A Documentary about Burlesque

Myself and my burlesque show, 'Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque' are featured in a student documentary alongside many of my performers and class members who I have taught over the past year.

The documentary is a film by Kimberly Edwards which explores whether burlesque is sleazy or not and has been released on Youtube today.

Take a peek!



Much love,
Deadly Nightshade: Founder, Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque. x

Fun at 'The Vintage Salon'

I did a wonderful shoot with Lynsey Le Keux from The Vintage Salon last Wednesday, modelling for Vintage Fascinator's and Vivien of Holloway...here are the results...hope you like?

Hair and make-up The Vintage Salon

Photography LeKeux Events

Dress Vivien of Holloway

Headpiece - Vintage Fascinators

Model: Deadly Nightshade

I am Featured in The Sheffield Star Today!

Whilst sipping my cup of coffee this morning, I had a phone call to tell me that I had been spotted in the Sheffield Star Newspaper! This was news to me...and good news at that! So, I popped out to purchase one...and sure enough, there was a little surprise mention about yours truly.

"Burlesque is growing fast and Deadly Nightshade is at the centre of it." - The Sheffield Star.

The best surprises come in small packages!

Deadly Nightshade in 'The Star' April 2012.

Much love,

Deadly Nightshade: Founder, Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque. x

Thank You Me'Hearties!

Wow - what a Nautical time we all had celebrating Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque's fourth birthday on Sunday at 'Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque'!

I'd like to begin by thanking our Headline Boylesque act: Flixx Démontrant, he came in pursuit of 'Forbidden Treasure' and then made a drastic transformation into Captain Hook before finding himself 'Un-Hooked' on our stage.  He is truly a Boylesque performer who entangles you into his story and then leaves you wanting more!

Flixx at Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque
Photographed by Anwar Suliman

Flixx  at Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque  
Photographed by Anwar Suliman

I also wish to thank our glowingly beautiful and very pregnant Evie Farrah for her consistently high quality and captivating performances.  I am proud to have seen her begin her career with Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque and grow into the excellent performer she is today.  I am also assured that pregnancy will not put pay to Evie's Burlesque career and she will shimmy and shake her baby bump onto the Secrets stage to delight and captivate you all once again...watch this space for more...

Evie Farrah  at Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque  
Photographed by Anwar Suliman

Huge thanks to Belle Nouvelle and her special 'Mermaid' guest for their wonderful, original and unique routine which mixed live, originally composed music with Burlesque to create 'My Heart is an Anchor'.  A delight for the ears and for the eyes - something truly spectacular!

'My Heart is an Anchor'  at Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque
Photographed by Anwar Suliman 

Allow me to thank Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque's resident twins: Cherry Du Bois and Scarlet Noir for their hilarious routine which demonstrated sibling rivalry at its very best!

Cherry and Scarlet at Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque
Photographed by Anwar Suliman 

Miss. Kitty Fantastic provided us with a Burlesque Lobster boiling in a pot in her very glam and hilarious parody of Dita's Martini Glass routine!

Miss. Kitty Fantastic at Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque
Photographed by Anwar Suliman

Congratulations to Tahlullah Manhatten for making her stage debut as a sexy Siren stealing Sailor's souls.  It is such a delight to see her go from taking part in our Burlesque Lessons to stepping onto the stage for the very first time.

Tahlullah Manhatten at Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque
Photographed by Anwar Suliman

And last but not least of all of our performers, let's hear it for the dashing, the handsome, the delectable Mr. Warren Peace and Mr. Duke O'Growl - what a pair of delicious Compere's they both made, with Cabaret skills and good-looks to rival the very best of men!  Ooooooof!  An Officer and a Gentlemen indeed!

Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque
Photographed by Anwar Suliman

Huge thanks to our resident designer and performer: Sian De Leir for costuming our door staff and cigarette girls, thank you to our film crew, to our photographers and filmographers: the Suliman's, thanks to all of the stalls involved with the show and to all who donated a raffle prize, thanks to Vivien of Holloway and to our wonderful D.J. Mr Vince Spitfire, who is now sadly retiring from the game.  We love you Vince and we will certainly miss you. 

...Oh and 'Black Magic Woman' didn't go too badly either...maybe it isn't time to scrap the act just yet....

Deadly Nightshade at Secrets of the Boud'Yargggh! Burlesque
Photographed by Anwar Suliman

Much love,

Deadly Nightshade: Founder, Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque. x

Splitting Personalities...

Hello,

My name is Rachel and I have been a burlesque performer for about five years now, but I find myself revelling more in the fact that I have been a successful burlesque promoter for over four years now.  Why you ask?

The answer is simple, I am afraid of the lime-light, lacking in confidence and unable to dance.

Now, WHAT would Deadly Nightshade have to say about THAT?

She would bitch-slap me to the other side of the earth for darkening her name with such slander!  She loves the lime-light, ooozes with confidence and can dance to any beat - but I struggle to bring Nightshade to the fore-front sometimes!

Performing 'The Wolf'

Promoting has always allowed me to hide behind the scenes or to only perform in an atmosphere where I feel the most comfortable and recently I find myself embarking upon successes.  These successes have been achieved by Rachel, but I think Deadly has had a lot to do with them too.

After my recent achievements, I now find myself being blessed with the ability to teach my art to others and this got me thinking - if I am able to tutor young women in how to be more confident, then surely I must now have some?

Deadly Nightshade has somehow, secretly, sneakily, slowly and seductively crept out into Rachel's personality, or maybe she was always there to begin with?  

"I'm not me any more, now I'm him" (or in my case: her) - Alice Cooper.

Learn more about my Burlesque Course/Lessons.

Attend my latest show.

Thank You For Helping us to Raise £583.76 for Oxfam

Ladies and gentlemen,

I would just like to say 'Thank You' to you all for helping Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque (SotBB) to raise a whopping £583.76 for Oxjam in aid of Oxfam on Sunday evening.

We were treated to a wonderful array of burlesque and cabaret from SotBB favourites such as Sian De Leir, Evie Farrah and Cassie Devine, Depravity Jane and Mistress Mimi.  Then we had the pleasure of introducing some fabulous performers who have never graced our stage before including, Cadillac Arrest, Foxie La Roque, Lacie May, Danni La Blue and Miss Moonlight.  You were all truly wonderful!

Thank you to everyone who donated a raffle gift, helping us to make a huge profit for Oxfam!  The gifts were absolutely fabulous and came from:
Mad Hatter's Cupcake Co,
Vivien of Holloway,
Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque,
Ann Summers,
Follow Your Dreams Tattoo,
Mentholman's Venue,
Imogen's Imagination,
Razorblade Mermaid,
Bubble Queens,
Molly Rouge
and
Gorgeous Gifts.
Special thanks to Nina Lockwood for bagging some of these raffle prizes for us and helping to raise money for Oxfam.

Big thanks to our wonderful compere Mr. Duke O'Growl for keeping the show flowing and for making generous donations into our Oxjam money tins all evening!

Let's give a huge round of applause to Anwar and Aisha Suliman for being our photographers for the evening.  Photographs will be up on our website and Facebook pages soon and will also be available to purchase by contacting http://www.asphotographyservices.co.uk/.

Thank you to Pansy Cheung for stepping in quite last minute to be our graceful and elegant door girl - I cannot thank you enough!

Huge thanks to our sponsor, Vivien of Holloway www.vivienofholloway.com, to our venue, to Hayleigh Lou  and to our stall-holders.

Until next time....

Our next show will be on the 4th of December 2011

Much love,

Deadly Nightshade. x

Deadly Nightshade as 'The Wolf'