My 1st public Shibari performance - goes off! ;)

Rigging by Mistress Tokyo for Matt Bylett show, Lunamorph 2010

Hi A/all!

Weeks ago the fantastic Matt Bylett from Matt Bylett Designs asked Me to be in his show for the Sydney Fringe Festival's "Lunamorph" at the Enmore Theatre. "Lunamorph" is an annual alternative fetish and gothic fashion show for local Sydney designers - of whom Matt is one.

Check his own latex fetish fashion website here...

Matt Bylett Designs

He asked Me to model his unique latex creations but... to also SUSPEND IN BONDAGE OFF THE STAGE RIGGING A PERSON WEARING ONE OF HIS DESIGNS - an amazing inflatable mermaid costume! Wow!

After thinking about it, I declined the offer to model so I could focus on hanging this amazing mermaid person in the sky! I love suspension bondage - but I know very well the issues of safety and comfort for the submissive - it's paramount!

So, working with the really co-operative riggers at the Enmore Theatre, I was able to suspend My friend Burlesque fetish performer Audrey off the rig really high up - 4m in the air! She was tied in a standing position with arms free but under the mermaid tail were a sequence of ropes at knees and thighs to keep her up and stable...

Rigging by Mistress Tokyo for Matt Bylett show, Lunamorph 2010

I used black 6mm and 7mm hemp for the lines and scarlet 6mm hemp for the body harness. I didn't follow anyone else's pattern; I just made it up after a couple of run throughs, made sure Audrey was comfortable and then just made the whole tie as stable as possible. The most stressful thing was having to tie her legs and the suspension lines behind the stage screen while other performances were going on - in the dark!!! Oh, that and the fact she was so damn high that if anything went wrong it could REALLY go wrong!

Rigging by Mistress Tokyo for Matt Bylett show, Lunamorph 2010I think it looked fantastic! I was really proud as, apart from doing a show with Matt Bylett who is an amazing artist, I did My very first public Shibari performance! I do this sort of tying nearly every day in My sessions but it's different to have to produce an aesthetic and safe tie on demand under really trying circumstances.

There are also painfully few FEMALE Shibari riggers performing around the world. In fact, I can only think of one woman doing this style of show on a regular basis and that is the fantastic Satomi Tokyo Love Doll, from whom I've learnt A LOT of My rope skills. さとみさん、どうもありがとうございました！:)

Suspended... 4m in the air? WOW!

Be shiny and, if you can't be shiny - be ropey!

MT