#af.challenge

AF Challenge #1

Lucienne Picou

AF Challenge #1

J.R. Lambton - Writer, Ex-Academic, Ex-Trench Raider, Would Marginally like to be Ex-Gentry

ａｉｎ＇ｔ ｎｏｂｏｄｙ＇ｓ ｂｕｓｉｎｅｓｓ 

Annette had no formal training when she was discovered at the laundress and taken to work at the Moulin -- she was hired based on her doll-like features alone. However, with her lithe form and surprisingly long legs for her proportions, she turned out to be a quick study when it came to dance. Never much one for booksmarts, Annette had always done better when learning by sight -- which is, luckily, how dance was taught. She had an almost unnatural grace, and eyes naturally went to her when she moved. Mix in a heavy hand of flirtatious energy, and The Green Fairy was born!

She had always envied the figure on the bottle of absinthe bottles, so she modeled her stage persona around the woman from the label and intermingled with the the spirits of sprites from storybooks. Though she does have a duo routine with Charlotte, Fawn has been mostly kept out of group numbers since her debut due to her talents (other girls find it hard to keep up when Fawn is “on”, and then complained that no one else was looking at them when she was in a performance). A typical Moulin show features Fawn the Fairy in two solo numbers -- one usually a song while coupled with a cheeky striptease, while in another she dances in a giant glass of champagne while splashing around and having a grand old time.

However, Annette considers an entire evening at the Moulin a perforance -- be it on the stage or in the dance hall intermingling with men as potential patrons. She’s endlessly flirty, coy, and just the right amount of naughty. She is the streak of mischief that often keeps the party in full riot for until the early morning hours with her charms.

                                                                         𝒶𝒾𝓃'𝓉 𝓃𝑜𝒷𝑜𝒹𝓎'𝓈 𝒷𝓊𝓈𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈!

Charlotte, as with any Moulin Dancer, performs a fair few group dances each night on stage during the two shows, but as highest ranking performer, she is also given a few solo slots to do with what she pleases. This is a bit of a challenge for her because, as most can figure out, she is certainly not the most talented dancer in the group. 

Her solo performances are most often burlesque performances by nature. Throughout her career, she has become close friends with Josephine Baker, who is one of her biggest inspirations for her routines, along with Annette Micheaux and Lusine Deschamps. She is rarely seen in costumes made up of anything other than pink, ivory, or pearls, and works hard to create the aesthetic imagery of a girl straight out of a dream. While some performers go for more of a traditionally sexy or simple girl-next-door type of look, Charlotte aims to be the picture of indulgence each time she steps on stage. 

Her costumes are designed almost exclusively by Zahra and herself, and she most often wears baby pink with gold accents to match her hair. There is rarely much fabric to them, but the same can be said for any Moulin performer. There are typically multiple pieces to them so that some can be removed, and with each performance she tosses one article of clothing to an audience member. Typically this is a glove, necklace, or garter. 

Lucienne Picou Inspiration - 

Rue Bennett (Euphoria) & Fish Mooney (Gotham)

Zendaya’s work in Euphoria is more than Emmy worthy but one of the most fascinating things about the performance is how she blends hard and soft, drama and comedy. She’s a beautiful performer who isn’t afraid to be ugly or look mean while also being devastatingly vulnerable. (Basically I’m spoiled as hell with resources, I know that.) I think of Lucienne as this very smart girl who was always smart and always loved studying people and found a way to do that on someone else’s dime while protecting two communities that are important to her. 

When picking faceclaims it’s important to me to ask whether the actor would actually take the role (i.e. does it match with their principles and intended career trajectory.) It’s nerve-wracking to propose a Black gangster in this period for many reasons, but it seemed like a really good opportunity to get in dialogue with the movement of Black talent from the United States to Paris and back and how organized crime generally begins - as a way for disadvantaged communities to protect themselves from police. (Here’s a specific history that traces this phenomenon from the Irish and Italian mob to the Crips and the Bloods that really should be required reading for anyone who wants to use “but gangs” as an excuse for police brutality.)

That interconnectedness is why, though it’s campy as hell, I have to give a shout out to Jada Pinkett Smith’s mob boss Fish Mooney on Gotham. She chews scenery with the best of them, takes over an Italian crime family, and is just exactly the right amount of tired for Lucienne after a long day. Also Luc would love her style so much. 

So much.

                                  「CHALLENGE NO. 4」

There’s the bell - time for another challenge! Summertime is here at last; what does the season mean to your muse? Please share a piece capturing one of their most memorable summer moments, past, present, or hoped for. A piece? Let’s get creative! While you’re obviously welcome to put together a bit of prose on the subject, you could also try your hand at something short (ten line stories are fun, and so is the classic six word story!), produce an aesthetic, a historical or contemporary playlist (with track notes if you like, explaining your choices!), or do some art of your own! Whatever best captures that summery sweetness. Or sadness, as you prefer.

All of our challenges are optional, and have no “due date” or anything to that effect; they’re only meant to be a bit of Friday fun, an apéritif to whet that writing whistle and spread the musings around! They do count as activity, for the purposes of checks. Be sure to tag with af.challenge, when you’re ready to share - and we hope you do!