drag me to Wales and I’ve never gone back!”
What are you most looking forward to at Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“FooFoo and I have been talking about bringing a festival of Welsh Talent to the stage for over a year now and I’m really looking forward to it actually coming to fruition! I’m excited to be part of bringing the best Welsh (and those of Welsh origins) acts to the stage, meeting some lovely people, spending it up at our carefully selected vintage stalls and (hopefully) being part of creating a memorable day for everyone.”
Tell us an interesting fact about your act?
“My Barbara Cartland act was inspired by a collection of Barbara Cartland’s hats on Antiques roadshow a few years ago!”
What’s the most bizarre incident that's happened when you've been performing?
“After performing across the UK, I frequently make the après-show trek home to Wales still in make-up (which often includes a blood-smeared face!) After a recent show in Bristol, with Primrose Proper in tow, I livened up a bored-looking toll-operator’s shift on the Severn Bridge pulling up with blood from my Lizzie Borden act on my face. It didn’t help that my husband was asleep across the back seat, covered with coats!”
What act you are going to perform and why did you chose it?
“It’s got to be my ‘A Novel Way To Go’ – the Barbara Cartland act just because it’s very pink, very naughty and was my first ever solo act. Someone once said it’s like watching your nan go wild at a wedding; there’s always a special place in my heart for nans going wild.”
Coming up next time: we’d like to introduce you to our blonde bombshell and a blue eyed beauty… all will be revealed in part two of our gorgeous Gala Show girls!
Tea Time Tease performers! Part 5
Say hello to our Tea Time Tease performers!
Part 6
Gigi Sextone
So here’s the last of our Tea Time Tease performers! We know she’s worth the wait!
Gigi Sextone is one hot red head and one half of the Dolly Rockers.
What is your connection to Wales?
“I was born and bred in Port Talbot.”
What are you most looking forward to at Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“I can’t wait to watch and meet all the diverse and beautiful Welsh performers showcasing the glorious talent we have right here in Wales.”
Now here’s an interesting fact that ties Gigi’s act with her profession…
“I am a professionally trained dog groomer, which helped with the characterisation in my act! And I once dated someone from The Vampire Diaries!”
Gigi has been performing in bands for years and during that time she says,
“The funny stories there are endless… Marriage proposals from strangers, broken bras pinging open, stage invaders, police raids, auctioning our bass player for £10k for charity, playing with The Stranglers, Doctor and the Medics, Bullet for my Valentine…”
Tell us about the act you are going to perform and why you chose it?
“The act is ‘Lady and The Tramp’ and was my very first solo routine, so it holds a special place in my heart. I love the routine as it’s fun, full of character and has a cheeky twist, which I hope the audience will enjoy.”
We’ll be introducing you to our Gala performers over the next few weeks, so stay tuned and find out about the ‘mysterious’ lovely who comes from a long line of Welsh opera singers who once lived in St Donat’s Castle…
Tea Time Tease performers! Part 4
Say hello to our Tea Time Tease performers!
Part 5
Miss Primrose Proper and Oh! Carolina
Two more exciting lovelies that will be performing in our next big thing show… And don’t forget, the price of your Tea Time Tease ticket also includes tea and cakes (we know, we’re spoiling you!)
Miss Primrose Proper
Miss Primrose Proper is a creative writing student from Swansea who admits she’s “taken the research for a novel about burlesque dancing a bit far... I'm a graduate of the Bluestocking Lounge school of burlesque and I'm also a belly dancer and a poet. One day I'll combine all three!”
What is your connection to Wales?
“I fell in love with Gower on holidays as a child. I moved to Swansea to study almost nine years ago, and never left. Becoming part of the burlesque community in Wales has made it feel even more like home.”
What are you most looking forward to at Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“Getting to know (and see!) some fantastic performers and try some new moves in the workshops.”
Tell us an interesting fact about your act?
“The Bluebeard's Castle act was inspired by Angela Carter's short story The Bloody Chamber, which is itself a burlesque of the original tale...”
What is the funniest thing that's happened to you when you've been performing?
“I can't pick one! Teaching my friends to twirl tassels when they need cheering up; doing an impromptu bump and grind routine with Lilly Laudanum to the theme tune to Monty Python’s Flying Circus; trying to get a life-sized scary door prop onto the bus; having a friend text me to tell me that my bum was in the Evening Post. All amazing!”
What is the act you are going to perform and why did you choose it?
“The Bluebeard's Castle act is my favourite because I get to run around the stage a lot pretending to be hysterical and it reminds me to have fun and not to take myself too seriously.”
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Oh! Carolina
This lovely from West Wales is a burlesque and hoop-tease performer inspired by hedonistic, decadent glamour, art and beauty. Not a slave to any one era, but especially excited by Art Nouveau, Pre-Raphaelites and the Belle Epoque, Oh! Carolina strives to incorporate the poetic and the aesthetic into her acts, together with a nod and a wink towards her contemporary dance and ballet background.
What is your connection to Wales?
“Apart from a couple of years spent in South Africa, I've lived in Wales since the age of five.”
What are you most looking forward to at Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“Meeting other burlesque performers from all over the country, and gaining a better sense of what is happening in the Welsh Burlesque community.”
Tell us a little-known fact about yourself?
“I'm also on the Welsh karate squad. And I have a weird little toe which is only half the size of its counterpart on the other foot. Do those count as interesting facts?!”
Has anything strange happened to you while you've been on stage?
“Luckily, nothing too strange has happened to me yet (hope I haven't jinxed myself by saying that!), but at one show, the stage was in front of a large window that looked out onto a main street, so people were just casually walking past as we performed our acts!”
You are performing your ‘Silver Cascade’ act, what can you tell us about it?
“It’s a fan dance with a difference, as I use big silvery tinsel-covered hoops instead of fans. I really enjoy this act as it has a fun 1920s feel, and I love the electro-swingy type music that I perform it to!”
Just one more artist to come… the lovely Gigi Sextone will be telling you all about herself in the last part of our Tea Time Tease introductions…
Tea Time Tease performers! Part 4
Say hello to our Tea Time Tease performers!
Part 4
Tiger Tiger and Sassafras Sundae
Two more gorgeous performers for you to get to know before you see them in action in our ones to watch show…
Tiger Tiger
Although Bristol based Tiger Tiger has been performing in the Southwest for the last two years, she’s less well known on the Welsh scene. She comes highly recommended: Penny Bizarre from Bristol’s Ritualesque says Tiger Tiger’s acts are “fabulously cheeky, humorous, sometimes dark and always very well conceived. Her attitude and aptitude make her a joy to be around.”
What is your connection to Wales?
“I grew up just across the border and spent my childhood watching S4C as it was the only channel I could pick up in my bedroom! I currently live in Bristol but lived in Cardiff a few years back and later this year me and my Welsh husband will be setting down roots back in God’s Land!”
What are you most looking forward to at Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“Meeting some of the other performers! I have been fortunate enough to work with some of them in the past, but it will be great to be part of the Welsh scene and make friends ahead of my return!”
An interesting fact about you?
“I am constantly told, ‘you’re the busiest person I know!’ As well as performing regularly, I also have a full-time job, organise and promote my own shows, and am a published author working on my second novel. I guess the interesting fact is that I still manage to get about eight hours sleep every night!”
The funniest thing that's happened to you when you've been performing?
“At a show I was compering last year I decided to get the audience involved in a sing-a-long. One of the most amusing things I have ever seen in my life was 200 people looking under their chairs for the air guitars I had provided for them, followed closely by the sounds and looks of realisation...”
What act you are going to perform and why did you choose it?
“Too Hot To Hula is my signature act. I have been performing it for the last two years, have so much fun every time and am yet to get bored of it! I think it’s very true to me as a performer and also entertaining,so it had to be the act for this show!”
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Sassafras Sundae
Tell us about yourself!
“My name is Mia but I occasionally let naughty Sassafras Sundae out to play. My interests beside burlesque is in dance, sewing, karate and most importantly my family. My favourite era is the 40's and 50's which my grandmother told me so much about. Burlesque has given me so much more confidence, it's been liberating, fun and a good excuse to get dressed up.”
What is your connection to Wales?
“Myself, my parents and most of my grandparents were born in Wales.”
At The Welsh Burlesque Festival, I’m most looking forward to: “Seeing friends, catching-up, performing and watching other performances.”
Tell us about the funniest thing to happen during a performance…
“During a last minute tango group rehearsal with FooFoo LaBelle, I managed to get my heel stuck in another person’s dress, resulting in a pile up of four people on the floor. I didn't go down. (Oops, sorry!)”
You’re doing a Bettie Page-inspired act – tell us about that?
“My act will incorporate a collar and whip to lightly suggest a dominant / submissive relationship.”
Three more up-and-coming talented performers to introduce you to… Stay tuned for part 5 coming up next time…
Tea Time Tease performers! Part 3
Say hello to our Tea Time Tease performers!
Part 3
Bella Bambina and Cherrie Pips
Mamma mia! We’re getting all Italian with one of the next couple of performers, so say hello to Bella Bambina And Cherrie Pips!
Bella Bambina
This British-Italian beautiful baby-girl says she “always makes sure she leaves the building smokin' and shakin' in her wake...” Bella made her debut at Swansea's Bluestocking Lounge in July 2011 and adds that since that first summer show, she’s “kept audiences feeling hot and bothered with her sassy routines ever since.”
What is your connection to Wales?
“I studied at Aberystwyth university in 2006 then moved to Swansea with my partner after graduation, where I still live now.”
What are you most looking forward to at Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“Seeing all the Welsh burly talent come together in one place and meeting both newbies and established performers with a Welsh connection. And just you wait 'til I get stuck into that market place....!”
Tell us about your stage name?
“My stage name is a tribute to my Italian heritage and real-life surname which derives from 'child' or 'baby' - Bella Bambina means 'beautiful baby girl'”
What’s the funniest thing that's happened to you when you've been performing?
“I like to wear slippers backstage so as not to run a ladder in my stockings; for my first ever performance I completely forgot I had them on and walked onto the stage still wearing them!”
Tell us about the act you are going to perform and why you chose it?
“'Cinderbella' is a take on the classic fairytale Cinderella - except who needs Prince Charming and glass slippers when you have mega high glittery heels instead!”
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Cherrie Pips
After attending FooFoo LaBelle’s dance classes, Cherrie Pips has performed in many of the Burlesque Cardiff / La Belle Époque Club shows over the last four years as a chorus girl, and soon became enchanted by the art of teasing on the stage. She has portrayed the Welsh patron saint of lovers Santes Dwynwen, a sacrificial Aztec goddess, and Hollywood starlet Faye Wray in some of her routines.
What is your connection to Wales?
“After moving to Cardiff to study for a Fine Art degree, I fell in love with the city and never left. I’ve been here 10 years now and still love it.”
What are you most looking forward to at the festival?
“I’m really looking forward to making lots of new burlesque friends and My Delilah’s bra embellishment workshop. The festival as a whole is exciting, and I’m so proud to be able to take part in the first year!”
You have a Led Zeppelin connection, don’t you?
“I grew up watching my dad hang out with Robert Plant. He came to my parents’ wedding, and I have a Christening gift from him, which I've never been allowed to touch! My mother keeps it behind glass at home. He definitely influenced my musical choices in life, and perhaps planted the seed of performance in my little brain from a young age! Though to me, he was always called 'Planty'.”
What is the funniest incident that’s happened to you when you’ve been performing?
“It was my first time on stage in a duet. I’d performed in a previous show as part of the chorus, but I’d never been on stage alone before. My duet partner and me were very nervous, but excited. We hopped up on stage and everything was going swimmingly – until my partner ripped my shirt open, taking my pastie with it! At the time, I was completely horrified, but looking back now I can only laugh about it!”
We’ve heard a lot about your King Kong act, tell us why you chose to perform it at the first Welsh Burlesque Festival…
“Kong vs. Faye is a tribute to the original 1930’s King Kong film starring Faye Wray. I chose it because it’s an act with a strong sense of humour running through it. Humour scares me – if you get it wrong, it can screw your whole performance up. I was so nervous performing it for the first time, but I got great feedback, so I guess it worked!”
Next time we’ll be introducing you to Sassafras Sundae and Bristol’s Tiger Tiger; look out for part four of our hot-to-trot Ones To Watch…
Tea Time Tease performers! Part 2
Say hello to our Tea Time Tease performers!
Part 2
Katie Von Cupcake and Luna C Fur and Sprite (double act!)
Here’s a couple more hot-to-trot acts who’ll be grabbing your attention at our Tea Time show…
Katie Von Cupcake
In her own words, Katie is an “energetic, loving soul who loves nothing more than getting swept away in the glamour and gilts of burlesque. I love working hard at learning inspiring dances taught by the stunning Foo Foo Labelle. My passion is rock music, incorporating this into dance gives me energy and drive to work at my full potential. All I want in life is to be happy and to bask in the happiness of others. Dancing helps me do that with the great encouragement of Foo Foo Labelle.”
What is your connection to Wales?
“I was born and raised in the valleys with all of my family around me.”
What are you most looking forward to at the Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“I'm looking forward to watching the best performers around; I'm excited about performing and spending the whole day with the fantastic Cardiff burlesque troop. Meeting new like minded people will also be great.”
What’s an interesting fact about you?
“I have been lucky enough to be Michelin trained by to famous TV chefs, this has helped my no end in my career as a development chef. I'm a great believer in karma and a very spiritual person and think mother nature rules.”
What’s an interesting thing that has happened on stage?
“When I did wrestling in a show; I jumped off the stage to fight my opponent but miss footed and twisted my ankle, I then went on to drop one of the girls that led me to laugh so much I actually wet myself a little! Luckily, I was still able to carry on until the end.”
Tell us about the act you’re going to perform…
“My act is called The Bomb. It is based on a film called Mrs Henderson Presents, I wanted to perform this dance as it was my first ever solo. I was able to use the rock music I love to help bring the character alive. She is a feisty 50s war girl - I really hope it goes down half as well as the first time I performed it!”
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Luna C Fur and Sprite
What is your connection to Wales?
Sprite: “I was born in Cardiff. I am a short and quirky fairy with plenty of fairy-dust to cheer up any souls that are down and give them a big boost of my quirky cheery disposition. I also have a friend called Luna C Fur, a fallen angel come to take those souls to another place.”
Luna: “I was born and bred in Wales. My name is Luna C Fur, a fallen angel who has been sent to delight and enchant the souls of this world with my dark and twisted humour and a dash of sleaze.
I also have a little sparkly friend Sprite who helps me sometimes when she's not too busy enchanting people herself.”
What are you most looking forward to at the Welsh Burlesque Festival?
Sprite: “Performing.”
Luna: “Meeting up with some of Wales' awesome Burlesque performers!”
An interesting fact about you?
Sprite: “I have a twin sister and we both do burlesque.”
What’s the most bizarre incident that's happened during a performance?
Luna: “Once I performed at a fetish club. There’s nothing wrong with that, except that the stage was on the first floor and the ‘dungeon’ was below which meant that although the audience may not have heard, I could hear all the cries, screams and spanking throughout my act!”
Tell us about the act you're going to do and why you choose to do it?
Luna: “The act is Maneater. It was performed with Sprite at the Burlesque Cardiff Steampunk show last year.
Sprite: The act we’re doing is one we both like performing together and have a lot of fun doing.”
Luna: “It’s also an excuse to eat some fairy cakes – yummy!”
Stay tuned for some more performers in part three of our Tea Time Tease, coming up over the next few days…
Tea Time Tease performers
Say hello to our Tea Time Tease performers!
Part 1
Poppy Vanguard and Fifi Fleur
We’re just so excited to bring you some of the best up and coming artists in Wales – and those of Welsh origins.
Poppy Vanguard
In her own words, the world of Miss Poppy Vanguard is “one of 50’s inspired curves, fluttering eyelashes and red stained lips. She is strong, passionate but just that tiny bit silly. From accidents with baking supplies to the world of overalls and aviators, Poppy’s routines are clever, sexy and always topped off with a cheeky smile.”
What is your connection to Wales?
“Wales is my home. Born in the lovely seaside town of Penarth, I grew up knowing I lived somewhere a tiny bit special. I’ve travelled the world but it’s always drawn me back. I guess it’s true, you never can take Wales out of the girl.”
What are you most looking forward to at Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“It’s about showing that the Welsh Burlesque scene is exciting, unique and has some extraordinary talent. The line up is packed with true professionals, all ready to show the passion that embodies every welsh person.”
An interesting fact?
“My inspiration for my burlesque name Poppy Vanguard comes from my birthday falling on Armistices Day.”
The funniest thing that's happened to you when you've been performing?
“Getting cramp in my toes when attempting to frantically change from pumps to heels on stage. Motto of the story - don’t attempt to squash slightly hot, swollen feet into small pink peep toes in a hurry and definitely not in front of a hundred people!”
The act you are going to perform and why you chose it?
“Inspired by the 80’s classic Top Gun, this routine embodies the essence of Poppy Vanguard. It’s powerful, sexy with a touch of naughtiness. It was my first ever act, it definitely won’t be my last and I gave it everything.”
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Fifi Fleur
Fifi Fleur says she is “a fun loving minx, who loves to get on stage and shake her stuff to please and tease her audience. She uses traditional burlesque techniques whilst adding a modern twist, such as pumping rock music. Fifi not only wishes to seductively satisfy her audience but also make them smile and cheer with her cheesecake twists in her routines.”
What is your connection to Wales?
“I came to Wales last summer to start a work placement.”
What are you most looking forward to at Welsh Burlesque Festival?
“A whole day devoted to burlesque: fantastic!”
The funniest thing that's happened to you when you've been performing?
“On my first ever performance both of my tassels went flying off at exactly the same time, so many people thought it was part of the act.”
You’re performing ‘Grounds For Divorce’, why did you chose this act?
“It mixes a 1950's style and costumes with a modern day rock song.”
We’ll be introducing you to our Ones To Watch performers over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for more performers…
The Line Up for the Glittering Gala Performance
Ok, so we like to tease you! We couldn’t let you know everything all at once, now could we? Especially when it took us so long to pick these lovelies…
We will be profiling our lovelies over the next few weeks so you can see what led them to the place they are in today, their Welsh connections (…and you won’t believe it but one of our artists comes from a long line of Welsh opera singers who once resided in St Donat’s Castle – we bet you can’t guess who it is!) and some interesting facts we think you should know…
Well, we know you’ve all been holding your breath so now is the moment of truth! The Line-up is…
Darkteaser
Lucy Purr
Lou Leigh Blue
Miss Betty Blue Eyes
Miss Sandy Sure
Miss Molly Toff Cocktail
Daisy De Lux
Ruby de la Rue
Violet Noir
Miss Didi Curv'e & Miss Honey Holiday
Evie Va Voom
Miss Gemma Sheree
FooFoo Labelle
Lilly Laudanum
That’s a whole lot of burlesque, right there! And we just know you’re going to enjoy it…
Bye for now!
Lilly Laudanum x
The Line-up!
You’ve been so patiently waiting and now we can reveal the line-up for the shows… (cue drum roll!)
But before we spill the beans, we’d just like to remind everyone that The Welsh Burlesque Festival is not a competition, we just want to show off the talent we have here in Wales – and performers of Welsh origins – to the rest of the world and The Welsh Burlesque Festival is our platform for this…
Right then… The moment you’ve all been waiting for!
Performers for the Afternoon Tea Time Tease – our ‘ones to watch’ show are:
FiFi Fleur
Tiger Tiger
Sassafras Sundae
Bella Bambina
Miss Primrose Proper
Poppy Vanguard
Luna C Fur and Sprite Duet
Cherrie Pips
Oh! Carolina
Miss GiGi Sextone
Miss Katie VonCupCakes
We’ll announce more performers tomorrow! Stay tuned!
Bye for now!
Lilly Laudanum x
We’re excited!
With our performers all picked it seems like the festival is really gathering up speed and we can’t wait to tell you who they are!
You’d think picking a line-up for two shows would be easy, but I can tell you it’s not! Especially not when you’ve got a pile of incredibly talented and exciting performers to choose from. Foo Foo Labelle and myself (assisted by Jess the lovely – and licky - Egyptian hunting dog and a lovely salmon lunch cooked by the fair hand of Miss Labelle!) had our work cut out on a snowy Saturday in Cardiff as we looked at videos from all walks of the burly path. It may have been cold outside but the performances we looked at really raised the temperatures, we can tell you! We had applications from far and wide too – from right here in Wales as well as Welsh performers and those of Welsh origins living elsewhere (yes, as far afield as Australia!). The line-ups for the two shows were picked so there’s plenty of variety; comedy acts mixed with character-driven performers and classic routines, modern music and up-tempo acts mixed with more traditional pieces just so you, the audience, get a very rounded view of what burlesque in Wales represents today, in 2012.
Over the next few weeks we will be bringing you profiles of our performers so you can get to know these talented performers for yourselves… And we can’t wait for you to see them in the flesh!
Bye for now!
Lilly Laudanum x