• Tease-o-Rama Valentine’s @ Black Box, Belfast

    February 20, 2016 - By 

    Couples and lovers gather in their masses outside the Black Box tonight for a very special Tease-O-Rama, Valentine’s Edition.  I myself sit n front of the stage and I can’t help but feel happy; everyone is buzzing with excitement. As the lights dim we are serenaded by lothario Tom Bones, Soup du Jour’s male friend – it is not, I repeat, not, Soup du Jour in a wig and suit. Our first act is introduced, Bugsy Devine (below). Bugsy bounces on to stage, a dream in red polka dots and Minnie Mouse ears. She is so expressive and every pose…

  • Preview: Cirque Berserk

    January 26, 2016 - By 

    A large-scale international troupe comprised of jugglers, acrobats, aerialists, dancers, musicians and stuntmen, Cirque Berserk has beyond established its reputation for bringing contemporary cirque-style artistry and daredevilry to the theatre. Ahead of two shows at Belfast’s Grand Opera House on Friday and Saturday (January 29/30) our photographer Sara Marsden gets exclusive access to their current show, shooting and reporting back from Glasgow’s iconic King’s Theatre. See below for VIP competition. Two weeks ago I had a mere hope of being allowed in to photograph the performers of Cirque Berserk on their stopover in Belfast, but here I find myself standing outside…

  • Belfast Burlesque Festival Crown Night @ Black Box, Belfast

    December 6, 2015 - By 

    Another year of the Belfast Burlesque Festival and another absolutely knock-out Crown Award Show. As I settle down in my seat for the evening the crowd starts to pour in and the room is filled with excited chatter. Our MC for the evening, Tom Riddle, hits the stage and we begin with the usual Burlesque vocal warm-ups (ooooooh, aaaaaaaaah and wooooooooooo!) Tom is absolutely charming; the audience feeds off his cheeky rapport, giggling back in response to his witty lines. The first half kicks off with Mimi Dubois (below), and her I Dream of Mimi routine. An absolutely charming act…

  • Tease-O-Rama @ CQAF, Belfast

    May 5, 2015 - By 

    It’s cold, wet, and your writer is standing outside a metal fence at Custom House Square. “Why,” you ask? Well, as Soup DuJour herself quoted “Outside it may be tragic, but in here we feel it’s magic!” It’s time for a very special Tease-O-Rama at Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. We enter the massive marquee; its black ceiling is strung with lights to emulate a night sky – setting the tone for a majestic show indeed. The night is kicked off with a jazz and swing set by J.B. & the Riviera Swing Band. Breaking out classics such as ‘The Lady Is a Tramp’, ‘Beyond the…

  • Pigeon & Plum @ Black Box, Belfast

    December 15, 2014 - By 

    It’s Christmas time! That can mean only one thing: PIGEO… Wait, no: family, the birth of baby Jesus and Santa. Okay, the festive season means many, many things but for those of us in the know – namely those of us based in Belfast – it’s time for our favourite vaudeville show, Pigeon & Plum. As I walk into the Black Box I’m instantly taken aback by the astounding transformation it has undergone. It looks like a completely different venue. Drenched in decadence with red velvet and gold fringing, from big details like the antique frame that towers over the…

  • Tease-O-Rama @ Black Box

    October 22, 2014 - By 

    Tease-O-Rama… what can I say?! One of my favourite nights of the year, it makes me feel like a kid in a candy store (or just myself in a candy store, I still get quite excited about candy) all the glitter, extravagant costumes and dance routines. A night of sensual and hilarious acts from a group of incredibly talented and charismatic characters. The performers reward your appreciation with the removal of a piece of clothing. That is, after all, a major part of Burlesque – the suspense, the tease. The performers have you on the edge of your seat and…