Dickens Fair - Report by Le Flatline - The Report in Full

Since you would have to join Cancan Dancing to see the link I mentioned in the previous post, I am re-posting Le Flatline's report in full below:

"Dickens Fair 2012 - A Report from Front Row Center

What a difference a year makes.

Twelve months ago, I remember approaching Vaudie Va-boom (who was warmimg up
near the Mad Sal's stage) with all the nervous trepidation of a teenager
backstage at a Justin Bieber concert. A year later - following my last-minute
brainstorm of next-day photo packets, plus lots of Facebook interactions - I
literally returned "the conquering hero," and had one of the best times of my
life. Ironically, Vaudie herself was AWOL (to concentrate on her own
Can-Cannibals troupe), and while she was certainly missed, her absence didn't
ruin the weekend.

But I get ahead of myself...

This year, instead of taking the red-eye out of Newark on Saturday morning and
doing nothing but Dickens, I flew out two days early to settle in and spend all
of Friday doing more "touristy" activities. Since the weather in Frisco the
entire weekend was damp and in the low 50's, that meant a lot of indoor stuff: a
walk through an aquarium at Fisherman's Wharf (I didn't know SF had an AMAZING
assortment of jellyfish in its waters!), then a visit to their own Museum of
Modern Art. Come dinnertime, I faced a dilemma: did I want to settle for the
Denny's by SFO, or settle for the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. back at the Wharf?
Luckily, I remembered that Bonnie Rose Parent of Le Cancan Bijou (and, briefly,
the Can-Cannibals) tended bar at a neighborhood drinkery in the Mission
District. One quick drive up 101 later (including a detour through some of San
Fran's infamous steep streets - which reminded me why I don't like roller
coasters...), I was parked on a barstool at Asiento (http://asientosf.com),
enjoying not only Bonnie's hospitality, but the bar's hipster/collegiate
atmosphere, some nice local craft beer, tapas, and Ms. Parent's own original
artwork on the walls.

On to the Fair!

This year, Le Cancan Bijou had expanded their schedule, adding two daily shows
with the Royal English Opera as well as their thrice-daily showcases at Mad
Sal's. Even with the knowledge that I'd have to literally run the length and
breadth of the Cow Palace several times each day, I'd also vowed to photograph
more of the Fair proper.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8289616565/in/set-72157632288848229/ligh\
tbox/

But my first stop, of course, was Sal's - and walked into a very nice
"welcome-back" hug from Jasmine D. Light, one of last year's LCCB standouts.
Nice. How could my day get any better?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8289827003/in/set-72157632288848229/ligh\
tbox/

Well, it did. Meet Lindsay Geektron Nerdson - whom I'd been Facebook'ing with
for the past year, and (if you haven't guessed by now just from her name) loves
all things geek-culture: video games, cosplay, science and science fiction. Got
a HUGE hug from her, and that was even before I presented her with a present: a
stuffed T-Rex (she's also mad for dinosaurs).

And let's not forget the other lovely ladies of LCCB...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8289772335/in/set-72157632288848229/ligh\
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Bonnie Rose Parent, my aforementioned "hostess with the mostest."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8288715875/in/set-72157632286692761/ligh\
tbox/

Stefanie Pelletier, who worked both the Mad Sal and Victoria & Albert Music hall
stages the entire weekend. ("Iron Woman," anyone?)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8290679664/in/set-72157632288848229/ligh\
tbox/

Elizabeth Rislove Etler, still the perky ingenue.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8288903243/in/set-72157632286692761/ligh\
tbox/

Jessie Potter a new (to me) face, not only survived a tumble on the V&A's uneven
stage during a dual port d'armes, but left the following comment on the above
photo: "In my eight years of dancing cancan, this is the FIRST picture of me
ever from this angle during a kick line. Thank you!"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8289989040/in/set-72157632286692761/ligh\
tbox/

Lace H. Window, she of the manic grin and mile-high kicks.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8289723905/in/set-72157632288848229/ligh\
tbox/

Barbara Pond. When she smiles, it's no exaggeration to say that the entire Cow
Palace lights up!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8288816299/in/set-72157632286692761/ligh\
tbox/

Now HERE was a pleasant surprise. Terry Downward (aka Mad Sal's spoilt-brat
Miss Kitty Purrswell, she of the "Bow-Wow Song" earworm), was another absentee
this year. Replacing her was Sarah Meals as "Winnie Woopsie-Tappertit" - no, I
am NOT making this up! - who was well-versed enough in English music-hall
entertainment to roll out her very own cancan on "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8289794611/in/set-72157632288848229/ligh\
tbox/

Bonnie and Molly, the "Flying Morgan Sisters," not only stole the show once
again during the Sunday night "blowout" at Mad Sal's with their
nigh-indescribable burlesque/contortion/acrobatics act, but staged an impromptu
photo op beforehand by squeezing into an antique chest.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/8290760706/in/set-72157632288848229/ligh\
tbox/

This little stunner is FrancEs LopEz (sic), who played Bet the pickpocket in the
Oliver Twist reenactments. Call her this year's Dickens Fair discovery.

Final notes: Chris Cochems, who served as my photographic tour-guide/wingman
last year, was another no-show. (He did, however, leave me a VERY nice message
after I began posting stuff on Facebook: "Best stuff I've seen from this year so
far.") As a counterpoint, during the final Mad Sal's show, I found myself
sitting in a virtual "press box" in the front row with two other photographers -
one of whom was (drum roll, please!) Raymond Van Tassel, the once and future
dean of Dickens Fair photography, and you couldn't ask for a more gracious and
self-effacing gentleman.

So as you can tell, I had a FANTASTIC time. The full galleries from both days
(more than two THOUSAND shots worth!) can be seen here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/sets/72157632286692761/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stiffshots/sets/72157632288848229/

Le Flatline
(already building up my frequent-flyer miles for Dickens 2013...)"