Yes, I know, 2012 isn't over yet, but I've recently discovered I have an awful memory for my achievements, so this entry is as much for me, as it is for you reading it. But I also want to use my retrospective on 2012 to comment on the state of burlesque in Auckland.
This year has seen me perform in Australia more than in New Zealand. In February I went to Melbourne to perform at Red Bennies and The Burlesque Bar (wasn't able to do my shows at the latter unfortunately, due to some dodgy take-away the day before). I was then back in Australia in May as one of the international headliners for the Perth Burlesque Festival, and performing in Melbourne and Adelaide for the Australian Burlesque Festival in June. I wrote a diary for 21st Century Burlesque Magazine about both festivals, so won't talk about them here. But if you haven't already, go have a read here:PBF Diary and here:ABF Diary
Venus Starr invited me to Wellington in September to headline Carousel Cabaret and in two weeks time, I'll be back down in the capital to perform at The Burlesque Masquerade Ball on November 3rd. My next show after that will be for a private birthday party in Auckland in December.
I have only performed for the public in Auckland ONCE this year. This was for Polly Rae & The Hurly Burly Girlys Show at SKYCITY Theatre on January 21st. And let's just say, I did that as a favour. So that means, I've done no paid public performances in Auckland in 2012! I have also only performed for ONE private party in Auckland this year!
A huge first did happen in Auckland this year - I got paid to perform in a music video! Music video budgets are always on a shoestring so dancers rarely get paid because the budget is ploughed into production values. So it was nice to be hand picked for the role and to for my time and professionalism to be rewarded. The video was for the very talented Dear Time's Waste and was shot in my favourite Auckland venue, The Las Vegas Strip Club. You can view it here: www.vimeo.com
So why the lack of Auckland performances? Well, there are few producers creating shows in Auckland and I blame this partly on lack of suitable venues. I am also at the point after 4 years of performing, and being chosen for The Burlesque Hall of Fame, where I won't perform unless I get at least x amount of dollars and, lets just say that a few Auckland producers are paying less than 1/4 of the x amount I expect. Again, I feel this is in part to do with lack of suitable venues, so producers are doing shows in small venues that don't have enough audience members to bring enough money in. But it's not like my x amount of dollars is that high. In fact, I've reduced it by $100 since last year to reduce the financial pressure for producers. But I'm not reducing it to less than 1/4.
In contrast, the burlesque scene in Wellington is very much alive and kicking, which
is no surprise really seeing as Wellington is an arty city and has more
venues with stages and a more 'educated' audience who know what
burlesque is and want to watch
it. I think it also helps that they have a proper community down there
who support each other. Auckland isn't as homogeneous. Producers tend to
use the same performers and aren't open to giving 'unknowns' a go. This
creates shows that are all the same for the audience and thus audience numbers drop off, and it doesn't
inspire performers to better their craft or support each other by going
to and promoting shows. All these factors lead to stagnation,
resentment and the general feeling that it's all a bit too difficult and
not worth it.
With the decline of shows in Auckland has also been a
decline in classes and hen parties. Not as many performers are coming to me to do classes because they have no shows to perform in. So I've only taught 1 course this year. As for hen parties, once I was the only person in the
city doing them and was therefore booking 3 per
weekend. I'm certainly not alone anymore and have lost a lot of bookings
to organisers who are undercutting me by more than half and providing an inferior experience. Unfortunately, the state of people's finances
mean that, no matter the quality, they will go for what is cheaper. But
again, I refuse to lower my prices, especially because they aren't
expensive in the first place. Flo Foxworthy posted something very salient about pricing in her blog recently along the lines of, it's not that I'm expensive, it's just that the others are incredibly cheap. And with these undercutters teaching burlesque when they aren't even burlesque performers and charging so little, it cheapens burlesque and damages its reputation.
I feel like I have given up on the Auckland burlesque scene, but this
is a result of lack of work as opposed to the catalyst for that lack.
Performing in Melbourne in February was glorious. I was given the
opportunity to perform in 4 shows in 48 hours and earn at least $200 (AUS) per act. So why not live there you ask? Well, I've been trying to for
the past 6 months but it's not quite as easy as buying a one-way ticket.
I'd need at least $5000 to move properly and have some security behind
me. But I'm finding saving that amount of money without a steady income
very difficult.
However, not performing or teaching as much burlesque has given me time to focus on something I decided last year I could be quite good at - stand-up comedy. It's been a really interesting experience and one which I thought I'd be nervous about doing, but I really enjoy it. I've done 4 amateur shows so far and have made people laugh at all of them and most importantly, haven't died out there. So I'm confident of doing well in stand-up and I already have an idea for a one person show. I just need to get it out of my head and onto paper. I've also taken up the ukelele properly, setting up The Nudey Ukes, a group of 5 girls performing songs rolled together into medleys that tell little comedic stories. I hope to get us onto the stage early next year. And I've started teaching 60s Go-Go after discovering I have a knack for it whilst in Australia. It's a great way to keep fit and something that has the potential to take-off here seeing as no one else is doing it...yet...
I've figured that stand-up and ukelele are things I can still be doing in my 40s and 50s (I'm not planning on living past 60). Burlesque, however, even if it does keep going around the world, is not something I want to be doing when my face and boobs go southwards. But I do hope I can move to Melbourne soon so I can at least wear out the lovely and expensive props and costumes I've got gathering dust in my wardrobe.
