3 posts tagged “burlesque”
I’ll be debuting my new comedy cabaret show with the Finger in the Pie cabaret festival at Madam JoJos in the heart of London’s Soho this weekend. Come on down for my:
Hee Haw! Whore House
When: Sunday, 6th April, 2008
Doors open at 7 PM
Tickets £8
*Advised that you pre-book or come by 7 PM to be sure you get in, and get seats.
You can expect to have a hee haw! of a
good time if you come down, where there will be plenty of a hooting ‘n a
hollering in hillbilly style.
Simon Harris, who is the head of the Hand of Glory record label and a co-organizer of fantastic random clubbing nights with events like The Human Zoo, inviting people to get in touch with their inner beasts, and the Nativity Hoedown. This spring he debuts a new CD from artist Mary Epworth and the Jublilee Band. Connect with Simon over at myspace.com/handofglory7.
James Whatley, who studied drama and spent a few years working in television before finding his niche in the mobile technology industry where he is fondly known by his colleagues as Whatelydude. Connect with James at whatleydude.vox.com
Tiara Diamond, who is studying drama
at Thames Valley University, is a graduate of BWI’s Ultimate Burlesque Workshop
and performs burlesque under her stage name Tiara Diamond. Her play ‘Breakers’ featured at the
cornerHouse festival. You can find her on The BurlyQ Blog at tiaradiamond.wordpress.com
Our stage hand for the Hee Haw! Whore House is my husband Dr. John Fraser Laird Devaney (he’s smart
because he has a PhD in physics, and is
figuring out some crafty set challenges we’ve had). We’ve also got our own
stylist and costume maker Diana Munauru who sews bespoke costumes and clothing
for theatre performers, fancy dress and gowns for charity and society
functions. You can book Diana by emailing her at Diana.langa@hotmail.co.uk
And me! When it comes to entertainment
experience I don’t have any real formal training, except having studied
improvisational comedy with the fantastic Upright Citizens Brigade in
New York City, a group that can claim a number of comedy stars, and having absorbed knowledge from being around show business since childhood, with my father, who was a
Julliard-trained Broadway musician. I’ve also performed a one-woman show, having
turned myself into an online/offline cartoon girl of the New New York who took to the stage and became known as (((Futuregirl))), or the FutureG among some. With that adventure I pulled my
friends into my art project (those who were willing and surprisingly no one declined to be turned into a cartoon) by giving them cartoon ‘treatments’ and having
them come out for a party dressed in their self-created cartoon selves. It looks like I'm up to similar tricks here in London, and I'm really looking forward to being on stage with others this time.
No sparkly star studded cast and crew is complete without fans, so we’ve even got an entourage coming along, with the fabulous Miss Risk (Kate Risker) planning to attend, and others.
I’ve produced this Americana slapstick-style comedy, with a bit of old fashioned British pantomime influence that I hope will entertain London audiences. With this show, I’ve also unofficially anointed myself as being:
Having witnessed British people really
adore a bit of down-home American-style music and entertainment, when I
was
part of the Nativity Hoedown, I’ve decided to carry on with this theme,
presenting a bit of hilarity with my new cabaret act.
Made with inpsiration from: The Original Hee Haw! Television Show. View clips here:
For those of you who remember American sitcoms in the 1970s, you may recognized this performance is inspired (not at all copied as an fyi to any copyright cops reading this blog) by that popular show Hee Haw! that I watched often, while growing up with my family in America. Having lived here nearly four years now, at a time when my country is terribly unpopular, I'm inspired by the inevitable upcoming political change that will happen in November, and I'd like to be a little bit more courageous in offering up examples of the more positive things about America that I feel have been extremely overshadowed by these year's under an unacceptable presidential leadership in my country. So hee haw! for my America and hip hip hurray for whoever takes George Bush's place in November.
If the Hee Haw! Whore House is well-received with this performance, expect to see more hee hawing here in London in the future.
Practicing my hee haws for Sunday night,
-Lisa
Who’s Lisa Devaney?
I head the Hai Media Group, a multimedia communications company based in London, offering client’s traditional public relations, combined with new technology marketing strategies. I also perform, creating original Cabaret-style comedy skits for festivals, theatre and parties. Find out more about me, and the talented entrepreneurs I collaborate with, by visiting: www.haimediagroup.com
As a child, New Year's Eve was thrilling because we got to stay up 'till midnight, mostly eating and watching Dick Clark get nostalgic about news events of another 1970 year, while he ticked off the traditional countdown. Close to the striking time, my family of six would rush into our suburban backyard with as many pots and pans as we could carry. We'd scream and bang the metal kitchen utensils together, joining in the neighborhood's noisy racket. A neighbor would likely have bought an arsenal of fireworks, despite the fact that they were illegal in our state, and we'd be amazed by the explosions overhead. The cops would start chasing the illegal firework blasters, but they would hop over fences and find new roofs, backyards and parks to light them off from. Some neighbors would even hide the culprits, if the police came looking. Easy, cheap entertainment and great when you are 12.
Well, this year, actually for the first year ever, my husband and I decided to actually plan something fancy and festive for the New Years celebration and we headed to Volupte Lounge for a night of cabaret, burlesque and vintage themed style. The masked ball was a popular venue for London revellers, unfortunately for punters, the organizers overbooked for the size. Plenty of entertainment was on offer - but seeing it was the hard part. I missed getting some video of the fantastic Can-Can dance, and couldn't even see the number :-(. But, I did catch host Dusty Limits who bills himself as The Dark Prince of Cabaret, doing a naughty little number of You Put a Spell On Me (see video below).
London had what the BBC reported as being the largest gathering along the banks of the Thames River for the coming of 2007 - with 350,000 people attending fireworks. The city was a generally happy place, except for a few drunken fights (99 were arrested) and there were numerous disgusting vomit piles to avoid the next day. Everyone was smiling at each other, it seemed.
At the party, Midnight could not pass without all the traditions of Champagne toast, and the singing of 'Auld Lang Syne'. Now, this is where I learned something, and I am not afraid to share my ignorance - its a Scottish tune and tradition, written by poet Robert Burns. Firstly, this is of major shame for me, as I've been married to my wonderful Scotsman for two and a half years now and did not know this. Secondly, I always thought it was 'Old Lang Sign' and who knows what the other words are. I have learned that Auld Lang Syne, losely translated, means Times Gone By. I'm very happy to say that he is not planning to divorce me in 2007, and hopefully anytime after that!
And so I offer a tribute to Scotland's heritage by noting the orgins of Auld Lang Syne and hope that others will remember its highland roots at future New Years Eve celebrations!
The Devaneys (right)
-Lisa
