Welcome to Extant
Burlesque and the BIT Festival
Extant is currently creating a full length show based on an initial 6 day research and development project into burlesque, comedy and visual impairment.
Amelia Cavallo wins the 'Best Female Performer' category at the Erotic Awards!
On 30 April 2010 Amelia won the Erotic awards best female performer category at the ‘Night of the Senses’ organised by ‘The Outsiders’ in London.
Amelia performed an act that Extant developed with her, through our burlesque work in progress.
Amelia performed beside men and women who work on the erotic cabaret circuit which should have put her to a disadvantage. However, there was something compelling and "less is more" about her act which seemed to come from an inner belief in her own sexuality plus a quality of professionalism which none of the others lived up to.Tuppy Owens, The Erotic Awards
I am pleasantly surprised and honoured to receive the award and I also hope that this is a sign of things to come for extant's burlesque project and that the piece will continue to change and grow.Amelia Cavallo
Show Girl
In ‘Show Girl’, which was presented in 2007 at the Cochran Theatre to an invited audience, Extant worked with burlesque artist Genevieve Chang and director Alex Bulmer beginning to explore some central dynamics in this area.
Outsiders 30th anniversary
Recently Extant was invited to present a piece for the Outsiders 30th anniversary, so revived some of our research project and refreshed it with some new twists.
The biggest alteration was inviting Billy Drag (AKA Billy Baxter) to MC the showcase performance. Extant had not worked with Billy as yet and had only heard of his blind stunt riding and his wish to learn more about drama, but when he revealed his love of drag, we had to work him into the showcase!
Billy was a natural and so we naturally had to invite him to come with us to Zagreb where we were due to present the Burlesque showcase next!
Blind In Theatre 6th International Festival 1-7 Oct 2009.
Extant was given an award at this year’s festival by the organisers, New Life, who celebrate their 60th year as a company of visually impaired performers. The award recognised Extant’s veteran status at the festival, it being the 6th year of our attendance. This time we took our Burlesque showcase performance featuring Amelia Cavallo, Heather Gilmore and Billy Baxter.
Billy worked the audience as only a real pantomime dame can, managing to make a language lesson among the several nationalities in the audience turn into a right raunchy affair…! While Amelia and Heather brought the emphasis back to the questions at the heart of the work.
Photographs by Ashley. www.savageskin.co.uk
More information:
Extant is supported by: Arts Council England