Paul and I with Robin Hood!

Nottingham Castle!

Inside Nottingham Castle Art Gallery!

This weekend Paul and I were in Nottingham with out friends Brian and Viv as we had a day out at Nottingham Castle. For those of you who don’t know Nottingham castle isn’t like the castles you see in Hollywood Robin Hood movies but in fact a house which was built in 1678 on the sight of where the castle once stood. It now houses a Museum and Art Gallery which first opened back in 1878 and was the first municipal art museum in the country out-side of London.

As you might expect the sight has had a long history. William the Conqueror built the first Castle in 1067 which every school boy knows was the year after the Battle of Hastings. 1066 is a very good place to start when remembering British history and certainly a date I will never forget which was taught to me at the age of six during my very first history lesson.

In 1150-1189 Henry II rebuilt part of the castle in stone and in 1194 it was besieged by Richard the Lionheart which I guess ties in loosely with the romantic Robin Hood stories around this time. In 1331 Roger Mortimer was dragged out of the castle and faced trial for the murder of Edward II. King David II of Scotland was held prisoner in Nottingham castle and in 1485 Richard III set off to Bosworth from Nottingham where he latter died in battle. Charles I raised his standard at the start of the Civil War there in 1642 and with the Kings defeat the remains of the castle were demolished in 1651. A new palace was built on the sight by the first Duke of Newcastle in 1678 and much of this building is what you see today, despite burning down in the Reform Act Riots of 1831 it re-opened in 1878 as a museum and art gallery.

Portrait of Miss Elizabeth Hoare 1826!

The museum has a collection of all sorts from fine paintings, Medieval Alabaster to Textiles from around the world. My favorite portrait was of Miss Elizabeth Hoare painted by Thomas Barber in 1826 and reminded me of the actress Jennifer Ehle who played Lizzy in the BBCs 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. I particularly enjoyed looking at the historical fashion and especially a Chinese tippet which caught my eye for it’s beautiful workmanship.

Of course no trip to Nottingham would be complete with-out a photo opportunity with Robin Hood as we all stood by the famous statue. Although this was my first visit to Nottingham I hope Paul and I will get the chance to visit again so we can see Sherwood Forest. So thank-you Brian and Viv for inviting us. It was very kind of you to take the time to show us around your city and to introduce us to Robin Hood.

Fashion History at Nottingham Castle!

I don’t know what I was expecting but I’m afraid Robin’s statue doesn’t look a bit like Errol Flinn – shame!

Paul and I drove back on Sunday and now it’s full steam ahead in the office as I plough on with paper work and start on the Spring season. I have some new songs to learn and meetings this week which I must get ready for so not to mention I will be back filming on Monday. So much to do. I shall leave my blog here this afternoon but don’t forget to Keep Watching.

Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

Friends Together!

Nottingham Lit Up at Night!

Out for Coffee with Brian and Viv!

Snap Shot of Me in My Loretta Out-Fit!

I’m afraid I can’t spend too long on my blog tonight as I’m off first thing tomorrow morning to Nottingham for the weekend. Paul and I have been invited by our friends Brain and Viv to visit the castle and as I’ve never been to Nottingham before so Paul and I thought we would make a weekend of it. We had planned to go to York but what with one thing and another we weren’t able to get the dates to click together. So in the end we decided just to do Nottingham this time around and leave York for

A Kim of Quainton Hair Do!

another occasion. Unfortunately I’ve just seen the weather forecast so it looks like it might be a case of wearing macs with umbrellas!

This week I was invited to model for the Barnet and Finchley Photographic Society and although I haven’t seen the photographs yet I have a feeling the shots will have come o

ut very well. One of the members took a few on my little camera and as a starting point we took inspiration from a photograph I saw in a book of Loretta Young. Interestingly rather than look like Loretta Young I think I look more like

Glamour Shot!

Eva Paron and my friend Kim was able to wiz together a suitable hair style which went with the dresses I brought along.

For the Loretta Young inspired shots I wore a black 1940s suit with red roses and we used a green background. The wonderful thing about the green background it highlighted the detail in the black suit where a white background would have just over powered the black.  As one starts to model

and move accordingly we found a praying shot worked really well which made me think of Catholic Church and Eva Paron. I’m looking forward to seeing all the photos as different photographers see different things and it’s amazing the verity which can be gained from one set up.

Eartha Kitt

Another inspiration was a photo of Eartha Kitt and in order to recreate the look Paul lent me his 1950s microphone which is just that little bit bigger and smarter than mine. What can I say my microphone gets a lot of use and maybe I should think about replacing it along with my mic stand which is covered in battle scars! I also brought along two 1940s evening gowns one floral and one in a mint green which had lots of folds in the fabric. I have a feeling the mint green dress will work well in black and white as it has a black sequin trim. We also did a few glamour shots as I always like to bring along more accessories than I need which gives one a chance to improvise and go with the flow.

Apart from modeling I’ve been working very hard in the office to get all my contracts out this week. I still have a few more to do when I get back from Nottingham and a loose end

A Snap Shot Between Shots!

or two which still needs to be tied. It’s that time of year again when I need to get all my equipment PATS tested before the start of the season so fingers crossed I can get that done next week before I head back to the Limelight theater and start filming again.

That’s all my news for now. Keep Watching and Toodle Pip!

Lets Swing it!

Editing Hands Knees and Bomps a Daisy!

Goodbye Dolly Gray!

It’s been a very busy week what with one thing and another. On Monday I started work with David editing my latest Operatic Music Hall show reel. It’s always a bit nail biting seeing the footage for the first time as I worry so much about colouring and the costumes against the black back drop but I’m pleased to say all is good and the footage has come out really well. It’s difficult to know what to use and what to leave out when editing but I think this will be my best showreel to date and I’m very pleased with the way it’s been coming along. In particular I had concerns about my “Good Bye Dolly Gray” costume as it involved a black military tunic with black frogging and I was worried it might not show to best advantage against the black back drop but all is well. So keep watching this space and I hope it wont be too long before I have another great showreel to share with you all.

I will be back before the film cameras again on the 13th March when I start filming the “The Flower duet from Lakme'” to split screen. So as you can imagine I’m working hard on my French as I will be singing both parts Lakme and Mallika in a new Victorian Indian style

A Kim Edwardian Up Do!

costume which is my own design – but more on that later!

If you caught my last blog you would have read I have been having trouble with my Facebook pages which were shut down for four days last week. At first my web-designer and I thought it might have been down to a hacker but after a bit of digging it turns out that Facebook doesn’t like you sharing posts from one page to another. I have two facebook pages my personal and professional page which is Fiona Harrison A Voice in a Million. I would often share my posts and information for no other reason than it saved me time in the office. Once upon a time this was fine but I’m afraid Facebook doesn’t like pages to run parallel with each other which means I now have to work even harder on my social media to keep you all up to date. This isn’t good news for me as I really work very hard as it is and just to give you an idea it often takes me three hours to write one blog entry due to my dyslexia. In

Under the Dryer as I Go Over My Words for Lakme’!

future I will be posting “Out-fit of the Week” and “Video of the Week” on my Voice in a Million page only which you can follow by clicking the Facebook star on the top of my web-site.

On Tuesday I was invited to do some modeling for a photographic club with my friend Lynda in Winchmore Hill. I also have another modeling assignment this Tuesday for a photographic club and both have required completely different looks. Last Tuesday I created an Edwardian look and wore a few of my Victorian/ Edwardian dresses where this Tuesday is going to be a 1940s shoot. I have a couple of new dresses I’m keen to have photographed so I will be back in the hairdressers having my hair done for Tuesday’s shoot. Last week my friend Kim was able to produce a wonderful Kitty Selfridge or cottage loaf style for me which I just loved where this week we shall be going for an Eva Paron!

On L&D Radio!

On Friday I was back on the radio with Alan Pagrams show at L&D Radio. It’s always good to catch up with Alan as we’ve made it a yearly thing and we always have so much to talk about. I first met Alan five years ago when I was performing in the Isle of Wight for the Steam railway’s Victorian weekend. This year I shall be singing in the Isle of Man for the Islands 1940s weekend which I am looking forward to very much. I’ve never been to the Isle of Man before and it’s one British Island I’ve not performed on when I’ve sung and toured with my theater shows  in the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey and the Outer Hebrides

Alan Pagram at L&D Radio!

of Orkney and Shetland. So it will be good to go somewhere fresh and new.

On Saturday I was performing for the WI in Shefford and now I have a week of catching up with paperwork. Next weekend Paul and I will be in Nottingham another place I’ve not been to before and then it’s full steam head with Lakme’.

I shall leave it here tonight as I need to get to bed. Keep Watching and Toodle Pip! 😉

Paul and I in Southsea!

The Fordora and Trim!

Paul Shopping for Vintage!

Shopping for Vintage in The One Legged Jockey!

Spring Day in Southsea!

Hello every-one I’ve just got back from spending the weekend in Southsea with Paul. I’ve been on the hunt for a 1940s Fordora hat to go with my grey 40s suit and this weekend was a wonderful opportunity to spend some time together looking around the vintage fashion shops in and around Portsmouth. This Sunday was Hammersmith’s Vintage Fashion and Accessories Fair at the town hall and what with everything else I didn’t quite make it into London but rather unexpectedly I came across a black Fordora in Laura Ashley for the bargain sale price of £10. With a bit of a re-trim and some 1940s grey petersham  I think we might be there! So keep watching and just for all you fashion followers out there I shall keep you posted with how I get on with re-trimming the Fordora!

When I last wrote I spoke in my blog about the year starting to take shape and I’m thrilled to report that I’ve been invited to return to Italy in October and to the town of Graffignana out side Milan for the towns 1940s commemorations. Last year Graffignana had guests from The Brazilian Embassy and this year it will be a representative from the Embassy of the United States. So there is much to look forward to when Paul and I meet up with all our Italian friends in Normandy this coming June for D-Day.

Rather concerning and it is important that I mention it I’ve just had my Facebook pages hacked so at the moment you wont be able to follow me on facebook. I know many off you over seas like to message me and do business that way but if you need to make contact please e-mail me. You can find my e-mail address at the bottom of my Home page and also by clicking onto the contact Fiona tab on the right hand side of this screen along with my phone number on this web-site. Sometimes just doing it the old fashioned way by picking up the telephone can be quicker than anything. Also you can speak to me direct.  Facebook are currently investigating so I hope it wont be too long before we are back up and running!

I’ve got a very busy week this week with meetings, shows, a photo shoot scheduled for Tuesday in Winchmore Hill and I’m going to be back on Big Als Radio show on Friday for L&D radio. I’m also going to be performing in Shefford on Saturday for the Bedfordshire WI. So lot’s to do and plan for. With that in mind I will leave it hear tonight.

Keep Watching and Toodle Pip!

Tea at Shuttleworth House!

This week has been a bit of a busy one. I’ve been working hard in the office between performances and I’m pleased to say I’ve now caught up with all my contracts and e-mails. A lot of work goes into mapping out a year and it’s very rewarding when it starts to take shape and come together. Dates are selling although there aren’t any big trends for this year. The only important birthday I’ve come across for 2017 is Vera Lynn’s who will be celebrating her 100th on the 20th March. So Happy Birthday Vera and as you might imagine I’ve sold my “We’ll Meet Again” show and much of that week to the retirement home market for whom Vera Lynn is so very important!

Last week I started on the first of my Valentine shows and that theme continues right through into next week. So it was rather lovely to-day to step away from performing and

Enjoying Tea at Shuttleworth House!

High Tea!

the office and take my mother out to Shuttleworth House

A Charming Painting!

for High Tea. I’m sure many of you are aware of the Shuttleworth collection and museum in Bedfordshire which bosts a wonderful collection of aircraft and motor vehicles which date right back to the dawn of aviation and motor transport. The house has recently opened up as a Wedding venue and for special occasion High teas for which today was the first I think. As it’s Valentines day on Tuesday today’s tea had a Valentines theme and every-one received a red rose and a chocolate heart which both my mother and I thought was a lovely touch.

After tea guests are permitted to explore the grand period rooms which have a wonder selection of paintings. Many are of animals although it’s true to say there is such a selection of all sorts from grand portraits to Moorish scenes. You can even find a portrait of a pretty young nun holding a bucket which looks a little like a watering can. So quite what’s the story is behind that painting is any-ones guess.

On the stair case leading to the billiard room I found a charming painting of a dog sleeping on his masters coat and hat which I particularly liked and above the door of the study you can see two owls on a branch which was painted by Frederick Smallfield. In the entrance hall there is a beautiful portrait of Dorothy Clotilda Lang who married Colonel Frank Shuttleworth in 1902. The portrait also shows her son Richard as a small boy who grew up with a passion for engineering and for whom we owe so much of the Shuttleworth collection to today.

Dorothy and Young Richard Shuttleworth!

I’ve always admired old masters of great ladies in beautiful dresses and of which Shuttleworth house has many. So if you are looking for somewhere special to take your mother for Mother’s Day why not choose Shuttleworth House and a cream tea as your special treat. The next cream tea date falls on Mothers Day the 26th March. You can find more details on the Shuttleworth web-site at  http://www.shuttleworth.org/mothers-day

Both my mother and I had a fantastic time and we would thoroughly recommend a visit. Shuttleworth House have Cream Tea dates arranged all through the year. It’s better value than high tea at Luton Hoo and at Shuttleworth their is an opportunity to look around the house with easy access for car parking.

I will be returning to Shuttleworth on Sunday 6th August where I have been engaged to sing for the Edwardian Pageant, Opera to Music Hall and on the 3rd September for Shuttleworths Heritage Day songs from the 1920s – 1960s. So I look forward to seeing you all.

That’s all my news for this week, but next week I start editing my latest Operatic and Music Hall showreel. So Keep Watching and I shall keep you posted.

Toodle Pip and Bye for now! 😉

Chandeliers and Beautiful Paintings in the Ballroom!

Stepping Out with Nessum Dorma!

Hello every-one I’m back at my desk after a busy weekend at the Limelight theater filming the second half to my Operatic Music Hall video. Some of you may have seen some of the photos on my facebook pages as I had a lot of songs I wanted to record and just as many costumes I wanted to wear. Some of these outfits take quite a bit of time to get into so I have to be quick and it’s easy to forget the odd button when you are rushing to get back on set. Backstage can often be chaos!

Nessum Dorma Take Two!

I was keen to record Nessum Dorma so we did two versions one in an evening gown at the beginning of the shoot and the other in my tails at the end. By this time we had almost run out of time so I shot the tails version in one take although afterward I noticed I’d

On Set and Ready to Roll Goodbyee!

missed a button on my waistcoat. Drat – I’m keeping my fingers crossed it wont show, but knowing how picky I am it probably will!

It’s been great fun to wear some new costumes for this showreel although many of my outfits I have had in my wardrobe forever. Believe it or not my bloomers were made for me for a ballet I did in a festival at the age of 15 and I’m still wearing them now. I often get asked about where I get my costumes from and the reason I have so much is because I’ve been collecting for 30 years and I never throw

Backstage & in Costume for I’ll Make a Man of You!

anything away. I have a good eye and I often have my dresses re-modeled. The trick is to buy things when I see them.

For example my Victorian black lace up boots I bought in 1985 when “Granny Boots” as they were called back then were fashionable. I also have a brown pair which I bought at the same time in the sale and both pairs are perfect for wearing with my Victorian/Edwardian costumes. Some of you may recall I wore the brown lace up ones with my Norfolk suit in my 1920s and 30s showreel.

Speaking of showreels thank-you for all your encouraging comments about my latest 1940s and 50s one. If you didn’t catch my last blog I launched it last week along with my “Burlington Bertie” and “Evette the Spivette” showreels. These have already been embedded into my web-site so you can catch Bertie and the 40s and 50s showreel by clicking onto my Shows page and Evette on my

Backstage Chaos!

Evette the Spivette page. We have also up-dated some of the photos for Evette’s page just to keep things fresh with a few new photos added around my site on various pages.

2017 is a very important year for me as I will have been in show business for 25 years. Maybe that’s why it’s so important for me to make these videos and leave a legacy. It’s all about predicting trends and it’s interesting to see who’s clicking onto what and what’s attracting the most interest musically. Although I’ve been going all out with this my latest Music Hall video I think after 2018 there wont be much interest in Music Hall after that year. 2018 will mark the centenary and the end of the first World War so I was keen to make sure I had plenty of music from that period in my video.

Angela Working Her Magic!

Choosing the right hair style and costume for the song is very important. I popped into Angela’s hair and Beauty on Saturday and Angela was able to create a wonderful WW1 style for me which went with all my songs. On this occasion I had 9 costume changes and I went for a simple blouse, skirt and beret for the girl next door look for “Goodbyee” and I wore a large hat and long beaded gown for the show stopping number “I’ll make a man of you” which is just that little bit racy! When it came to “Don’t Dilly Dally on the Way” I brought out my bustle and Victorian bonnet

Pack Up Your Troubles!

which is the perfect out-fit for the number and I could still get my bonnet on over my hair style at the back.

This week I start on the first of my Valentine shows as Love is in the air but more on that in my next blog.

Keep Watching and Toodle Pip! 😉

A Still From Shall We Dance!

Burlington Bertie!

Evette the Spivette!

If you have been following me on facebook this week you will know I launched my 1940s and 50s showreel today which includes many of my favorite Big-band and Swing melodies mixed in with Hollywood classics. I’m renowned for being just that little bit theatrical so it was fun to wear some of my bigger gowns and to think Hollywood with a technicolor approach. Some out-fits just come to me on my travels and in turn inspire a song I might sing such as Judy Garland’s “Get Happy” number.

While I was over performing in the Isle of wight last summer I came across a wonderful sequin jacket in an antiques center which I thought would look great with fishnet tights and would be perfect for “Get Happy”.  If I hadn’t have found that jacket I probably wouldn’t have included  “Get Happy” in my showreel but I’m very pleased I did.  It’s been said I should show my legs a bit more on stage so maybe I will in future if it is appropriate to do so. My Charlie Check 1940s suit was a another great find which has enormous shoulders just like Frank Sinatra’s suits  of the time which I thought would be perfect for “Saturday Night Is the Loneliest Night of the Week”. As for my other gowns I was able to pull from stock.

Although I haven’t posted them to facebook yet you can also see my other two new videos by clicking the Follow Fiona tab on the right hand side of this screen. If you click onto the Follow Fiona tab it will zip out, just click onto the Youtube icon and my latest videos are the first ones you come to. There you can see me singing “Burlington Bertie from Bow” which was originally performed by the Music Hall star Vesta Tilley and “Anything Goes” which is my opening number when I play my alter ego “Evette the Spivette” – the worlds only female singing Spiv. If you would like to know more about her then click onto my “Evette the Spivette” page which is located in the top left hand corner of this page.

This Sunday I’m back in the theater again filming the second half to my Music Hall show reel. This time I will be recording many songs we associate with WW1 such as “Pack up Your Troubles”, “It’s a long Way to Tipperary”, “I’ll Make a Man of You” ect. I’m also recording Nessum Dorma but I can’t decide what will be the best thing to wear. In some ways I would like to wear my tails again but I’m worried about the colour black on black which hasn’t come out quite as bright as I would have liked in my Burlington Bertie showreel. It may be another evening gown and the one I would like to use is a black gown with a pink sash. This wont stand out enough I feel against the black back drop. When it comes to dresses I’m not short of the odd one or two as a great deal of thought goes into what I wear. However I have another purple gown which as yet I haven’t worn which might just tick the box.

That’s all my news this week as I carry on working hard. Keep Watching and I hope you enjoy my videos

Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

My Uniform and Pill Box Hat

I’m afraid it’s just a quick blog tonight as I’ve been working very hard this week selling shows for 2017. It’s good to see the year taking shape and when I change my wall planners over in October it’s always daunting when I see a new year set out before me. I always think to myself gosh look at all those days I need to sell but with lots of hard work they always do.

After last weekends filming I now have a complete turn around of costumes to get ready for the 5th Feb when I’m next before the cameras recording the WW1 section to my Music Hall showreel. I’m also booked to film

Mayhem and Hats Galore in My Dressing Room!

on the 13th March the “Flower Duet from Lakme'”. It’s been good to go over the alto part again which I recorded years ago. I never sing the alto line live in performance as I always take the top soprano part harmonizing with the recorded alto me. So it’s important I get my French up to snuff and remember both parts before I go before the cameras on the 13th.

For my next set of filming I’ve been working on a few new hats. This week I made myself a pill box to go with my military uniform for “Good Bye Dolly Grey” and I still have a straw boater to trim for “Pack Up Your Troubles”. I’m afraid my uniform is more theatrical than Boar War accurate but it does have a wonderful chest of frogging which I can’t wait to wear and I’m keeping my finger crossed it will come out OK on camera. The jacket is black with red trim so I’ve gone for red trousers and a red pill box hat which I hope will look good on camera although as the frogging is black on black I’m just praying it will light OK.  I also have a huge black hat for “I’ll Make a Man of You” which will need some serious foot lighting.

Next week I want to spend some time rehearsing some new 1960s – 70s numbers as I move things on a little with my vintage shows. On Monday I have an appointment to meet up with Rachel my web-designer and she will be up loading my new showreels. Berlington Bertie, Evette the Spivette and my latest 1940s and 50s showreel. So keep watching this space and I will keep you posted

On that note I will leave it here tonight. Toodle pip and Bye for Now! 😉