The Atrium is ordinarily the impressive entrance to Manchester Art Gallery from the Princess Street side but it doubles up perfectly as a performance venue with sumptuous surroundings, impressive flights of stairs and a glittering performance space installed between subtly lit round tables. In short, an ideal setting for a cabaret show. The event on Saturday was well suited to the venue being an interesting blend of singing, poetry and burlesque.
The three constituent elements of the show each had considerable variety, crossing various genres. The common elements were not just that all the performers were women but each part given a distinctive female perspective. This related to variations in both moods and themes, necessitating a host to bind everything together. Jas Nisic was not just the compere but also one of the performers that worked well in giving the show an air of inclusivity. Her vibrant introduction to the evening, enhanced by a powerful singing voice, provided an enticing entre for what was to come.
The two accomplished singers on the night were markedly different in style. Jas Nisic gave a jazz take to Broadway musicals combined with a couple of soulful self-penned tracks sung to clear acoustic guitar chords. Her raunchy voice matched with a showgirl outfit, Nisic opened up the evening with style and charisma. Yemi Bolatiwa in sharp contrast essentially sung '70’s disco favourites but her opening cover of Blondie’s ‘Heart Of Glass’ showed her versatility, each of her songs delivered with conviction and panache, appropriately echoed with a sophisticated outfit.
There was no less variety in the poetry. Anna Nixon’s sassy appearance hinted at what was to come with her funny and edgy take on parties and relationships. Mary Lou gave a powerful rendition of some of her own works, blending comedy with reality. The spoken word took a slightly darker mood with Gemma Lee’s offerings. Selina Helliwell gave some very personal renditions, presented in person aside from her burlesque alter ego. A very varied collection of poems with contrasting modes of delivery, giving a range of female perspectives of life and love.
The promotional images suggested an evening based around burlesque but this was just an even third of the night's entertainment, although certainly the visual showpiece. Temptress La Tease gave a very dynamic, in-yer-face take on the genre, full-bodied and full of vitality. By way of alternative, Suzie Sequin show a delicate subtlety to the genre, supplemented by oriental-style fans and silk banners, at times seeming as much ballet as burlesque. In further contrast, Ember Travixen combined glamour and seduction with an Arabian Nights presentation followed later by a temptress in scarlet. In each case, the music was carefully chosen to set the mood and these three very different artists showed how burlesque is very much an art form in its own right, which (in contrast to a stripper performing in a steamy back-room bar) is empowering for all women, without the constraints of a particular body shape or look.
This was a thoughtfully constructed evening that sought to combine burlesque with other art forms; taking the audience into different emotions as mood shifted between light and dark, comedic and serious, frivolous and emotive. This was a revue show, with a rich variety of genres and moods, reflecting the very essence of the environment in which it took place; an art gallery housing an eclectic mix of colours, styles and emotions. This was a feminist event in the best sense of the word, not being reactionary or defensive but boldly and assertively presenting womanhood in ways that were variously thoughtful, vulnerable, playful or seductive.
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