Circus of Glamour presents New Year’s Eve extravaganza at Chester Guildhall

Dec 24 2009 by Jo Henwood, Flintshire Chronicle

Unadulterated glamour is promised for the New Year in Chester – 2010 will fly in on a larger-than-life crescent moon and pour itself into a life-sized champagne glass at the city’s Circus of Glamour on December 31.

Burlesque company, GoldDust Productions, presents the New Year’s Eve extravaganza at the city’s Guildhall.

City photographer Neil Kendall is the man behind GoldDust and as alter ego Rory del Rivo, is master of ceremonies on the night.

“Burlesque has been reborn,” he said. “My productions are opulent and theatrical and a throwback to Paris in the last century.

There is demand in Chester for live entertainment that is both magical and mesmerising.

“People dress up to the nines in faux fur and opera gloves and you could be at the Moulin Rouge.”

Neil’s productions are no end-of-the-pier bawdiness. They feature international stars, spectacular magic acts, champagne and elaborate costumes and scenery.

Miss Vicky Butterfly, the headline act, is travelling from London with her gigantic crescent moon for her Vaudeville Vamp act. Vicky is an internationally renowned performer who has appeared in top Indie band Kasabian’s video.

“We also have Britain’s Got Talent finalist, Carrie Ann, who performs in a champagne glass, magician Paul Dabek who produces live doves from nowhere, beds of nails and bathtubs of cut glass. It takes about four days for us to set up the whole gig!” said Neil.

Neil, whose photographs have been published in Vogue, GQ, Marie Claire and Hello! magazines, is working on Mondo Burlesque, a coffee table book of burlesque photography.

“American superstar Dita von Teese has just agreed to write the foreword, so as soon as I’ve been to Las Vegas to photograph her, it will be finished,” said Neil.

Neil will be turning the tables in the spring with the less than glamorously titled Grim Up North event at Telford’s Warehouse.

“That’ll be a cabaret evening in the style of a 1960s game show. It’ll look just like someone’s living room with flying ducks up the wall!”

Tickets for Circus of Glamour cost £40 and are arranged in tables. To book telephone 07776 198332.