2010. the year for calm. This year im going to stay in one spot. No more of this non-stop travelling around business..

well, that was the plan.. now, 50 or so plane trips later, and with a big headache im home, via India, sitting inside with the heater on, wondering what happened to my plans of being home for a SUMMER Christmas. Melbourne. Your unpredictable weather is more annoying than charming today.

The year started in Primrose hill, La Clique ruled london; stadium like shows, 8 shows a week. A super fun season hanging out many fun people, helping to ease the pain of my first full English winter ( never, ever, again). I did a few weeks with the show in Paris at the bobino – this was a dream, everything feels magic in Paris. I wish I could have done longer there – But then it was time for blackpool! Showzam was huge this year too, and really busy for me as I was performing with La Clique in the evening and as koringa during the day, walking up a ladder of knives.

By march I was living in my own place finally! Chez Marawa was in the same building as Feef Killacky – who actually found me the apartment – thankyou!!. This was my home for the next 5 months – the longest time I had stayed in one place for a few years. I bought a toaster. a fryingpan, AND a kettle. And I felt a sense of calm that had been missing for a long time.I was still travelling a lot – I did a couple of weeks in Hanover performing at the GOP, and some more trips to Paris.

I performed on the champs elysees for swatch and managed to squeeze in a Gonzales film clip. And I did a fun weekend of party shows with ryan (martelo) and savage skulls.

And I went for Brussels to have dinner with dad one night. He is doing BIG TINGS, in the online world, .so, that’s cool.

In april I performed in the first version of Carnesky’s Dystopian Wonders at the roundhouse, with my dear friend Raphaelle.

This involved being set in plaster at the Insect Circus house and more knife ladder climbing. My Birthday was a culinary triumph! Emi and Ryan met me for breakfast at the Diner, Pancakes and French toast oui! Then it was an enmasse coffee session. Then a trip to the spas with the broken hearts and trixie. Then an epic dinner at viet grill. Perfection.

With the departure of Alice and Paulie back to the motherland, ( DISASTER) I was without my favourites but I made some hot new friends to replace them! Mi Casa became host to regular dinner parties, where on a good night Jean, Emi, Mattias, Russella and Naomi all came around.

Amechi even made me trousers! Eventually. So it was a great summer, broadway market providing many a protein boost in the form of a haloumi burger, bean salad with a lamb burger on top. Genius.

I also went to Edinburgh this year – what originally started out as an ‘exciting new experience’ became a month of drama ( not the good sort ) as I made my acting debut as the lead in LULU – a frank wederkind 19^th century sex tragedy – tragedy being the word I would like emphasis. Well. It wasn’t as bad as I would have liked it to be ( because then at least it would have been funny..) Nevertheless I survived ( even when the set fell down ) and had a really lovely month in Edinburgh saved by the lovely folk at artisan coffee ( carrot cake gods), piff the magic dragon, wendy bevan and the botanical gardens. Seriously the loveliest botanical gardens ever. I had many nice afternoons there, and many nice dance times with the wauwau's and amy.

ON my way back to blackpool I stopped in at the national fairground archive in Sheffield and also attended the illuminations switch on party! This year the lights were switched on by Robbie Williams and I wore a nice dress and got mah hair did. It was a lovely evening and it was so nice to see Phil, Vanessa and the Petulengro’s. Then it was back to london and straight back to work!! Rachael Castell gave me a lovely little home, where I spent many nights laughing hysterically at simon amstell’s Grandma’s house. I had so many shows booked when I got back I could hardly LOOK at another taxi – I was spending 4 hours a day in taxi’s BORING. And EXHUASTING.

By the time I got to paris in October for the 50^th time I was so crazy tired..but Emi surprised me on the train ( heart attack!) and we had fun fun times. Chloe Van Paris threw an amazing party, and it happened to be just down the road from the ninjatune party where Toddla was playing and I met my biggest musical crush of 2010 – Poirier. He played a 2 hour set and I danced the WHOLE THING down to the floor.

He makes perfect music.

Sabrine stuck it out with me ( love her) and then I walked back to my new favourite French hotel – hotel el dorado. After too many fashion parades/ parties and fun with sabrine I had to forfeit my trip to marsaille to see the savage skulls boys who were shooting a clip – and get back to london where I worked like mad to get ready for the opening ofLa Soiree. What a drama. New costume, new music, and most importantly – THE DEBUT OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HIGH HEELED BABY BLUE ROLLERSKATES.

FINALLY. That’s one life goal ticked off the list!

Performing with La Soiree meant living in Soho Square again – hurrah! I shared with the lovely Miranda and Captain frodo. The other upside was that rob worked at tapped and packed – the new trendy coffee shop just up the road – where Yu takes his morning coffee! So I was happy to bump into him a lot J. Also I took advantage of a little time at soho house with wendy and john. I starred in 2 episodes of lady shimada’s cooking show – bitchin in the kitchen!LOVE HER. And she also got me hooping on the new Eliza Doolittle clip.. After a month of being endlessly entertained by mooky and amy in the dressing room – it was time to leave La Soiree – for bangalore! To attend Nina and Naag’s wedding, followed by a week in hampi. Then I came home! Yes yes yes.

Home. time. Breathe breathe breathe.

I had 2 days to sort my bag out and then adventure mum and I headed off to Tasmania for a week of hiking.

sheesh.

We did the overland track – a hike through cradle mountain, over mount ossa, and over to st anne’s – this was tough but so beautiful. There were waterfalls, snow, sunshine, leeches, and no reception. When we had reached the half way – I realised that we were 3 days hike from anywhere – each way. That was a little scary – and nice. I wondered if north korea had done anything spectacular and liked knowing that the world was still turning even though I wasn’t watching it.

I sat very still a lot of the time, and looked at the tree’s and slept a lot. Mum was a champion. I was proud. The next day we topped it all off by going to hollybank treetops for a morning of flying fox adventures 50 metres high. The longest stretch was 400 metres over a river. Adventure mum had met her match. And she didn’t mention anything about skydiving when we had finished which had been my fear.. We got back to Melbourne after a lovely cheese platter and some honey shopping. Then it was off to the Gold Coast for more shows..

Another massive WIN this year was seeing the clipse live – IN MELBOURNE! Who would have thought they would have ever made it here?? Wamp-nation for life. They are some very talented brothers. Also this year I acquired an epenpal, called Ketil. We have been exchanging stories of adventures, long journeys and local trivia, as well as our favourite youtube clipse. He is in a band called Casiokids and I am looking forward to meeting him in Melbourne soon when they come to play the falls festival

Christmas is looming – Asli gave her Christmas reflection as school music captain at the carol service ( she is so. Grown. Up.) and in her speech she talked about what Christmas meant to her and she said her memory of Christmas every year is the ultralounge Christmas album that is played throughout December in our house. I tortured everyone with it last year at the roundhouse and I am so please to be home. With THE WHOLE FAMILY. To go crazy listening to it all together. NOTHING like a little distance to make the heart grow fonder. Wampnation and the Ibrahim’s all in the same town? Its going to be a very merry Christmas indeed. Brraaaaaaap!

*Helmets are important.

This year I fell off my bike and onto my forehead and hands and knees. My hands were wrapped in baby blue leather riding gloves, and I got some bruises on my knee. But I hit my head and I didn’t have a helmet on. It happened so fast and that’s what scared me most. I bought a helmet and avoided my bike for a few days and was pretty sad. My lovely neighbour sarah made me a card. That made me feel better. Emi’s good friend Jayne Helliwell died on her bike this year. She was younger than me. She was really sweet and made some amazing and beautiful things. I felt so sad about this even though I didn’t know her very well.

OTHER THINGS:

My Favourite times in 2010 were spent sitting on the bench outside Present. Drinking espresso’s made by mattias, lord of the coffeee. planning my day, and bumping into people. I logged most of this year here.

The best show I saw all year was the finals of london’s next top tranny. i love Russella.

I also went on radio 4 this year and did libby purves show, I didn’t realise how big a deal that was until I finished reading val doonicans autobiography.

French fries and savage skulls made a song called marawa!

I got to see Sharon Jones and the Dapkings in london and Melbourne – fittest woman ever! And binky griptite also has the greatest radio show ever ( more episodes PLEASE.)

I was the ambassador for the ‘hula hoop crisps sports relief world record’ event, which was pretty funny.

I swapped vegemite for marmite. im still not sure how to deal with this.

I Hope 2010 was good to you, if not, well.. its nearly over! Looking forward to bumping into you somewhere in 2011!!

LOVE,

Marawa in quality novelty heaven. xx

BLACKPOOL, SHOWZAM '10

My favourite fabulous English seaside town, with all the trimmings, glitter and even a bit of sunshine in February.

The very first time I went to blackpool was in 2007, to be part of Admission All Classes, which went on to become Showzam. It was a life changing weekend spent in some of the most romantic and beautiful theatres and buildings I had ever seen.

Here I also met some of the excellent people whom I am now endlessly inspired by. On the last afternoon we all decided to stay an extra night, and over a huge dinner at mamma’s Italian restaurant we discussed how we would bring new variety back to its original home and make Blackpool amazing again. ‘2010!’ we shouted with enthusiasm. By then it would be a huge festival! I think we had talked it up to Glastonbury proportions.. We headed off to Funnygirls and through a chorus line of sequin-seamed high leg kicks, my love affair with this seaside town was engrained for life.

This year’s showzam was particularly fun (and busy) for me, I performed during the day at the Showzam central site in Olympia, part of the Winter Gardens. In the evenings I performed with La Clique in what felt like its perfect home, the Tower Circus. There was also the Carnival Ball in the Tower Ballroom, and my new Koringa act which was part of the Magic show all weekend. It was 2 weeks of shows, Abingdon market, good coffee’s, magicians, great friends, beautiful paintings and sideshow scares. Circus and variety – old and new, but only the good bits.

This is my account of how it went down, I hope it brings back the good memories or helps you share in the fun we had.

The magic show was held on the weekends in the Tom Norman tent where I walked up a ladder of knives, and tamed a snake… sort of.

This act was a recreation of a famous act that was performed in the 50’s and 60’s by ‘Koringa - the only female fakir’. There were people in the audience who had seen her perform and even some people who had worked with her – much to my horror! but thankfully they all said wonderful things so that was a relief. Strangely as the 2 weeks progressed a huge pimple that really hurt appeared on my head above my left eyebrow. Well, it felt like a pimple but it was sort of just a red lump. Anyway. Koringa used to have a beauty spot like the one I mark on my cheek but hers was on her forehead. I had been drawing it above my right eyebrow, mirroring her posters, but by the weekend this red lump was so big I decided she was trying to tell me I had been drawing it on the wrong side..

Also in the show was Tim Cockerill, who was under the guise of Dr Walford Bodie, a master of electricity who used to demonstrate all sorts of electrical feats, which Tim recreated with the assistance of his glamorous assistant Electra. Tim is a legend.

I spent my weekends asking him questions that he always had the answers for; how did you make the chariot that the flea pulls? How many volts are you plugging electra into? How big is the biggest insect? (57 cm!!) How many insects are there in the malayasian forest? Tim is doing his PHD on insects at Cambridge and he is going to Malaysia for 5 months to collect creepy crawlies. Especially the ones that haven’t been discovered yet. He is also a good cook and travels with a spice kit.

Masterminding the magic show was Andrew Van Buren, who performed many amazing magic tricks made famous over the years, even recreating an act made famous by his parents! here is father and son:

During the week the Tom Norman tent was host to a series of video’s curated By Professor Vanessa, the hardest working woman I know, mastermind behind so much of this festival, im pretty sure she never sleeps.. the video's were so beautiful and were often accompanied by Stephen Horne on piano ( and sometimes flute too at THE SAME TIME!)

To pull in the crowds there was the very glamorous Miss Behave barking her lungs out, along with various performances including Michael Diamond doing all sorts of fire tricks, and even some Frodo and Miranda music moments.

Professor Jon was also running his side shows as well:

There were many great things to see there, the headless lady, and the new monster show – which during the magic convention was also home to some nifty pick-pocketers..

There was also an amazing palm reader this year, and for the first time ever I had my palm read – it was a bit daunting – took me a week to get around to it – but I was very happy after! Her daughter nancy also happens to be a super accordian player, coming 3rd in the world accordian competition in Italy last year! wowsers.

There were also these two, who were always around looking after my hoops for me! I gave them lots of tips on how to get grip off a skateboard…

Michael from dingles was selling so many great circus books –

There was much excitement amongst the clique about performing in the tower circus. It was such an amazing venue. And I really liked going up in the air there because the winch was so fast!

It was the first time they had ever had seats in the ring – and it was neat seeing the circus show during the day which has a water finale where the stage sinks and the fountain in the middle of the pool sprays water nearly to the ceiling - and then knowing that at night we were performing in the same spot.

Miss Behave outdid herself for carnival ball with the most insane outfit I have seen her in to date. ( where are the photo's please?!) I didn’t catch much of the show as we had la Clique down stairs in the Circus. Straight after the show, George and I caught the service lift up to the ballroom to perform in the carnivale – Glamour!

I have been blogging the food constantly here,

Phil from the Grande theatre was the loveliest host as always, keeping matchums open for amy’s birthday, so nice, there was pizza and biscuits and all sorts.. it was so nice to see everyone too, relaxed and not running off to do a show..

Magic convention – by the 2^nd weekend it was apparent that the magicians were in town, there was a murmur during the week, the odd 3 piece satin suit in marks and spencer buying egg sandwiches, or the couple in their 60’s in very matching very bright outfits with hats casually strolling through town.. by the weekend there was no shyness, the cards were out and you couldn’t get through a bucket of chips without having to think of a card..

The Green Parrot – This was the highly anticipated opening that we were all waiting for. Amy had no doubt that it was going to be a total success ,but there was still an air of anticipation as to whether or not Betty Legs Diamond was going to give us all the splits, tricks and wigs that we were hoping for.

There was no dissapointment.

Screaming, yes. High leg kicks and back up dancers that made you want to take up tap dancing, yes. Lips that told 300 stories in the space of one song, of course. I was very happy about the hair, and the legs, geez. There was ample acrobatics too..

This year is Barnum’s 200^th anniversary, To celebrate, Professor Vanessa commissioned Mark Copeland from the Insect Circus to paint a series of Barnum paintings.

These were then turned into banners and hung around Olympia, seriously beautiful pieces that are now on display in Sheffield at the National Fairground Archive.

Vanessa, Robin, Mark and Sarah looked after Amy and I nearly every night as we crawled in the door greeted by this team, who always had a most delicious dinner waiting for us, which I would gratefully finish and then crawl back upstairs to sleep. There was many an apple pie, and many a good conversation. Chris and claire from the council worked round the clock, solving all sorts of problems even the small ones ie. me running out of carrots to slice on the sword ladder (thanks chris!) And when it all got too much, i could always be found here watching the lunchtime ballroom dancers go through there routines some with meticulous precision, others not so much so.. Showzam is the kind of festival I wish I could have as a job, nothing keeps me quite as entertained on every level.

Im sorry if i missed anyone out - there was too much going on to keep track of it all! I cant wait for next year and am hoping to make it back down for the illuminations and the world fireworks competition. Blackpool is the future.

2009 IS FINE

2009 was FINE

London.

Im looking out onto primrose hill, my gold leopard print nails are making me smile, eating another bowl of pear porridge. Winter is here, and for the first time ever I feel prepared.

Ive been rocking a lot of cashmere, primarily my Christopher Kane duo, thanks to alice encouraging me to invest in some proper warmth and after last weeks round of snow I have even purchased some all white snow worthy shoes. Im racing the clock to get this out before the new year, ( as you can see i didnt quite make it..) so here it is:

The year of La Clique - that flu, and flew.

I spent january at Sydney Festival with La Clique, a month of sun and fresh fruit, beach trips and barbeques, ive decided sydney isnt so bad after all! Freshly sand scrubbed and vitamin D rich, I headed back to the queens island to do my 3^rd Showzam! Festival in Blackpool.

This festival is fast becoming the highlight of my year, it coincides with the magic convention and is bigger by half every time I go. I hooped in the grande theatre for Amy’s night on a raked stage, always a bit weird hooping on an angle AND in heels.. did some work on marisa carnesky’s ghost train.. Performed at the carnival ball in the blackpool tower and yet again fell in love with this quality novelty sea side resort.

Straight after Blackpool I started performing at the beautiful and historic Hippodrome with La Clique. *favourite hippodrome fact: Michael Jackson did his first performance at the hippodrome when he was 8. wow. Sadly the hippodrome is currently being turned into an ugly casino – but it went out in style, after La Clique’s 9 month residency, which earned the show an Olivier award for best entertainment!!! Amazing!

I did 5 months of this season and lived in soho square all this time, taking walks in regents park! And every other fun place in town. By the end I was well acquainted with the local Italian deli (fresh ravioli) the Japanese supermarket (frozen steamed vegie dumplings – who would have thought) And the nut man in berwick market (choose your own adventure muesli) I also was a regular after work at maoz – makers of the best falafel I have found in this country and also the only makers of a proper hot chip in london – I think they call them European.. When the final glitter cannon had gone off a the hippodrome I flew to Melbourne for 6 weeks of respite, catch ups, mums cooking - and a new visa – my family is getting talllllll, koshin especially.. Then I had 5 days back in London to tape 60 new hoops for the Denmark/Dublin season with La Clique - eep! this was a real mission and a half.

Aarhus (its in Denmark – a short 35 minute flight from Copenhagen) was a whirl wind two weeks of cheese, salmon, smooth bike rides and shows. The Speigeltent was set up in the Tivoli which is a famous theme park – if you asked anyone where it was they could give you directions. This was such a pretty setting – it felt a little bit like living in a big childrens book, giant peddle swans, cartoon monkey’s hanging off the rides. Fairy floss and pretzels.. and for the Brave a 30 metre free fall into a big net. No thanks.. My favourite day I think was the day that we rode to the beach and then went swimming – so nice!!!

Dublin was less of a fairyland setting -but still super fun shows – we had a great Mexican party and I had a proper carvery lunch which was epic. I also went to a kite festival and watched lots of beautiful kites doing synchronised kite routines set to music. That was a great spectacle. We also met some lovely dancers from the pony step company and went out dancing lots with them. In between Denmark and Dublin, george and I found time to go and perform at the electric picnic festival for one night only I saw basement jaxx and they were TOPS!

I also went to Warsaw again to do a show for artur at club 55, Daniel haakman played and I hooped. These guys are legends and I hope I get to work with them again soon! So much fun and again – artur took me to the greatest places to eat! A lot of steak tartare and hands down the greatest donut I have ever eaten. I stayed an extra day so that I could have a good look around – I really like Poland.

When I came back to London Turkish hammam had opened just off kinglsand rd! this was great news and I have been taking all the local ladies there to get scrubbed.

then it was off to NYC with Jo Duck!

The weather mostly sucked – but we ticked off all our favourite places, lots of bennys’s and pancakes and iced coffee’s this was a great break and we ended up at tanya’s loft for the last two nights before heading back to London by which stage I was well and truly ill, according to my nice emergency ward doctor wearing a mask and gloves (no swine flu) I had a nose ear and throat infection – fun times, so then I worked on getting rid of that ( helped by two weekend retreats to paris to visit the La Clique team that are set up over there at the bobino, and also to dance with teki at baron and visit my dear duck, raphaelle) I took respite at marisa’s new house and also a visit to the insect circus house for serious calm time and a guy falkes night bonfire!!

Then I started La Clique at the roundhouse! The 8 week Christmas season ( 2 weeks to go!) and this season has had leopard print marawa plastered everywhere – there are marawa buses, marawa in the tube, marawa on billboards and my favourite marawa on a light strip in picadilly circus. Ridiculous! This was a new act too, so it was a lil nerve racking first few weeks. But its feeling pretty nice now.

Christmas was a real treat! We made a 2 day trip to paris where amy g impressed us all with her excellent hostess skills, making a real Christmas treat of the day!

look at that tree!! so cute! with popcorn and cranberry chains, oh amy, you are the stuff of dreams..xx

Highpoint of the year:

Donuts in Poland

Lowpoint of the year

Somali bombing

Things I forgot:

George chocolate teaching me how to shade my make up, urgh, the lessons continue, but im getting better.. (me and george)

I met mark ronson and he is the kind of man I would like to marry

MJMJMJMJMJ can you believe it.

I saw grace jones in Sydney, santigold everywhere, major lazer dancing in the streets, basement jaxx, Whitney Houston bringing it back, played drums for 5 minutes with zara and rena in a misfits cover band, got into UK funky house at WORK! heaven (migraine skank), CMJ in NYC, OXJAM, festivals, urgh, too many! so many great new sounds, steve shelley showed me a great app made by brian eno for your phone called bloom, and now I go to sleep at night with it. Download!

I Nice’d up the dance this year with these:

Switch! Jazmine Sullivan

Head, Shoulders, Kneez & K.I.G

Migraine Skank Gracious Napa man K

POP CHAMPAIGN ETHERBOY

Click mi fingers Erupt

Rice and Peas (feat. Mr Versatile) Skanky Skanky

Mary Jane Feat. Mr. evil & Mapei Major Lazer

Billion dollar bill Whitney Houston

The Man Who Sold the World Nirvana

Miss Fatty Million Stylez

Champion Buju Banton

Then I cooked and cleaned to:

Tom Traubert's Blues Tom Waits

(This one always makes me think of me ma)

marawaniac Gonzalez for marawa

Soul On Fire LaVern Baker

Never Can Say Goodbye Gloria Gaynor

World of Love Binky Griptite & the Dee-Kay's

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right Billy Paul

Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) Jay-Z

Copacabana Daniel haakman Man recordings

Estrellita Esquivel

Jungla Yma Sumac

These Arms of Mine Otis Redding

I'm A Lady Santogold

ill send you a cd if you send me your address..

Big discoveries of this year:

Bob bramson

Koringa

Lola falana

Minx nails

going (almost) Dairy free

and the most difficult thing - giving up black tea ( my skin my skin!) so now i drink alot of peppermint and fennel tea..

Christopher Kane Cashmere

Wamp

Ice skating disco with paulie

(Like a rollerdisco but on ice, complete with lights and smoke)

Photo booth in Poland

Rooftop park in NYC

The Marawa Food Blog is finally up and running, see what im eating, its always good.

but also:

My favourite meals of the nice 9:

lunch at the tower ballroom in blackpool, the cut the sandwiches into little triangles and put crisps and salad on the side for about 2 pounds.

Birthday high tea with alice and paulie at the wallace collection

a halloween high tea curated by ( how cool is that) the broken hearts including cupcakes that oozed tasty blood when you cut into them, and other spooky treats!

Vegan Ginger molasses biscuits that = a meal in brooklyn, i weighed about half a kilo but the ginger made it feel like a healthy thing..

salmon in aarhus. they didnt stop serving it and i didnt stop eating it..

steak tartare in poland. its really the only place in the world it should be eaten. prepared at your table.. my my..

everything my mum made for me when i was home. seriously under appreciated by the other members of the family, she should be consulting for some posh branch of hotels..

apple strudel at the russian tea rooms, dont stop till you get enough.

looking forward to a super busy 2010, i would like to do more dancing, i would like to take more tap lessons, learn more french, cook more, visit my mum, swim at the beach and study more about koringa and other ladies like her. hang out with wamp, do shows with the broken hearts and learn to use my new sewing machine.

I hope this interactive essay of sorts has left you rested and happy wherever you are,

marawa in londontown, xx