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Immodesty Blaize: Back for some Hoxton Variety

By Caro Moses | Published on Friday 8 November 2013

This month Hoxton Hall are staging ‘Hoxton Varieties’, a series of 150th birthday fund-raising events featuring cabaret, comedy, film, and a photography exhibition. The headline act, appearing on 8 Nov, is internationally acclaimed cabaret star Immodesty Blaize. We spoke to her about her upcoming appearance, the definition of burlesque, and her career so far…

TW: You’re the headline act at one of Hoxton Hall’s 150th birthday fundraising events. What made you want to take part in it, and what can we expect from your set?
IB: Hoxton Hall were big supporters in the early burlesque revival days and I did shows there 10 years ago when I’d already earned my stripes in the clubs and wanted to progress burlesque from the clubs into theatrical spaces. I believe in remembering where we came from and giving something back, so when Hoxton Hall asked me to participate in their fundraising efforts I didn’t hesitate to return the support. Hoxton Hall is one of only four music halls left in the whole country and it’s part of our theatrical heritage, as well as being a great resource for creativity in the London community.

You’ll get to see something camp and fabulous from me of course – but one of my numbers is from my new material which I prepared last year, so I’ll be performing on stage with gospel choir Urban Voices Collective, and my ballet dance partner. It’s very beautiful. I still love performing with all my feathers and rhinestones but I’ve also really been enjoying other new creative directions as well. So I’m pleased to bring an extract from the new work to Hoxton.

TW: It’s the venue where you performed your first solo show back in 2004 – do you have good memories of it?
IB: Indeed. It was a full theatrical show with a cast of 9, and about 3 broken lights under the careful watch of the technician Jesus. We started with a week run, with my co-star Walter and his amazing Bollock Tassels. He used to strip from Steed from the Avengers into an immaculate Liza Minelli from Cabaret. He also did a strip from ZZ-Top into Britney Spears via Tammy Wynette. I haven’t seen anyone to match him to this day for his genius boylesque, he was ahead of his time. We had a blast doing those shows, the audience was packed in and hanging off the balconies. God knows how I squeezed my horse onto the tiny stage. They were great experimental days.

TW: Did you always want to be a performer? How and why were you attracted to burlesque?
IB: No I never grew up wanting to be on stage. I learned the guitar and took dance classes as a child just because I loved the creativity of music, dance and art, but I was definitely not a stage school kid. I performed burlesque because I loved the whole process of writing an act, designing the costume, finding or creating the music. I loved the whole creative direction, not just the stage part. I had to push myself out of my comfort zone to get on stage because I can be introverted. I had no idea it would become a career, I only gave up my day job (producing and directing commercials) because I was getting so many bookings for burlesque I couldn’t do them both…so I decided to take the plunge with performing and see where it went, reasoning that I’d never know if I didn’t try. I’m happy to say I didn’t look back.

TW: How did your personal style develop? Are the corsets comfortable?
IB: This is my 15th year on stage, and although I experimented with many acts especially in the early years, it was always my signature to perform things that were very strong and larger than life. I learned that after performing with Goldfrapp; how Alison channelled and expressed her persona so adeptly.

I was very conscious of staying true to my own persona. So whilst I was ultra feminine, I wasn’t girlie, it was never ‘cupcakes-and-tutus’. I’m tall with an hourglass figure so I grew a big female following early on as they seemed to appreciate something strong on stage and also the fact I was unapologetic about not being a size zero.

Corsets are not designed for comfort, no. I resent that they restrict my movement so much, but I find ways round that. They’re not essential in any case though I do like the exaggerated form they help to give.

TW: How would you define burlesque?
IB: Ironic cabaret. Variety. The 50s burlesque star Lily Ann Rose defined it as ‘funny men, sexy women, and above all, entertainment’. I think by today’s standards we wouldn’t confine the comedy to the men, nor the erotica to the women, but her message is well-placed. Burlesque is an umbrella for a wide variety of schtick, strip, sattire and speciality acts, it’s a rich and colourful genre which has evolved over a couple of hundred years.

TW: Critics of burlesque would say that it more often than not objectifies women, whilst its aficionados would say that it empowers women. What’s your take on it?
IB: Firstly, burlesque is not confined to striptease, it involves many other kinds of acts. In terms of striptease specifically, one of the whole points is to have a highly developed persona and character, to be individual and unique. This is the exact opposite of an object, which can be owned by anyone and interchangeable with anything. Watching or admiring an entertainer doesn’t render them an object.

In fact burlesque is one of the few performance genres which breaks the fourth wall – how can we be objects if we communicate (verbally or not) directly with our audience? I’ve yet to hear the same hype about objectification directed at the modelling industry, nor other performers who use their physicality such as actors, dancers, singers and circus performers. The word empowering is overused and misused, I’m no more or less empowered than any other actor, dancer, singer, comedian, acrobat or other entertainer on stage.

TW: You’re an award-winning international performer, but which country do you best like to be in, and where is your favourite performance space?
IB: It’s hard to choose one country as I’ve enjoyed them all so much for different reasons, but I love the theatre spaces around Europe. Some of them are just so beautiful. Perhaps one of the most beautiful was in good old UK: Blackpool! The Tower Ballroom designed by Matcham. Every square inch is gilded or flocked or carved, it was so camp to perform there. I think my favourite space overall was probably The State Theatre in Sydney. It’s a stunning theatre that dates back to the 1930s with an enormous stage. It even still has its original Pompadour room.

TW: Do you have any interesting anecdotes to share about any of the big names you’ve performed alongside…?
IB: Well I shan’t spill any secrets! Though when I was taken to meet James Brown I was briefed by his manager that I would under no circumstances call him James, I was only allowed to call him ‘Mr Brown’. So I introduced myself as Miss Blaize. He was delightful.

TW: Your giant rocking horse is ace. Where can I get one, and how much would it set me back?
IB: You can get him from the Giant Rocking Horse shop! He’ll set you back a few lucky horseshoes!

TW: As well as performing, you’ve also written two books. What are they about? Do you enjoy writing as much as you enjoy performing?
IB: My first two books are bonkbusters and are set in the showgirl world. When I wrote them I was tired of Chick Lit and reading about bumbling single girls who just drink wine and buy shoes and worry about their weight and their credit card bill. I yearned for the bonkbuster days of Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran, of sex in fast cars and murderous affairs.

So I set my novels between London and Vegas with a cast full of bitchy superstars and rich playboys for plenty of entertainment value. I love writing, however it’s completely different from performing, I’m not sure I can compare the two. I guess the one thing in common with both is that you go into your ‘zone’ which is a rewarding space to be in. I’m writing my third book now, though this one is non-fiction so it’s a different process. I’m really enjoying it though.

Immodesty Blaize appears at Hoxton Varieties on 11 November. The season continues until 28 November, see this page here for the line up and to book tickets.

LINKS: hoxtonhall.co.uk | www.immodestyblaize.com | twitter.com/immodestyblaize