Exquisite Identities

I feel very blessed to have so many artistic and creative friends. It feels like someone is always up to something crazy, beautiful and entertaining, and most of them don't mind sharing their work with the rest of us. One of these people is photographer John Paul Bichard. You have probably seen some of his pictures on my blog before, since he always walks around with his camera, shooting both performers and guests at events such as Fräulein Frauke Presents and the International Stockholm Burlesque Festival - both of which he produces together with his wife Fräulein Frauke.

John Paul has worked with different projects which has been exhibited both in Europe and in the US, and this post will be about one of those projects - one he calls Exquisite Identities. When describing the project himself, he says that Exquisite Identities is "a growing series of photographic works that capture the creativity, personality and aesthetics of some of the great names in the contemporary burlesque and cabaret scene. The focus is on people who go to extraordinary lengths in their professional lives to develop rich, complex and highly constructed identities..." As some of these exquisite identities happens to be friends of mine, or performers I have had the chance to see on stage, I can tell you that the way they have been portrayed by Mr Bichard is the perfect way to get to know their stage-personalities. This is who these people are, and what they do!

Lou Lou D'Vil

Fräulein Frauke

Laurie Hagen

Honey Lulu

Hedo Luxe

Erochica Bamboo

Mr Pustra

Scotty The Blue Bunny

Cleo Viper

Marlene von Steenvag

Vicky Butterfly

Until The end of April you can see seven pictures from this series exhibited at MELT Bar & Restaurant in Stockholm. For more of John Paul Bichard's works, please visit his web site here!

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Fräulein Frauke Presents - Wonderland!

Last Saturday I found a rabbit hole in the ground while I was out for a walk. I decided to jump down into it, and when I landed on the other side, I found myself surrounded by all kind of weird people and creatures, and I was told I had come to Wonderland... Or, actually, I had come to Nalen, that had been transformed to Wonderland - which was the theme for Fräulein Frauke Presents this time!

I wore my red tulle ball gown from the 40s. I didn't get a good picture of it, but I wore it for a photo shoot a while ago, so if you want to see the whole dress, go here! The earrings are from Daisy Dapper!

As anything can happen - and does happen - in Wonderland, it felt completely normal when Sugar High & Le French Tiger went up on stage and did a burlesque performance with lamps on their heads!

Then Johnnie Lowlife took the stage. Here accompanied by Alice in an old version of Alice In Wonderland that was showing on one of the walls.

Then we moved into the big ball room, where Evy Maroon did a power-to-women act in celebration of the International Women's Day. Other performers were:

Ivoncita!

Abigail Collins!

Amber Ray!

Gabriella Dal Rooth, Leo Gongora, Nosslo-Grebnellaw Anilaup and Karin Victorin!

Fräulein Frauke - who did the sauciest performance I've ever seen her do! With latex and all! I just had to hump her a bit on the dance floor later that evening. Haha!

Everyone's favorite bunny - Scotty the Blue Bunny - was back in Stockholm to present the show!

Since the theme of the evening was Wonderland, many guests had dressed up as rabbits. Scotty decided to bring them all up on stage for probably the best bunny-shot ever!

Of course the none-bunny guests all looked fabulous too! Here is Ruby Luscious as the Queen of Hearts...

...and her own bunny Albin!

  

Mr Hultgren had brought the Cheshire Cat on his shoulder. I WANT THAT CAT!!!

Lenore Cain had made a crown out of her own hair. Impressive!

Even the bartenders were decked out in Wonderland attire! Some wore giant playing cards, and here we see the Mad Hatter himself! I'm not sure what he put in his drinks though...

And here is me, with Elegy Ellem and Miss Loulou! I danced until my feet bled - literally! I was wearing new shoes, and forgot to bring band aids... But I couldn't stop myself when I came out on the dance floor, so who cares?! As usual the night was magical, and I can't wait till next time!

For more info about Fräulein Frauke Presents, and to see more photos from the evening, please visit their Facebook page here, and their web site here!



All photos (except the top picture) by John-Paul Bichard.

Fräulein Frauke Presents: Victorian Circus

After missing a few burlesque events this fall because I had to work, last Saturday I decided to take a day's leave so I wouldn't miss Fräulein Frauke Presents: Victorian Circus. So yes, I took a day off to party! The theme this time was "Victorian Circus", and I was amazed at how almost 100% of the guests had taken such an effort at dressing up in theme-fitting costumes!

I dressed up as a victorian ringmaster. The only thing I missed was one of those really long whips. Oh well...Here I am with Elsa!

Fanny went as a two-faced ballerina, wearing a really pretty, light yellow dress from the 50s. The second face she had made of latex, and in real life it looked pretty freaky seeing her with two faces. 

One of the first performers was Evilyn Frantic, who started by slowly swallowing a whole, long balloon, before she broke a lightbulb and ate the glass - which she swallowed with the help of some wine. A very healthy diet!

Later she also stripped for us! The conférencière of the night was none other than...

Scotty the Blue Bunny!!! I got the pleasure of meeting this man a few days before the show, at a little pre-party at the Bichard Mansion. We compared feet, shared some chocolate, learnt about Swedish Christmas candy, and discussed the possibility of making foot-porn together - the usual stuff you know...He's one of those lovely persons who probably can become friends with anyone, and when I saw him in his blue bunny costume I wanted to take him home and keep him as my pet...Anyways...

Fräulein Frauke performed an updated version of her very first burlesque number. Fanny had made the dress you can see in the picture above, and was a bit nervous the zipper would get stuck. But everything went as it should, and after taking it off Miss Frauke popped that confetti-filled balloon over her head...

...Which resulted in this lovely photo! A few of the other amazing performers were:

Lily DeLuxe

Erochica Bamboo

...And Mr Pustra. He performed two acts, and I was hoping he would sing "Missed Me" for one of them. He did, and so I was satisfied!

Velma Voluptuous was one of the two winners of best costume...

The other price went to "The Bearded Lady". Some other gorgeous guests were:

Karin

Gabriella

and Lacy Lynn Sugars!

As always at these events I had a lovely, slightly crazy, night, that included wine, dancing, and a bit of spanking...Can't wait till the next time Fräulein Frauke opens the doors to Nalen again - which I happen to know will be on New Years Eve, when she will arrange a lavish, burlesque, masked ball! I have already decided what to wear for that night! 

If you're interested in going here is a link to the event's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/events/527405210604015/

All photos (except the two top ones) by amazing photographer and coproducer of Fräulein Frauke Presents, John Paul Bichard!

Fräulein Frauke Presents: Victorian Circus

As usual when the time comes for yet another Fräulein Frauke Presents evening at beautiful Nalen, I have to write a little post about it - because people really need to know about these decadently flamboyant events! On 24 November it's time to party - and this time the theme will be Victorian Circus!

During this romantic time in history the circus was a magical place people went to to see the weird, the beautiful, the extravagant and the hilarious - simply to me amused! The members of the circus were like a family, where there was room for everyone - even the freaks! So at this party you can really let your imagination run wild when it comes to dressing up!

I have never been disappointed going to one of these events, and after seeing the list of performers that will be on stage this time, I'm perfectly sure I - and the rest of the guests - won't get disappointed this time either! The performers will be:

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Scotty the Blue Bunny (US): This two meters tall blue bunny with a sharp tongue will be the evenings conférencier.

Photo: Katlyn Mercedes

Mr Pustra (UK): This "creation of beauty" is a wandering piece of art. As vaudeville's darkest muse he enchants his audience, and this will be his first performance in Sweden.

Missy Macabre (UK): This dark and dangerous beauty has been named "Sideshow Royalty" by the British press, and she travels around the world to seduce her audience with circus inspired burlesque.

Fräulein Frauke (SWE): Frauke's very first number was "Come to the Circus". This time she will perform the updated version of this act.

Miss Lily DeLuxe (SWE): One of Sweden's top burlesque danseuses, who has performed all over the world.

Nancy the Marionette (SWE): Puppet Theater for grownups! This is the artist behind "Stand up Puppets", and tonight she will show the audience something very much in line with the Victorian Circus theme.

Evilyn Frantic (SWE): A beautiful circus freak who specializes in horror and neo-burlesque. 

Adoria Amoria (SWE): A relatively new burlesque starlet. Member of The Royal Roses Burlesque Troupe, but this time on the run from the cukoo's nest...

When no one is on stage the guests will be able to enjoy theme-fitting music, John Paul Bichard's photo exhibition "The Circus Series", and of course sip Cointreau drinks in the Harlem Cointreau Cocktail Lounge! Drink tickets for Cointreaupolitans will during the night be handed out to extra well dressed guests. But the two best dressed will receive a bottle of Marilyn Monroe's favorite champagne Piper Heidseck each!

For a while I was thinking about going as the bearded lady. But even though I haven't shaved for weeks now, not much is happening, and even though it's almost a month till the event, I doubt it will grow to be as full as the lady's in the picture above. So I guess I'll have to come up with something else...

For more info, visit Fräulein Frauke's web site: http://www.frauleinfrauke.com/

The event's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/events/117747485046780/?fref=ts

Tickets can be bought here: http://www.nalen.com/eng/KonsertInfo.aspx?HId=5&KId=2979