#burlesque tips

When I first started out, hell even occasionally now, I would have moments where I just sort of fell flat on stage. I'd have these great characters and these numbers I was so excited about and then someone would say something shitty backstage or a prop would go missing, or some other calamity and I'd go out and it would all just fall flat. I've been thinking about my most "successful" performances lately - the ones that have felt the best not just from my end, but from where the audience is sitting. And I noticed one thing in common with all of them - I abandoned myself and got wholly into character.

Earlier today Jo Weldon posted the following advice on twitter: "Try this: Start performing before you go on the stage, and don't stop performing until they can't see you any more."

Last summer I took a performance course with Karin Webb. While the class was geared specifically towards drag kings, one of the most useful skills we developed was getting into character. Now, whenever I get ready to perform, I let go of "me" - day time me, even Allix me, and become, fully, the character I am about to portray. I let that character dictate what happens on stage - how to handle mishaps, audience interactions, even final poses. It's the best and strongest skill I could have ever learned or developed. Shortly before I go on stage I always find a spot, by myself, where I can clear my head, breathe in, and breathe out. As I breathe out I let myself go. On the next breathe in, I think only in the voice of the character I am about to portray. I adjust my posture, my gaze, even my mannerisms. i rehearse each characters' movement vocabulary and voice (even though burlesque characters usually don't speak) ahead of time. "Becoming" them becomes second nature.

Ah the dreaded cover letter or email to a producer to introduce yourself and hopefully get a booking is always a source of stress - you want to sound interesting and funny but not like an idiot, be professional but not boring!

Below are 10 helpful tips to make sure you dont make common mistakes and also give the information thats needed to make a good impression.

1. Remember Burlesque is an industry and you are asking for a job so make sure you do the basics you would for any other job - be polite, use a spelling and grammer check, use capital letters where needed and write in proper sentences not text speak. Terms of endearment such as hon, babe and lovey are a major no-no too. This may sound obvious but you'd be surprised!

2. A producer wants to know some basics that must be easy to find: where you are based/happy to travel to, what style your performances are and what you actually do, your experience, what makes you unique.

3. You want to associate yourself with a particular type of performance, that way when they need to cast that type of artist you will spring to mind so use direct language and make sure you know what catagory you fall into - if in doubt ask around.

4. Finding something nice to say about the night/venue/show you are applying for costs nothing and will go a long way!

5. Always attach 2 good quality photos - one studio and one live is ideal and make sure they are a lower res so as not to clog up inboxes. Also its good to include with a link to an online presence that isn't Facebook.

6. Never say your fee to a producer in an email unless they have asked for it. Chances are they have a fee in mind already and you may offend them or do yourself out of a job by trying to sound expensive.

7. Keep your emails short, friendly and factual, if you have other information you'd like to include - your acts, full credits etc attach a biog for them to look at.

8. If you have press quotes or professional stage training do mention them, breifly.

9. Remove 'sent from my iphone/ipad' from your footer

10. Lastly remember producers and venues get lots of emails everyday from burlesque and cabaret artists. If you don't hear back don't take it personally they are probably just busy or not looking at that time, just change your wording slightly and send a follow up email a few weeks later reintroducing yourself.

As you all know HOB as been on tour this past month. Newcastle to Eastbourne, Hull to Llandudno with Guildford and Bury St Edmunds inbetween - we've made a pretty good tour of the UK so far and clocked up a lot of hours in the minivan. Theatre touring is a relatively new phenomenon in the Burlesque Revival although those of us coming from theatre backgrounds have had some experience of the joys of regional show work. So here for anyone contemplating going on tour, and for the amusement of those of us already doing it and for all of our lovely audience who wonder what life as a travelling burlesque gal is really like is a humorous look at the Dos and Donts of touring work.

DO: Ditch the diet. No matter what your good intentions there is no way you are going to get fresh salads at service stations and at 2am, starving after a show and hyped on show adrenaline and red wine there is nothing more tempting then the endless packets of biscuits at the petrol station.

DO: Learn to sleep anywhere...the queen of this is Jolie Papillon, and in full make up too!

DONT: Drink too much coffee. The temptation is great as almost all dates have early starts but that must be weighed up the lack of bathroom facilities on a minibus for a few hours at a time! 

DONT: Underestmate how traffic can turn a 3 hour journey into a 5 hour journey and so....

DO: Be prepared even on short trips with food, drink, music, blankets, pillows and things to do. Bored? Hungry? You only have yourself to blame - be prepared!

DO: Develop a big repertoire of Musical Theatre songs, you'll be surprised how even the most cynical cabaret performer can enjoy a 1am Les Mis sing-a-long if it helps pass the time. I'm not sure our driver felt the same though!

DO: Bring costuming work with you... the sight of a coach full of showgirls sewing is one of my favourites

DONT: Be tempted to paint your nails...the smell doesn't help those who get travel sick. Same goes for smelly food.

DO: Realise that the actual show is a very small part of the job, this can take people by surpirse but the theatre world is a lot less fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants then the cabaret world. Every move, sound, light and moment has to be programmed, planned and worked through - tech and travel time will make up the majority of your day and your job.

Do: develop a nose for sniffing out the nearest cafe and supermarket near each venue, this will save you valuable time on arrival.

DO: Enjoy it! Regional touring as a process can be long, tiring, intense and at times trying but...There is nothing greater then when someone comes up to you after a show and tells you that they've never seen burlesque before and that they have really, really enjoyed watching the show and have had an amazing night. 

Thank you to all the lovely audience members from the shows so far who have made our days with their lovely comments and feedback!