Lili la Workaholic

Tags

cabaret, Danny Elfman, Joe Black, London Cabaret Festival month, Proud Cabaret, Tim Burton, variety

I think these past few months I have managed to become busier than ever before. My husband and I had agreed to try to become less ‘busy’ as we felt that the ongoing conversations of ” How are you?” “Oh, I’m sooooo busy, literally run off my feet” “Well, good problem to have!” had become annoying and actually quite damaging. It is not a virtue to be the busiest person in the world. Having said that, life takes off at breakneck speed sometimes and you just have to cling on for dear life and hope that you are still in one piece when it slows down. Hence, amid the new London Cabaret Festival, hosting shows, touring solo shows, helping Tape Face write his new show and my own performing and creating as well as wrangling a nine-month old who is actually in to everything, life is at its busiest and so blogging has rather slipped by the by. So I apologise to those of you who read this, I’m sure you were desperate for more Lili words!!

I’ll get you up to speed on my world and then we’ll start over. Deal?

London Cabaret Festival month is in full swing and the plans are afoot for the Festival next May too. I can’t say too much at the moment, but soon I shall reveal all, including the fabulous new Cabariot video which is going to be launched next Monday. In the meantime, here’s the old one...

I’ve been hosting a lot at Proud Cabaret in the City of London. The venue is so perfect for me and the wonderful people who work there always make me feel so welcome and at home and the line ups are always stellar. Here’s a quick selfie (don’t you hate them? Needs must.) of one of my hosting outfits for last week. I went for an 80’s meets Highwaywoman meets Vivienne Westwood does 20’s look. The gold dress is one that I have had forever and I contemplated selling it last year but I’m glad I didn’t as I liked the effect.

Lili at Proud

Last Monday, I took my husband for his birthday surprise (which had been ruined by Joe Black – devil) to see Danny Elfman’s music performed at the Royal Albert Hall. It was the most fabulous evening. Not only were goth royalty, Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton in attendance but the music was simply sublime and hearing Danny Elfman sing the music from Nightmare Before Christmas was utterly awesome. We laughed, we cried, we took dodgy shots of Tim Burton.

Last night, I went with my mother and sister to see The Birmingham Royal Ballet at Sadler’s Wells. They were performing three ballets, the final one being ‘Still Life at the Penguin Cafe’ which is one of my all time, absolute favourite ballet, (here’s my favourite part, The Zebra), in fact, I’m going to write a whole blog on it in a minute, so come back soon.

Until next time…

Love Lili
x

Lili’s in the Pink on the Green

Tags

Bendy Bendini, cabaret, circus, contortion, festival, Joe Black, Kotiri Tent, outdoors, Sam Wills, songs, tent, Tony Roberts, Village Green

This weekend, in the sweltering heat of our glorious four day summer (so far, I’m crossing my fingers for more,) I took my beautiful miniature circus tent, The Kotiri Tent, out for a jaunt to a local festival.

Run by a company called Metal, Village Green Festival has been running for four years and is going from strength to strength each year. A fantastic combination of music, art, dance and community and all for free, it is a huge asset to the community here in South East Essex. Since we lost the Southend Airshow, (a daft decision by a stunningly short-sighted council), Village Green is a chance for the local community to get together and celebrate the local arts scene, which is thriving if this marvellous little festival is anything to go by.
It’s always lovely to get our dinky little top out and once we remember how to erect her (we always forget to write instructions and much like an Ikea wardrobe, there are always nuts and bolts left at the end!), she’s a real peach with a warm and welcoming atmosphere for 20 people. Especially warm, when the thermometer goes way up the way it did on Saturday, hitting 30 in the sun.

On the bill we had the nefarious Joe Black, contortion man Bendy Bendini, our spruiker Sam Wills and me, the tent mistress presiding over all and singing songs. We also had street performance maestro, Tony Roberts, who did some killer circle shows to very appreciative, and enormous, crowds.

The audiences were just fantastic. Friendly, open minded, broad spectrum’d and as the afternoon progress, beautifully lubricated by the beer and pimms. We even had a visit from Bismarck, who was riding in my son’s Silver Cross pram.

By the time we had each spruiked, barked and cajoled audiences into buying tickets and done four shows each, we were all exhausted, hoarse and more than a little sticky. Someone of my northern hemisphere skin type doesn’t cope well in the sun, I’m fine between 20 and 23 degrees on a cloudy day!! In fact, in weather like this, I prefer to operate under the cover of darkness!
After we’d finished, we wandered back to chez moi for a well deserved pimms and a BBQ and a chance to debrief, not literally though as we sadly lack a pool! Today, Joe and Bendini made at least 11th page news!

The Village Green Festival was a complete joy and we are already talking about how to top it next year, I’m thinking maybe a full size circus tent. I do hope it is still free for the community next year, although they do need donations to keep running it this way. So if you enjoyed Village Green 2013, show your appreciation. You can text ‘VGFR33 £3’ to 70070 to donate £3, imagine if all of the 30,000 people who came through the gates did that, it would make next year’s festival the one to be at. It’s in your hands, my darlings, it’s your festival, support it.