Hush! Don’t Mention the D – Day Invasion!

Hello every-one I’m sorry I’m a little late with my blog this week and in truth I will only have time to write one this week as I have so much dashing around to do. I have to confess everything has been a little topsy tervy these last couple of weeks where nothing has quite gone to plan. If you caught my last blog you will know I was all set to perform a Music Hall show on Friday to commemorate the Battle of the Somme down on Hayling Island but the booking fell through at the last minute. However as this left me with a free weekend Paul and I decided to head down to Winchester to do a little Christmas Shopping

Poppy Out for Her Walk with Paul!

at the German market, (Don’t Mention the war!) only to find the weather turned nasty so we changed our plans and decided to stay in Portsmouth. Despite the rain we were still able to take Poppy for her walk along the sea front between storms!

Another change to plan was a show I had in for last Thursday which changed to Monday evening. I was able to re-arrange things and fitted it in on the way back from Portsmouth as I swung over to the village of Much Hadnam in Hertfordshire.

I didn’t get back until gone 10.30 pm so once home I thought I would have an easy day on Tuesday to sort myself out. However I revived a morning call to perform that afternoon in Harlow which meant me setting off promptly on Tuesday. Tomorrow I’m in Peterborough and don’t forget this Friday you can catch me on stage

Enjoying the D-Day Museum!

performing at The Tree Tops Cafe at Rushmere Country Park but I shall tell you more about that later in my blog.

Today I’ve been out and about working with film maker David Pustansky on editing my videos. Apart from my 1940s and 50s showreel I currently have in production, today we were able to finish a complete take of the Music Hall number Burlington Burtie and my Evette the Spivette showreel which I look forward to sharing with you all very soon. So keep watching this space and I shall keep you all posted. As soon as they get up loaded to You Tube I will let you know.

Part of the Overlord Embroidery!

With all the bad weather this weekend Paul and I decided to go to the Portsmouth D-Day Museum. Museums are the perfect places to visit when the weather is bad and I had been wanting to visit for a long time but never quite got the chance to do so before Saturday. The D-Day Museum houses a wonderful collection of D- Day related items including the iconic landing craft and the magnificent Overlord Embroidery. Inspired by the Bayeux tapestry the Portsmouth embroidery tells the story of D- Day from those who took part not only on the front line but on the home front too. I was very interested to see the embroidery which

Women’s Uniforms from the 1940s!

combines cordage work with applique. It’s beautifully put together and captures some wonderful images. If you follow me on facebook you may have seen some of my photos of the embroidery although it’s not easy to photograph as it’s very detailed and a modern camera finds it difficult to focus. Never the less I was able to get one good shot of the burning Normandy houses and the para-shoot drop. That evening as the rain persisted we went to the cinema and saw “Fantastic Beasts”. A very enjoyable film although it was a little like watching Harry Potter all over again with new characters set in early 1930s New

A 1940s Wedding Dress and a School Blazer of Wartime Badges!

York. As with any period film I automatically make a mental note of the costumes as there were one or two I really liked!

Speaking of costumes I’ve been designing a fair bit this last month. I hope I’m not barking up the wrong tree with my next filming project as it’s to capture the Music Hall era from the 1880s – 1920s. I’m just a little worried that this music might have had it’s time with audiences and bookers of today so I’m going to be including some Opera in the showreel too. I’ve felt for a long time I’ve needed a few new out-fits for this period so I’m going all out with “The Flower Duet from Lakme'”. This aria will require two new costumes as I will be singing both parts Lakme’ and Mallika and it’s going to be filmed split screen. I’m also having a new out-fit made for “Hands Knees and Boomps a Daisy” which will be very coquettish and will give me a bright new out-fit to wear for Victorian events. The big

Out for Dinner before “Fantastic Beasts!”

question when it comes to fitting is corset or no corset? Much as I like the look a corset gives me it does make breathing difficult when it comes to singing. Perhaps a firm boned under garment is the way forward!

This Friday I will be performing the music of the 1940s for The Greensand Trust at The Tree Tops Cafe, Rushmere Country Park, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 0EB. Tickets are £20 and include a fish and chip supper and are available by calling Hayleigh on 01525 234260. All profits go to The Greensand Trust and Paul Marsden will be joining me on stage too as my special guest so I hope you can all make it along.

Oh before I forget you might be interested to know Rachel has just up loaded my interview with Rosie Mac Leod of Radio Verulam onto my Media Page so please do click through to have a listen. We have also been working on my banner for my You Tube channel which ties in with my branding.

I shall leave it here tonight as I still have show plans to finish off for this weekend and then next week I start on my Christmas Season.

Keep Watching and Toodle Pip!