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.

Bring me to Life

I am four years old now, I am the creator of established burlesque night 'Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque' , its voice and its point of contact, trouble is, I only exist within another individual and I need setting free more often.  This limited existence works well in order to complete the delightful tasks mentioned above.  However, when I take to the stage to perform, I share the fears and nerves of this other individual, and this simply will not do!  This individual is holding me back from being truly fabulous and she needs eradicating.  *Sigh* it's so hard being an alter-ego.

Deadly Nightshade Photographed by Image 23

Deadly Nightshade performing 'Guilty'

...Bring me to life...

Alice Cooper, My Hero

Alice Cooper (real name Vincent Furnier) has been a hero of mine for a good number of years now - he is the inspiration behind my burlesque character, my burlesque performances and my burlesque shows....

Deadly Nightshade Photographed by Steve Rodgers
Inspired by Alice Cooper

I share in his sense of humour, his dark look, his ability to not take himself too seriously and I admire how he can combine all of these things into something magical and theatrical, yet gruesome and macabre, but never vulgar or offensive.  That is a rare and genuine feat of genius which I marvel at in awe.

Within Alice's talents lies the ability which intrigues me the most - the ability to create an on stage persona or character which becomes a person in its own right.  In Alice's earlier days it was clear that he was master and commander of his own publicity, he did nothing to quell rumours about his antics, and one wonders if he even began to start them?  If you have ever read his autobiography 'Me, Alice', you will know what I mean.  I feel sure that at least 50% of the book is pure fiction, in addition, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if these fictions were created and published by Alice himself.

Me, Alice

These days Alice is more upfront about his personalities and keeps the two clearly separate.  The split between Alice Cooper off stage and Alice Cooper on stage is crystal clear and Alice manages to define this 'split' in personalities relatively simply:

"My schedule is, I get up early, I play 18 holes (of golf), and then I go about my day. I'm a 4 handicap. I play every day — the tour doesn't get in the way. And golf doesn't get in the way of becoming Alice at night...The Alice you see onstage? He's never played golf. If you put a golf club onstage, he wouldn't know what it is. He'd probably pick it up and think it was a weapon."

This brings me to the point of my blog, 'A Day in the Life of an Alter-Ego'.  Within this blog, burlesque performer, promoter and model, Deadly Nightshade, will be set free and will be allowed to have her own voice and personality...Stay tuned for more...

"I'm not me anymore. Now I'm him." - Alice Cooper. 

Alice Cooper.