Behind the Titters and Tassels

Each month we bring you an exclusive interview with a member of the Titters and Tassels family. 

This month our Phwoar on the door....Val Oh So Rapture

Who are your favourite burlesque performers on the current scene and why?

I am very happy to see my original Burlesque girl crush Anna Fur Laxis back on the UK scene because she sparked my first ‘I wish I could do that’ moment.

The Zombie Wildflower act that Lady Wildflower brought to eat our brains at Live & Stripping is the greatest thing my eyes have ever been exposed to and I'm still not over it! She's a consistently exciting performer who gives back by being an amazing teacher and mentor.

Why do you love burlesque so much?

First it was the music, then it was the glamour, now it's the people and the community it attracts.

If you could be any burlesque performer for a day who would it be and why?

Dinah Might; not just for the shoes and the bling, but for being a seriously down and dirty strip artiste and floorwork queen who manages to combine raw-sexy with the utterly ridiculous and laugh out loud funny.

Do you have any pre show rituals?

Shave my legs, have a wee and check my train is running on time.

Have you ever had a wardrobe malfunction and how did you style it out?

All of my costume malfunctions happen on stage, never in rehearsal. I got stuck in my velvet robe when I first did my Grimelda Reaper act - ripping it off was the only way out and looked really dramatic so I've kept that bit in and ditched the evil velcro fastening.

How did you come up with your Burlesque name? What were the runners up?

I was discussing Jurassic World with a friend (Mandy Tootill) when we saw a cake topped with dinosaurs and gummy bears. That gave me Stella Sawus, Yummy Bare and Val Oh So Rapture - like “velociraptor”…. The ones Chris Pratt *clearly* fancies in the film.

After a quick google I found there is a lot of fan fiction that pairs Chris Pratt with scantily clad velociraptors which is both hilarious and eye opening.

You have just taken part in Legend in the Making and Spare Rib Superstar, whats next for Val Oh So Rapture apart from world domination?

Sensual domination, a decent feather boa and learning how to cope with Windows 10.

What's your most memorable performance to date and why?

I would say Legend In The Making but honestly I loved performing at the Frou Frou club at the Yardbirds in Grimsby. It's a club in the mold of Jillys Rockworld where I worked and headbanged my formative years so it felt like home. I got to spend lots of time with lovely Lexie Fonteyn and see Peggy De Lune toe the line of decency to Cookie Thumper which was really REALLY cool. Performance wise I gave it some welly and the audience were next-level-lively in return.

Glitter or confetti?

Glitter girl.

Tassels or Assels?

Tassels.

Can you remember a life without Burlesque?

I can but I try not to.

In 5 words try to describe the last Titters and Tassels show?

Fierce Funny Femmes Twirling Tassels

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Titters & Tassels Family?

The acts and the audience show each other a tonne of laughter and love. Toots and Leigh are like the cool Aunties of the family with a secret gin stash who  teach you rude things you can do with hand dryers.

Who is your favourite Toots or Leigh?

Leigh used to cut her own fringe so I can relate to that.

Toots is from Wigan (land of pies) and my pasties are pretty vital to my act  so she *just*pips it.

Toots & Leigh present the next Titters and Tassels show on 1st July at Gullivers Ballroom, Manchester NQ.
Tickets available from: www.eventbrite.co.uk