Merlesque Mermaids - Merlesque Mermaids Blog

Merlesque Mermaids Poetry Competition

30/3/2017

Tomorrow is Merfolk UK, the UK's first ever mermaid convention - and the Merlesque Mermaids will of course be performing our hilarious mermaid comedy cabaret act, plus running a stall where you can buy amazing handmade mermaid accessories. To celebrate the convention, Merlesque have also launched a poetry competition which is open to all merfolk from across the UK and beyond!

The only rule is that your poem must be mermaid-themed - it can be funny, happy, sad, a haiku, limerick or sonnet: the choice is yours... Entries must be in by midnight on Friday 7th April - you can submit your poem right here.

Our top three poems will be shared via the Merlesque Mermaids Facebook page, and our winner will receive two beautiful handmade Merlesque Mermaids seashell & seaweed hairclips, plus a handmade mermaid necklace. So better get writing!

5 Things You Never Knew About Life As A Professional Mermaid

18/3/2017

Being a professional mermaid sounds like a pretty awesome job. And it is! But most people only ever see the glamorous side of the profession – mermaids lounging in hot tubs and looking beautiful in underwater photographs. The magical mermaidens of Merlesque Mermaids UK have been performing across the UK since 2012 - and will be appearing at the Merfolk UK convention on March 31st with their killer mermaid cabaret act, to lift the lid on the secrets of mermaid life! Until then, here is our list of the top five things you never knew about life as a professional mermaid...

1. Mermaids burp. A lot.

Professional mermaids try to keep this secret under wraps, but the truth is, if you're repeatedly holding your breath, diving, and surfacing again (say, at an underwater photoshoot or performing in an aquarium), it makes you burp. It's not glamorous, but it's 100% true.

2. Mermaids have runny noses.

Continuing with the theme of 'being a professional mermaids is far more gross than you imagine': as well as being burp machines, our noses run all the time. Not only does chlorine from swimming pools irritate the nose and cause it to run, but when you're diving deep underwater, the water gets trapped in your sinuses – only to reappear at inopportune moments.

3. Mermaids have to deal with a tonne of personal questions.

If the audience is under the age of ten, they will be asking questions about how mermaids go to the toilet. Over that age? They'll be asking how mermaid babies get made...

4. Mermaids are crafty.

Since Merlesque Mermaids launched in 2012, the popularity of mermaiding in the UK has exploded. But even now there aren't that many companies based in the UK who sell mermaid tails and accessories. So most professional mermaids get pretty good at making their own!

5. Mermaids spend 90% of their time doing admin.

Performing in aquariums and at swanky parties is super glamorous. Unfortunately if you become a professional mermaid, 90% of your time will still be spent replying to emails, updating your website and social media, and doing minor costume repairs. And drinking herbal tea. We drink a lot of herbal tea.

Merlesque will be appearing at the Merfolk UK convention (follow the link for tickets!) on Friday 31st March 2017, so please pop along to our stall for a chat, a song, and to see our awesome collection of mermaid accessories for sale. In the meantime, find out more about Merlesque at our website www.realmermaids.co.uk or find us on Facebook or Twitter!

Magical Mermaid Cabaret Act

16/10/2016

Mermaid Ondine reports:
We've just had some great pictures back of our recent Merlesque mermaid cabaret performance at the amazing Honeysuckle Revue. Thanks to the very talented Pradeep Lawrence for the shots! We had a great time performing at the Revue alongside some amazing, creative and crazy acts - can't wait til it's back in Cambridge and London in the spring.

Merlesque Mermaids back in the news!

9/10/2016

Merlesque real mermaid performer Ondine at the Milton Country Park Autumn Festival by Cambridge News

Photo by The Cambridge News

Mermaid Melusine reports:

Merlesque have been back in the news- the Cambridge News has done a feature on the Milton Country Park Autumn Festival and you can see our very own Mermaid Ondine making an appearance. Ondine was at the festival meeting and greeting young mermaid fans and handing out mermaid stickers - she made lots of new friends and answered more than a few questions about life under the sea.

You may even have seen her being transported around the fair in a wheelbarrow - having no legs can be rather tricky in the human world! Ondine had a great time and we're hoping the Merlesque Mermaids will be back next year.

Merlesque real mermaid performer Ondine at the Milton Country Park Autumn Festival

Photo by Milton Country Park

Meet a Mermaid at Milton Country Park Autumn Festival!

22/9/2016

Mermaid Ondine reports:

The Merlesque Mermaids are excited to announce that Mermaid Ondine will be appearing at the Milton Country Park Autumn Festival, this Sunday 25th September.

Mermaid Ondine will be performing at the Festival between 11.30am and 1pm, so if you've got any little mermaid fans who'd love the chance to meet a real life mermaid, bring them along for a great photo opportunity! Plus we hear a rumour that there may be some free mermaid stickers being handed out as well...

Sea you there!

Mermaid Ondine x

Merlesque Mermaid Cabaret at the Honeysuckle Revue

3/9/2016

Mermaid Ondine reports:
Tickets are still available for the amazing Honeysuckle Revue tonight in Balham, London! The Merlesque Mermaids will be appearing with our hilarious musical comedy cabaret act, with songs about mermaid life in the human world, alongside a whole host of other incredible fairytale-themed performances. The Honeysuckle Revue has everything from incredible bellydancers through to wild burlesque and hilarious ukulele performance! Doors open at 7.30 with the show starting at 8pm. Tickets are cheaper if you buy in advance - get yours here now!

But don't worry too much if you can't make it tonight - we'll also be appearing in Cambridge on the 21st September.

Mermaid Ondine at the POPSY charity mermaid swim!

31/7/2016

Mermaid Melusine reports:
We love this beautiful photo-collage that was made by the POPSY charity in South Wales after Mermaid Ondine's recent appearance at their mermaid swim event! POPSY is a great charity which supports families whose youngsters are blind, have special needs or life limiting conditions. Mermaid Ondine had a wonderful time meeting and swimming with the POPSY families before joining them for a great party on dry land, featuring some truly amazing mermaid cupcakes! We're hoping to see more of the POPSY family soon.

Mermaid Cabaret Act at the Willow Tree, Bourn

5/3/2016

Mermaid Ondine reports:
On the 21st February, the Merlesque Mermaids were part of the fabulous Valentine's-themed Night Circus event at the Willow Tree restaurant in Bourn. It's a great restaurant, and a beautiful setting for an evening of fab food and live entertainment. Myself and Mermaid Melusine started the evening greeting the guests as they arrived and handing out cocktails (or mocktails for those who won't drink!) - pomegranate, prosecco and popping candy, they sounded delicious! We were joined by the musical stylings of Below the String, in the form of two very adorable cherubs with glowing costumes! Then we moved on to the cabaret show...

As you can see from the pictures, Mermaid Melusine was debuting a brand new green tail and matching green-and-gold shell top, meaning that our cabaret costumes are now more co-ordinated than ever! As the guests finished up their starters, we moved on to our Valentine's-themed musical comedy act, including some saucy details about romance under the sea, and a couple of our favourite mermaid cabaret songs. It went down a treat with the audience, and hopefully we have managed to capture the set on film as well, so keep an eye on our YouTube channel for further developments!

We had a wonderful time at the Willow Tree, and hopefully we will be returning there later on this year for more mermaid fun!

Merlesque Mermaids in Get Reading News!

1/2/2016

Mermaid Melusine reports:

Just a quick note to say that Merlesque have appeared in Get Reading News following our recent appearance at Coral Reef World's VIP Pool Party! You can check out the story (and see the very adorable photo of us with the prize winners and Mayor) if you click on this link.

Mermaids at Coral Reef World, Bracknell

17/1/2016

Mermaid Ondine reports:
Last weekend, Merlesque mermaids Melusine and Ondine were off to the amazing Coral Reef Waterworld, in Bracknell. Coral Reef is undergoing a year-long refurbishment and re-opening in 2017, so they held a VIP pool party for more than 300 guests (lucky winners of a prize draw!) to thank them for their support and give Coral Reef a good send-off!

Coral Reef is an amazing facility, featuring a full-size pirate ship (captained by Pirate Pete, who you can see in the pictures!) and flumes - plus for the VIP party, there were real life mermaids (of course), a DJ set, and even a balloon drop. We had a wonderful time and the lovely staff did a great job of looking after us - it didn't hurt that we got to commandeer Sauna World as our changing room, complete with heated sun loungers and saunas - and as you can see from the photos, we even met the Mayor! Hopefully we'll be returning to this fantastic water park when it opens again in 2017...