Black Magic Woman

Black Magic Woman
Photographed by Kate Donovan for Donovan's Darlings

Tuesday 5 March 2013

Thank You For Making Our 5th Birthday so Special...

I would just like to say 'WOW' and a great big THANK YOU to everyone involved with Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque's FIFTH Birthday celebrations on Sunday evening. I am so proud and happy to have run this show every quarter since March 2008 without fail, and to have had the opportunity to run additional shows each year, including the launch of my 'Supernova' events and I couldn't have done it without you all.

What a great gift to receive - Sir Midnight Blues!
The audience were ELECTRIC this Sunday evening and ready to celebrate with us in style and I cannot thank them enough for this - absolutely fantastic!

I wanted to combine the old with the new in celebration of our Birthday, allowing our regulars to perform their most treasured and favourite routines, along with a few specially developed Birthday acts just for Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque.

Kicking off the show was the hilarious Mrs Hawkins, who had me in absolute stitches with her opening 'I Should Be So Lucky' song! Such an hilarious character and a lovely addition to the Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque crew...what say you to making her resident Compere at our West Street Live shows?

Mrs Hawkins getting a lift from an audience member!
Then, what can I say about this woman: she stood in our Birthday Cake for an hour waiting to pop out to open the Birthday celebrations in style, former Secrets student and good friend of mine....the incredible Raven Noir! What an absolute delightful to receive a 6 foot Birthday cake with a Showgirl inside! Such a decadent treat! Now that's a dedication to your Art and to Secrets if ever I saw it!

Raven Noir by Duncan Stafford
Next up was another Graduate of Secrets, the naughty School Girl, Willow Le Wisp, with her rendition of 'School's Out' (again, a nice little Birthday treat for me because everybody knows my feelings on Alice Cooper: Love the man!)

Willow Le Wisp
Willow was followed by our resident blonde babe, Miss Peachy Pinch with her hilarious and sexy take on the 'Diet Coke' adverts which had us laughing and panting all at the same time!

Miss Peachy Pinch by Duncan Stafford
Next up, all the way from London, was the Nymphomaniac, Miss Dolly Dazzle, with elegant belly dance moves, a beautiful costume and finishing her act with a traditional fan dance, it was a pleasure to have her perform for us at our Fifth Birthday Party.

Miss Dolly Dazzle by Seraphic
After our first break we were treated to more delights from our resident dancer Pansy Cheung, Secrets Graduate and Maid Tahlullah Manhattan and the gorgeous Betty Page-esque Maria Moreish. Maria brought her classic 'Cleaner' act back to Secrets and treated us all to a naughty showing of her assets...

Maria Moreish
Former Secrets Graduate, Lexxy Lace then took to the stage with another Alice Cooper song for accompaniment and spanked her way through the audience with a riding crop! She also treated us to another saucy routine later on in the show.

Lexxy Lace in 'Poison'
I then took to the stage with my classic act, 'The Woman' to keep the riding crop action in motion just so that our audience were well and truly whipped into shape! Beginning as an act that I really didn't feel comfortable with, it has now developed into my favourite act to perform and so I just had to bring it to the Birthday Party!

Deadly Nightshade by John Slater
Next was the oh-so delightful Sir Midnight Blues, bringing Boylesque to the party...because we just needed to have a gift-wrapped man thrown into the mix for my own debauchery! Sir Midnight also brought Pole Dancing to the Secrets stage for THE VERY FIRST TIME IN FIVE WHOLE YEARS! What an absolute treat and a first for Secrets!

Sir Midnight Blues
Opening the next quarter of the show was our one of our favourite resident performers, Evie Farrah! Evie performed one of my favourite routines of hers for our party, bringing 'Ego' back to the Secrets stage, which is the act that she made her debut Secrets performance with! She then appeared once again to close the show as Jessica Rabbit!

Evie Farrah as Jessica Rabbit
Tahlullah Manhattan reappeared again as our 'Bubblegum Bitch' with a glittery and bubble-filled balloon pop...because there has to be balloons at a Birthday Party, there just has to be!

Bubblegum Bitch by John Slater
Returning to the stage with a second slice of Birthday Burlesque action was then the fabulous Lexxy Lace, Raven Noir and Mrs Hawkins, along with another dose of Pole Dancing from Sir Midnight Blues and a beautiful bellydance from Ms Pansy Cheung.

Pansy Cheung
Highlights off the stage included a visit from Reverend and The Makers Front-man Jon McClure as well as and Exposed Magazine.

Reverend and The Makers' Jon McClure with our audience and Stalls
Thank you to our exceptional stalls: Tottly Lime Juice, Kitty Sparkles Jewellery, Let Them Eat Cake and Von Harlots. I would also like to say a huge thank you to our Door Girls, Rya and Megan for being absolutely fabulous on the door as well as being incredibly beautiful, to all of our photographers for such beautiful pictures and to all the staff and crew at West Street Live: you make my life so much easier! Big love to my Duke and love to Cherry Du Bois who sadly couldn't be there.

THANK YOU AND HUGE AMOUNTS OF LOVE TO MY LOYAL AND LOVING AUDIENCE, YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME, THANK YOU. xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Saturday 14 July 2012

Vintage Life Magazine

I am featured in 'Vintage Life' magazine this month as a model for an editorial about alternative activities to indulge in during the Olympics, if like me, you are just simply too cool for School Sports!

The editorial was written by Lynsey Le Keux for July's 'Vintage Life' 2012.

Hair, make up and styling by The Vintage Salon, with retro Sports clothing from The Urban Village.

Photographed by LeKeux Events.









Wednesday 9 May 2012

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

Tuesday 8 May 2012

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

Monday 23 April 2012

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

Thursday 8 March 2012

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

Thursday 1 March 2012

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.