This show has
lots of variety of acts and is a true cabaret experience with singing, dancing,
burlesque all interspersed with circus type acts such as fire breathing and unicycling. This show is a whirlwind of sparkling costume changes and/or a
lack of costumes! Costumes with feathers, sequins, tassels
everywhere. Our compere for the evening was Ivy Paige, chanteuse, and all-round
entertainer, she got the audience involved right from the start. Ivy is
usually accompanied onstage by the scintillating and suggestive Lashielas show
girls. The Lasheilas are four very gorgeous and curvaceous dancing girls
wearing the bare minimum of sparkles. They make several appearances throughout
the night, on their own or with the other acts. The show has three amazing
women as the stars; the effervescent Isabella Bliss who also doubles as a
Marilyn Monroe, with a stunning body and the wonderful Belle de Beauvoir, both
delivering dazzling performances in little more than a flick of a tassel. It
makes drinking champagne take on a different meaning altogether. Velvet Jones,
I think is definitely more of a Velvet Goldmine, and when you see the booty
rumble before your eyes you expect the gold to explode. Boy, did she know how
to shake it!
The
Burlesque stars continued the time-aged tradition of the slow sensual removal of
long gloves (even by the men!). Yes, we had Sylvester Angelique taking his
clothes off too. Sylvester also doubled as the fire-breathing circus act in
Part two, accompanied by one of my favourite tracks – 'Fire', by Kasabian. Christian
Lee was our magician, you may recognise the name as he has appeared on
Britain’s Got Talent, he was very funny. Christian is now touring with 'An
Evening Of Burlesque', and the ensemble work well together. Matt Pang was really
amusing as the general stage dogsbody and unicyclist, and I must not forget to
mention Saucy Davis Junior the Las Vegas singer and tap dancer. He is the
epitome of cool and hilarious with it. He got a big applause at the end.
There is plenty
of audience participation throughout. The audience is encouraged to whoop and cheer
to show their appreciation of the acts with full on cat-calling to get our
stars to remove individual items of clothing. If you go along to one of
the performances and are sitting near the front be prepared, as you could be on
the stage. Many members of the audience had dressed in sparkles to fully immerse
themselves in the experience.
Ivy Paige
belted out a few favourites such as 'Fever', 'Big Spender', and 'Tainted Love'.
Other tracks played were 'Fire' by Kasabian (which is always on my playlists),
Annie Lennox and a cover version of Kate Bush’s 'Running Up That Hill', to name
but a few.
It was lovely
to see some of the burlesque acts out front in the foyer greeting the audience
as they arrived through the doors at the Adelphi and were more than willing to
have their photos taken. I enjoyed
the second part much better than the first and felt that the show was not quite
a big enough production for a West End Theatre such as the Adelphi. I can see
it doing fantastically as it tours round the local theatres, where even more
enthusiasm can be mustered by the ‘out of towners.’
Reviewer - Penny Curran
on - 10.10.23
It’s Sebastian Angelique, not Sylvester…
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