Photo credits: Fake Trash Photography
Time speaks to Viola in this steampunk inspired act. Featuring a riddle and the climactic reveal of spinning clock faces, this performance brings elegance, power and theatrical wit.
Intrigued by how the mechanics of this act were put together? Keep reading.
I. PANIC
I had never performed burlesque before so, naturally, I signed up to perform a solo at Lady Wildflower’s annual student showcase. Step 1 = PANIC. I’m joking. Step 1 was ‘creative consultation’ with Lady Wildflower (whose wisdom guided me through). I shared my crazy, inspired, wacky ideas and was asked to pick one. Tackling the dimension which sets the boundaries for our entire human existence felt like the obvious choice.
II. Research
Aside from ‘get over yourself’, the best advice I was given was ‘treat it like a research project.’ I seized the excuse to put together a terrible Powerpoint presentation filled with animations and endless photos of clocks. But the gears of the act improved when I indulged my fascination of Steampunk (a sub-genre of science fiction which reimagines the Victorian era with futuristic inventions). Before I could say ‘pocketwatch’, I was glueing cogs onto a top hat.
III. Choreography
As a 90s child who grew up in the era of Pineapple Studios and The Spice Girls, this was ‘my moment’ (to quote Martine McCutcheon). I earmarked Allie X’s Staying Power as the soundtrack and broke the song down into musical sections, working out when gloves come off and hips thrust! In the tuneful words of Steps, it was time to begin and count me in … This was an extremely sweaty task to complete during summer. Do not recommend.
IV. Costume
With no costume experience (apart from making a drawstring bag in high school Textiles), I threw myself at the shop assistants in Leon’s fabric shop, Chorlton. They found the perfect material which I dyed with Rit in a large bucket in the garden (like some sort of swamp witch), before cutting each clockface out and sewing it into my costume. The spinning clock face bra reveal? Mini lampshade frames sewn into a Playful Promises bullet bra – complete with fidget spinners. I can only apologise to the staff in Hobby Craft.
Live Show Snippets
All in all, I had a bloody brilliant time. Life’s too short not to add in a dose of quirky creativity and share it with the world! After the show it was time for cuppa tea and a good sit down. Video credit: Kezly Creative
🔈The Clockwork Riddle – a piece of performance poetry I wrote for this project – opens this act. Special thanks to Jay for helping me bring it to life. Listen to it here!
Contains strong language.
Photo credit: Photoniti