Christened Michelle Louise Andrew`-‘Sheli’ to family and friends, Amber Topaz is known by many labels such as the ‘Burlesque Supernova’ and the ‘Original Yorkshire Tease’. Blessed with a natural singing voice, she studied at the London Studio Centre before appearing in a number of West End musicals, including Les Miserables. But the inconsistency of work lead her to develop new opportunities with her songwriting and comedy skills.

While modelling, a photograper, who incidently gave her the stagename, suggested trying burlesque to utilize all her talents. She learnt by ‘osmosis’ she said and for a laugh auditioned for the Whoopee Club in front of a live audience at the infamous Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club in 2005. She was an instant hit and immediately signed up with their agents. GQ magazine described her as “an explosion of charisma and stage presence unmatched. Between music and songs. Comedy and seduction.” Recently she starred in Miss Nightengale – A Burlesque Musical, playing Maggie, a northern lass who becomes a burlesque dancer in war-torn 1940’s London.

Amber was at the Leicester Square Theatre last week, performing her show Storm In a D Cup so I popped along with the intention of leaving this sketch at the stagedoor for her to sign.  But as good fortune would have it she was doing a photo-shoot outside the theatre which is on a busy corridor between the Square and China Town – home of the good fortune cookie. Needless to say it attracted a… shall we say… person of the perverted persuasion, who lingered back and forth. Added to that I turn up with a drawing, stalking for it to be ‘graphed. This turned out to be a welcome relief for both Amber and her photographer who even took a pic of us together with the drawing.