01 October 2009

Rotherham prepares for a variety extravaganza!

Rotherham Follies: An Evening of Exotic Cabaret will make its debut at the Rotherham Open Arts Festival to be held between 2-11 October 2009.

The show, produced by Professor Vanessa Toulmin of the National Fairground Archive at the University of Sheffield, and Fred Bear of The Bears, who will also compere on the night, will be staged at All Saints Square on 2 and 3 October, 8pm as part of the Rotherham Open Arts Festival.

Professor Vanessa Toulmin said: "The National Fairground Archive is proud to be working with the Rotherham Cultural Company to host this annual event, bringing together many stars from Europe´s leading cabaret and burlesque scene. But the show is not for the faint hearted – the performers are sure to shock, amaze and delight with their hilarious, saucy and sexy extravaganza!"

Performers include the star attraction, Amber Topaz. Originally from Rotherham, the local lass turned international burlesque starlet dubbed "The Original Yorkshire Tease" will present her saucy act to her hometown for the first time.

The Bears, a hairy, chubby burlesque troupe will aim to put a smile on Rotherham´s face with their singing, dancing and burlesque striptease, along with acrobatics, traditional musical theatre and general pastiche and camp nonsense.

Sheffield´s own acrobatic starlets the Delightee Twins are sure to dazzle with their ball spinning, acrobatics and dancing delights. They combine the beauty of ballet and the flavour of hip hop along with feats of flexibility and unique ball skills. Helen and Sharron trained in ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop and have worked for the past ten years as professional dancers.

Kalki `Queen of the hoops´ will perform an incredible routine with hula hoops. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Kalki has performed worldwide and also holds hula hooping classes, apparently a great cardio-vascular and abdominal workout.

Romany Diva of Magic is a zany and theatrical magical artiste, who performs internationally for cabaret, corporate and society events. Romany is the current Magic Circle Magician of the Year, the first female to be awarded the honour. In 2006, Romany entertained the Queen and friends at the Ritz for the Queen´s 80th birthday celebrations.

Matt Hennem is a unique illusionist juggler who will show off his exceptional physical skills with his manipulation of objects. Matt is guaranteed to leave the audience spellbound as he presents his liquid crystal act which makes a glass ball appear suspended in mid-air while he contorts and moon-walks around it.

Performing with all the grace and majesty of Prima Ballerina Assoluta, Madame Galina will return from entertaining troops in Iraq and dastardly, scandalous male-burlesque toff stallion Lord Ritz will provide further risqué entertainment for the evening.

Notes for Editors: The Rotherham Open Arts Festival, an annual Autumn event (held 2-11 October 2009), is presented by the Rotherham Culture Company in association with Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance. It is supported by sponsorship and by grant funding (including Arts Council of England Yorkshire, South Yorkshire Tourism and Yorkshire Forward). The festival showcases the work of local community artists and arts groups, amateur and professional, through facilitating performances, developing projects and encouraging learning through participation.

Professor Vanessa Toulmin is Director of the National Fairground Archive at the University of Sheffield, and creator of 'Admission All Classes'.
The National Fairground Archive is a unique collection of historic and contemporary posters, playbills, postcards, footage and over 60,000 images of popular entertainment over the decades. The collection is visited by journalists, historians, students and the general public, from all over the world.

Admission All Classes was a series of themed events in Blackpool, devised by Professor Toulmin, celebrating and showcasing artists from all over the UK. Inspiration was taken from archived material and the history of entertainment, including sideshows, cabaret, street theatre, burlesque and magic.
In 2009, a series of events will come to Rotherham and Sheffield under the auspices of Admission All Classes, including Rotherham Open Arts Festival and Fright Night.

For further information please contact: Lindsey Bird, Media Relations Manager, on 0114 2225338 or email l.bird@sheffield.ac.uk

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