: BIJOU – A Cabaret of Secrets and Seduction wowed Canberra audiences in 2013 and 2014. The Premiere season was a knock-out, and sold out. Reviews were ecstatic, and we had a heap of unsolicited feedback from audience members! We won two awards, the 2013 MEAA Greenroom Award, and a 2013 Critics Circle award. BIJOU then went on to play at Belconnen Arts Centre ACT, Parramatta Riverside Theatres NSW, and Bundanoon Memorial Hall NSW in 2014. In 2015 we’ll be touring in March and May, to more regional NSW venues.

It started with a postcard at the National Gallery of Victoria shop: an image of a print held by the gallery, a photograph taken by Brassai in 1932 of Madame Bijou in the Bar de la Lune, Montmartre. She’s sitting at a table in her beaten up hat and tatty cloak, pearls draped around her neck and through her fingers, rings covering her nicotine-stained hands. A ravaged but charismatic face peers out, heavily made up in the 1920s Theda Bara look, panda eyes and a slash of lipstick. I loved her and wanted to embody her, tell her story, and because I’m a singer, sing songs of her era.

Three years later, after support from the Hive Project at The Street Theatre ACT, and artsACT, much research, and collaboration with some wonderful artists, we opened the show as part of The Street Theatre’s Made in Canberra project. It’s an extraordinary show, a rewinding back in time of the life of a feisty lady, survivor of two wars and a lot of other things besides. It’s semi-fictional, using what I could find out about the real woman and making the rest up! After working with two great pianists, Peter J Casey and Raphael Wong, I was lucky enough to have Alan Hicks join the team as ‘bar pianist’. Alan is one of the reasons the show has been such a success! The music is stunning.

Now we are planning to tour the show. The first tour in March has attracted travel funding from artsNSW, YAY!!! BUT our much anticipated tour in May, in Northern NSW needs your support to get us on the road!!

To get the show on the road for a two week tour.

We need your help to get the show there! Hitching with set and costumes is not really on the cards, nor is sleeping under bridges…so we’re passing the tip jar around for help to cover costs of travel.

We need to raise $7,800 to cover the basic necessities, and then we can set off for our trip to…Gunnedah, Quirindi, Uralla, Barraba, Yamba, Coffs Harbour, Wauchope and Bowraville.
The money raised will pay for:
1. Van hire: $1,600.00
2. Petrol and other vehicle costs: $300.00
3. Accommodation and allowances for three on the road, 2 weeks: $4,600.00
4. Marketing help for the venues: $1,000.00
5. Contingencies: $300.00

All venues are very keen, as I’ve been to most of them before, with other shows. The tour is booked!

The tour is organised, the venues booked in. The main obstacle is finding the money to get there! I can use my own car to travel with, but still need to hire a trailer and will do so if needed, but this adds extra work in loading and unloading, parking etc. We can be billeted in the towns, but this is not the best option, as on the road we often need to chill out, and staying with lovely local people can be tiring after a show. But, all is possible!