Tag: Edinburgh Fringe

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WANTED! – Producer/Partner in Crime

It’s full steam ahead over here at Tucker HQ.  Preparations for my next show ‘Super Situation‘ are well underway and I’m now looking for a Producer to help me sort all the stuff out that needs to be sorted out aside from writing the show – which I really ought to be getting on with – aaaarrgggh!

I’ve just posted an ad to www.artsjobs.org.uk which should be up in the next day or so all being well.  Here it is in all its glory:

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Job – Producer/Partner in Crime
London, profit share, part-time, starting ASAP!

I’m a London based Actress who’s been writing her own work for several years.  I now want to step this up a gear and am well aware I can’t do this all by myself…

I’m currently writing a one-woman visual comedy show to be performed at the Bongo Club during this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.  I’m looking for someone to help me with:

• securing more funding/sponsorship
• liaising with the people I’ve got lined up to help me with Press, Marketing, Directing, Design etc.
• putting together a venue pack for organising tour dates
• researching possible venues
• publicity during the Fringe
• flyering and promotion

The show will be great fun to work on and I will provide free accommodation in a very central location for the entire Festival.

You’ll need:

• a good sense of humour
• good people skills
• a willingness to get stuck in
• experience of working at the Fringe
• a drive to make this work

I need someone who can be as excited about this project as I am and help me take it as far as it can go.  I also need you on board asap so that I can get on with writing the show!

Ultimately I’m looking for someone to work with me long term so the role would suit someone interested in getting involved in/developing a small scale Theatre Company.  Otherwise it’s simply a great opportunity to gain more experience.

More details about me and my stuff can be found here: www.loistucker.net

If you think working with me on this project would be of interest to you – please email me, detailing your previous experience and why this ridiculous venture is for you, and we can arrange to meet up over some kind of beverage and edible thing.
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Hopefully the right person will pop up very soon and the next phase of world domination shall begin.

Apart from lots of show preparation gubbins, I managed to sneak in a little Lois of the Lane gig at the end of March at Bar Kick.  I really am totally snowed under with stuff at the moment so that might be the last one for a while.  (I am of course a sucker for punishment and this is probably all lies.)

Onwards!

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All guns blazin

Ooh, the joys of Spring 🙂

First up – I had a grand time performing Glitch at the British Library during January and February.  Thanks to all who came down and made it so enjoyable!  There are more performances of the show in the pipeline which I’ll keep you up to date with when I have more information.  At some point I’ll get round to uploading the great photos that were taken during the month.

Following on from this marvellous run, I’m now putting together a new one woman show for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.  Expect a 50 minute extravaganza, in the same style as Glitch – no spoken words from me, an accompanying soundtrack with words, music and sound effects, ridiculousness etc.  I’ve got some great people on board already to help me with the project and I’m very excited to see what’s going to pop out of my brain.  I’ve already secured a fantastic venue so there’ll be more on this very soon.  Just got to find me some money from somewhere…

Lois of the Lane will be featuring in this new show, and in between me scrabbling around trying to get it all ready in time, she’ll hopefully still be venturing out every so often to do the odd gig here and there.  I took her over to Bob Slayer‘s comedy night at Dirty Dick’s a few weeks ago, which went really well, despite an initial technical panic.  Eep.

So, all go quite frankly – which is the way I like it!

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Earth calling Lois – do you copy?

Despite what the radio silence of late may suggest, I can assure you that I did indeed make it back from the Edinburgh Fringe in one piece at the end of August – never you fear.  I had a very good, useful trip up there with me and my alter ego, meeting a whole host of lovely talented people and doing some storming gigs, performing for the Bongo Club Cabaret, Sideshow, Bob Slayer‘s ‘You Bastard’ and Carnival des Phenomenes.  Thanks to all who made it such a marvellous 2 mini trips.

Now, back at grindstone central, things are bubbling away nicely.  I’ve had a good few of gigs as Ms of the Lane – 3 back in September: Electric Mouse Comedy‘s one off re-creation of Bob Slayer‘s Edinburgh show at The Paradise; my second private gig and thirdly the Red Velvet Curtain Cult‘s ‘Lust and Luxuria’ night at Whitechapel Art Gallery where I premiered a new stoopid act, plus a gig in October at Resistance Gallery‘s ‘Anti Frieze’ party.  I’m back at the latter this weekend to perform as part of Lucha Britannia‘s Winter Weekender:

Aside from cabaret bits, my little one woman black comedy GLITCH is to be making an exciting re-appearance early next year.  I’ll be performing it at the British Library‘s Taking Liberties exhibition, Tuesdays and Saturdays from mid January to mid February:

Tuesdays 20, 27 Jan and 3, 10 Feb
at 17:30 and 19:00

Saturdays 24, 31 Jan and 7, 14 Feb
at 13:00, 14:30 and 16:00

Here’s the latest version of the blurb:

A 30-minute black comedy performance set in an imaginary near future.  A lone traveller finds herself trapped during an automated security check.  Rather than succumb to the totalitarian surveillance, she attempts to outwit the machine and make a bid for freedom.

There really is some great stuff going on as part of this exhibition so I’m over the moon to be involved in it!

Now onto the grand plan mentioned in the last post…  Well, not much in the way of juicy tidbits for you just yet, but to whet your whistle, I’m in the very early stages of developing a Feature Film.  It’s going to be a slightly surreal character comedy involving many of the bright and talented sparks that I know.  Very excited.  Updates will be posted here.

Can’t wait to get properly stuck in…

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Fringe at the Fringe

Just a quickie.

Not long back from a brief jaunt to the Edinburgh Fringe where I ate pies, drank drink, shot the breeze and did some cabaret.  Back up there again tomorrow to do the final weekend fling.  Details of most of my gigs can be found on my MySpace Page.

Returning to The Smoke on Monday to regroup and put some more wheels in motion for my big, new, grand plan…

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Alive and Amplified

Been beavering away over here on a new Lois of the Lane act which I’ll be performing at The Red Velvet Curtain Cult‘s ‘(Truth &) Lies’ evening at The Bethnal Green Working Man’s Club next Thursday the 19th of June.  The night’s a mask and dress up affair (dress code: Vagabonds, Butterflies, Carnival Freaks, Alter Egos, Dopplegangers, Victorian swooning ladies, Eccentric Gents, Vintage Belles, N’er do wells, Spies, Dead Poets, Faux Queens, Fake Kings, the Devil himself…) which promises: “productions and destructions, illusions and delusions and the conception of deception with performances, art, happenings, devilish delectables, oddities and conundrums galore.”.  More details here, and here’s the flyer:

After this skewed affair, I’m going to be singing Second Soprano in a piece entitled ‘Steta Speaks: The Opera’, a 6-10min piece for 9 voices – concept and text by Rachel Greaves, score by Gregory Emfietzis – at the Byam Shaw Fine Art Degree Show on Monday the 23rd of June between 6 and 8pm and then Wednesday the 25th of June between 3 and 4pm.

Then (unless anything crops up beforehand) it’ll be off to the Latitude Festival with me as The Pig-Faced Girl in the Gawkagogo Freakshow.  The Freakshow tent’s coming with us, to be pitched in what will become ‘Pandora’s Playground’, and we’ll also be headlining the Cabaret Stage on the Friday.  Lots of happy squealing from me 🙂

The Edinburgh Fringe will be waving its cheeky little hand at all and sundry after this.  I’m hopping up there a couple of times on the 9hr Coach of Joy to peddle Lois of the Lane to the masses.  Hopefully, they won’t know what’s hit ’em.  More on this when I have it…

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Ooh, it’s got a bit nippy ain’t it?

Brrr…

Again, lots of stuff since the last post.  The Gawkagogo Freakshow tent went down a storm in the Pleasance Courtyard at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe and subsequently we’ve done a one off, massively extended version of the show, with special guests, at the infamous Barden’s Boudoir…

…which also went down mightily well!

There will inevitably be more Freakshow news soon…

November beckons, and with it comes a series of private screenings of ‘Small Talk‘, the multi-award winning short film I starred in last year.  It’s being screened alongside 2 other short films – ‘The Trousseau’ and ‘Crossed Lines’ which feature friends as the lead in each.  Here are the dates, times and places:

Tuesday November 13th – Riverside Studios, Hammersmith
1:30pm / 2:30pm / 3:30pm – THE TROUSSEAU
1:45pm / 2:45pm / 3:45pm – SMALL TALK
2:00pm / 3:00pm / 4:00pm – CROSSED LINES

Wednesday November 14th – Curzon, Soho
6:00pm – THE TROUSSEAU
6:15pm – SMALL TALK
6:30pm – CROSSED LINES

Thursday November 15th – The Pleasance Theatre, Islington
1:30pm / 2:30pm – THE TROUSSEAU
1:45pm / 2:45pm – SMALL TALK
2:00pm / 3:00pm – CROSSED LINES

and here are the blurbs:

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THE TROUSSEAU – 17min – Starring Maria Thomas
When the young British Ama learns of her mother’s death she decides to return to her birthplace in Ghana.  The women of her clan question her suitability in taking her grandmother’s place in the funeral preparations, but Ama breaks with tradition and proves them wrong, finding a means to express her sorrow.

Nominated for ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best Short Film’ at the BFM 8th International Film Festival 2006.

Screened as part of Africa in the Picture season at the Amsterdam Film Festival 2007.
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SMALL TALK – 13min – Starring me
A short Black Comedy.  Madeline is an introverted telephone operator who amuses herself by making prank calls to unsuspecting Londoners passing by the phone box outside her flat.  One day she’s caught off guard when someone she calls decides to make small talk back…

1st Prize for the ‘Best Digital Film’ at the 13th International Short Film Festival in Drama (Greece) 2007.

‘Best Non-Italian Short Film’ at Kaleidoshorts 2007, organised by the Italian Embassy.

‘Best Student Drama’ at the Southern Royal Television Society Awards 2006/2007.

Digital Video Practice Award for ‘Best Student Short’ at the End of the Pier Film Festival 2007.
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CROSSED LINES – 14min – starring Keith Eyles
Do actions really equal consequences or is life just a lottery and can something as random as a number actually change everything?  In just a few hours Jonathan Shepherd’s life is about to change drastically in this dark tale about infidelity, hypocrisy, mixed communication, bad timing and how far someone will go to protect what they have…

Premier screening of this new film, written, directed and produced by Keith Eyles.
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You can find my finely crafted e-flyer for the screenings here. If you’re interested in attending one of them, please let me know. Tickets are limited.

Before November we have ourselves Halloween.  This year I’m going to be working with Gawkagogo on their Voodoo Witchdoctor Automaton installation.  We’ll be at Torture Garden‘s Halloween Ball on the 27th and Opal Nera’s Halloween Ball at T Bar on the 31st.  Come get your diagnosis!

Lastly, but certainly not least, I’ve had several Lois of the Lane gigs and have another coming up at ‘You Little Minx’ at Tiger Tiger in Croydon on the 2nd of November.  I’ve had some wonderful promotional pictures taken of her which I’ll be uploading soon, along with lots of other information, so watch this space.

Off now to go and dig out me thermals…

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Lois of the Lane, Pig in the Mud, Firey Clowning and More!

Good grief, a whole heap of a lot of stuff has happened since I last posted on here.  Wearisome wi-fi woe has been holding me back on the update front, but now I am victorious (haha wireless router – I have tamed you!  Feel my power!) and ready to spill all sorts of beans and the like.

So, first up – Lois of the Lane, my cabaret creation.  She’s a smiley silent comedy girl with a penchant for a bit of ridiculousness.  The blurb so far:

Lois of the Lane – Nerd of few words.  Snazzy dresser.  Sharp mover.  Lover of fine music and fine unexpectedness.  Eater of cheese.  Wearer of eyebrow.  Purveyor of the most delicious bite-sized chunks of silent comedy this side of Vaudeville.  You have been warned!

Each of my acts, otherwise known as ‘Random Acts of Ridiculousness‘ are around 4-5 minutes long and comprise of much stupidity 🙂  I currently have 3, (very nearly 4) ready and raring to go, entitled ‘Opus One’, ‘The Box of 1,000 Dances’ and ‘Showdown’.

My first gig at the opening night of Red Dress‘ Supper Club: ‘You Little Minx’ on the 29th of June was a storming success.  This is me, mid ‘Box of 1,000 Dances’, photographed by Moira Lovell:

My next gigs will be at The Vaudeville Cabaret Club during the last 10 days of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  When I have exact dates, I’ll post ’em.

I’m getting some ‘Lois of the Lane‘ promotional photos done, then there’ll be a whole re-vamp of my website to accommodate my new alter ego.  Lots and lots to do…

Next – The Gawkagogo Freakshow!

We had a fantastic time at the Glastonbury and Latitude festivals.  A constant stream of people, endless queues to get in and a bit of coverage on Channel 4 in the form of Carling’s Festival Postcards.   You can watch our bit in the show here:

Now it’s off to the Pleasance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with us and the micro carny tent.  Information and stuff here.  We’re on from the 18th – 27th of August, playing every 15 minutes from 7pm – 9pm and we are one of the 20 must-see acts at the Edinburgh Fringe.  You definitely must see us then.

While we’re up there, Paul‘s got another exhibition going at the Hula Juice Bar, Grassmarket.  Details here.

Lastly, Gawkagogo joined the Fire Tusk Pain Proof Circus at their spectacular gig at The Roundhouse on the 27th of July, as part of the ‘Circus Front’ season.  I had much fun clowning around as Hooters 🙂  Here be gallery:

 

(Actually, this is lastly – pictures from Glastonbury and Latitude:)

(Image above: courtesy of Sonny Malhotra – Reportage Photography.)


Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud!!

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Freaks! Awards! Beards! Spies!

This summer is looking to be a rather enjoyable one with me disappearing off to 3 festivals: Glastonbury, Latitude and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Gawkagogo Freakshow:

“A new fast-paced, edgily funny modern rockabilly pop-culture twist on a classic freakshow – but compacted in time and space!  Using the classic grind show format, Gawkagogo Freakshow consists of a rapid-fire, action-packed 15-minute freakish variety bill.  The show features quick-change cartoon-style costumes, weird puppetry, stage illusion and audience interaction, to produce an experience unlike anything the audience has ever seen before.  Introduced and run by the trio of Gawkagogo hosts, the Freakshow features a varying bill including some of the acclaimed Gawkagogo roster of characters, like: Elephant Man Elvis (“Comedy Genius” LONDON EVENING STANDARD), Dali Parton, Norma Guntz and her Tom Jones Tumour, Dennis Hopperfield The House Fly Liberarnie, Mentalo: Master Of Mentalism, The Invisible Man Magician.”

‘Ave it!!

Gawkagogo‘s ‘C*nt Bingo’ was nominated for “Most Original Act” in the this year’s Ministry of Burlesque Awards following our appearance at Candy Box in February.  I thoroughly enjoyed meself, dancin like a loon, at the awards ceremony at The Pigalle Club on Sunday.  (No one was harmed during said dancing.  Well, as far as I know.)

With all of this cabaret stuff I seem to have got myself into, it’s about time I sorted out my own act, which is what I’m doing right now.  More on this soon…

I also want to get some music stuff on here, so I should be sorting that out and uploading it when it’s ready to go.

Old news that I didn’t get round to posting in time:

I was one of the voices in the afternoon play ‘Delayed Departures’ last week on Radio 4, written by Matthew Solon, Produced/Directed by John Dryden and starring Matthew Solon, Samantha Bond and Robert Gwylim.  Bizarre to be doing Airport Announcements after Glitch!  Here’s me (whilst we were recording in a hotel room) with some of the equipment, looking like a Russian Spy:

Bondtastic!

Ooh, here’s another photo of me (it’s all me, me, me…) as the Demon Barber Bearded Lady in Gawkagogo‘s Damnation Alley at The Texas Chainsaw Travelling Horror Picture Show‘s 1st Birthday Massacre in March:

Photo courtesy of Stef Lindeque.

It was rather freezing in my doorway, but it was well worth it.

Right, back to shaking my brain around a bit to see what comes out…

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Not long now…

I’ve been up in Edinburgh for nearly a week.  Only a few days left until my first performance/preview.  Lots still to be done, but I’m quietly confident and rather excited!

I’ve managed to get a bit of last minute direction from Richard Hurst and he’s been spreading the good word.

Done a fair amount of badge distribution too – to keep the show in people’s heads.  I think they’re rather attractive and am rather chuffed with them!

On another note: ‘Small Talk‘ is being screened at the Portobello Film Festival this Saturday.  Click here for more info.

Right.  Back to the Festivities… 🙂