Are we bikini body ready? House of Burlesque’s brand-spanking new show, Straight Up, delights the liquor lovers in the audience by taking us of a sensual journey of seduction via our favourite alcoholic beverages.
The show begins in darkness with four dancers in black suits adorned with neon piping parading around the stage, dazzling with their impressive stunts and limberness. The opening number is followed by Tempest Rose who serenades the audience with a seductive song, echoing old-school burlesque glamour. The show is both a homage to great burlesque of the past and a flirtation with all it can achieve in the modern sense. The phrase ‘bikini body ready’ is projected on an A3 poster to the audience, celebrating the female body in whatever shape or size.
There are moments pulled from Sex and the City: a hangover from hell, a smoke machine gone wrong, to a treasure trove of others. It’s a fantastic first foray into burlesque that will suit any punter.
The performances are energetic, impressive, and, oddly, rather humorous. The performers show a great sense of fun with their acts, including a moment where a performer, dressed like a Disney princess, performs with a perverted puppet on her hand. The scene has great success and sets the show apart as being one that celebrates all forms of female identity.
The show celebrates women; by putting themselves on show they are shinning a spotlight on their bodies in all their glory. It feels less of a tantalising exercise to entice men and more of a platform for women to feel great about themselves.
The cast ask that the audience is amped for each performance and it’s a show, which benefits from having an exciting enthusiastic crowd. Giving the scene at Southbank during the Udderbelly Festival and the Love Festival within the Southbank Centre, it won’t be hard for them to draw a supportive, excited audience.
House of Burlesque: Straight Up is playing at the Southbank Centre until 24 September. For tickets and more information, see the Southbank Centre website.