Burlesque is everywhere in London right now - you'd be
hard-pressed to walk down a West End street without passing some
joint that's hosting a bevy of beauties all ready to strip to their
pasties seven nights a week.
But the burlesque boom owes everything to a handful of star
performers, whose talent and track record as adult entertainers
puts them at the top of the game.
Cabaret New Burlesque, playing tonight and tomorrow at the
Charing Cross Theatre, opposite Heaven in London's West End,
features several such world-class stars in their six-strong
roster.
Fresh from a stint in France, this all-American line-up strut
their stuff with confidence, skill and a hefty helping of
ooh-la-la!
DIVA thrilled to Miss Dirty Martini's super-grand curves,
perfect timing and rock and roll edge - her notorious "Patriot Act"
being a well-judged blend of traditional burlesque routine and
critical, political performance art.
American icons also got a rough ride from male turn Roky
Roulette, with his riotous send-ups of Colonel Sanders (inventor of
KFC) and the mythical cowboy - complete with pogo-pony, in a
health-and-safety defying performance that had the front rows
diving for cover.
Known all over the world for her hypnotic and beautiful balloon
act, Julie Atlas Muz (pictured) also demonstrated hilarious comic
timing in her darkly funny first turn (shades of the Addams
Family), whilst baby of the troupe Evie Lovell's old-school glamour
was elegant and seductive.
Hailed in France as the punk Marilyn, Mimi Le Meaux treated us
to a fabulous display of bump and grind, and the whole show was
held together by the saucy musings and tuneful stylings of creator
and emcee, Kitten on the Keys.
We spotted a fair few Sapphic sisters in the female-dominated
audience, and it's not surprising because burlesque is really all
about women when it comes down to it.
My advice? Get yourself down there as soon as you can and get
ready to whoop, because like they say on the stage, "The more you
cheer, the more naked we get!"
Showing: tonight and tomorrow (Wed 12/Thurs 13 Oct)
at 10pm.
Book your tickets here!
