Burlesque performers and performance artists have some of the best stage
names, some created by them and some bestowed upon them.

We thought of asking some of our favourite burlesque and performance artists
to tell us a little bit about their stage names and how they got them and their
stories are absolutely fantastic!

Meet the fabulous troupe:

Bettsie Bon Bon

I got into burlesque by auditioning for Hurly Burly, a friend had also auditioned and suggested I might like it. originally it was for backing dancers that didnt do striptease. Being comfortable with being sexy in a corset and with an increasing fascination with the 1940/50s I decided to give it a go! I was very lucky it was at the begining of the project as I was doing Hip Hop to keep fit and had not had the training a lot of the other girls had! Spending 3 years with them and finding the beauty of nipple tassels cemented my love for the art of burlesque, and nearly five years later here I still am!

My name Bettsie Bon Bon comes from the mere fact my first act was with sweets and I love the old fashioned name of sweets. I also am a big fan of alliteration and Bettsie rolls of the tongue nicely!! I have always loved the sound of old fashioned names. As I have developed as a performer and a person, I have discovered the double meaning of bonbons to my rather fantastic ‘assets!’

Bunny Galore

My first appearance onstage was in pantomime I sprang out of an egg dressed as a chicken,
however the rest of the performance was cancel due to an air raid!

My first burlesque performance was by accident during a run at the shaftsbury theatre of
“Oops! There goes my Artichoke!” My nightie got stuck in a door when Windsor Davis
slammed it too hard! We kept it in for the rest of the run!!!

Well my stage name was given to me by Rank Studios for my first movie “The Girl with
a little bit Extra” (1947), They ran a competition in The Stage to name their newest starlet,
thankfully they chose that one! some of the rejects were dreadful Judy Dench got stuck
with one of them bless her, such a trouper!

Ruby Deshabille

I started burlesque as a more audience-interactive, creative and inspirational theatrical outlet at the end of my acting degree. I think the beauty of burlesque is that the satire element is still very apparent and you can see the performer behind the performance; highlighting the artifice is key. Ruby is a personal name to me; my father called me Roo (from Winnie the Pooh) as a child and from that my friends called me Ruby and it stuck. Deshabille is French for ‘the state of being partially or carelessly undressed’. So there is a clue to my vocation in the name!

Anna Furlaxis

I have a bit of a medical terminology fetish – so my name was always going to be something medical!

Lady Alex

My burlesque name was actually a nick name I’d had for the past 15 years. It dates back to my previous incarnation as an actor. I was cast in a show with three other Alex’s. Things were getting confusing so as I was the only girl, I was christened Lady Alex and it stuck. All the people I worked with then continued to call me Lady Alex and the nick name spread to other friends and colleagues.

Weirdly when I started another job years later – where no one knew my nick name – they all just naturally decided to call me Lady Alex with no prompting from me. Apparently this is because I handle all situations with aplomb even drunken nights out….!

Now I am officially a Lady as one of the Wam Bam family brought me a minute patch of land in the Scottish highlands. Probably enough land to place one stilettoed heel. But by being a land owner in Scotland it officially makes your a Laird which is Scottish for Lady. So I have a certificate on my wall to prove I am entitled to the title Lady Alex.

Count Adriano Fetuccini

I was playing in a comedy band and one of my skirts was stripping on a unicycle during a song. I thought I’d try it out on it’s own and after a few shows stumbled into the world of burlesque. My name? I was going to se my friends The Bobby Mcgees and was informed by Mr Jimmy Mcgee that I was on the guestlist as Count Adriano Fettucini de Bombast. I liked it!! (later, after sitting in with them, Thame of Sussex was added!!)

Scales Of The Unexpected

Scales of the Unexpected met at the Bananarama Academy of Literal Choreography which
is where we learned our signature dance moves. Our name is a homage to the fantastic
TV mystery show, Tales of the Unexpected. We like to think that Scales can entertain
and surprise an audience just like the show did… only with more comedy singing!

Aren’t they fabulous? Come and see the brilliantly named barbershop trio – Scales of the
Unexpected, our lovely first lady of cabaret Lady Alex and the fabulous Bunny Galore this Saturday at the Wam Bam Club!

If you are a burlesque star, a comedian or a performance artist share the story
behind your name with us? We’d love to hear it! And if you are stuck for ideas
for a fabulous burlesque name there is always the good ol’ Burlesque Names
Generator which comes up with some of the most hilarious -as well as rather
glamorous- suggestions.

Now here is some of the real burlesque, comedy and magic of last Saturday,
live from London’s own Moulin Rouge, the Wam Bam Club at Cafe de Paris!

Come and see us sometime!

xoxo
Nonita