Very Special Recap

•02/08/2011 • 1 Comment

Miss Kitty Baby paired up with Polly Wood's reading.

Friday night’s Very Special Feelings show lived up to its name; the “Salon of Shame” style mix of burlesque and personal memorabilia from Sinner Saint Burlesque and friends was a big hit, and very…intimate.

Photographer POC Photo was in attendance, and graciously shared photos and his thoughts on the performances:

“Last year a few of Sinner Saint ladies read some of their journals, diaries, poems, etc. in between burlesque acts in their show Private Parts. It was quite entertaining. This year they did one better with Very Special Feelings, a benefit fundraiser to help them get to London. This time the Sinner Saint ladies read from their personal writings of the past while paired up with another performer in an interpretive burlesque dance to the reading.

There were also special guests including Heidi Von Haught, Belle Cozette, Miss Kitty Baby, The Luminous Pariah, Trojan Original and Paris Original, who either read their own writings or performed- or both. It was hosted wonderfully by Diva le Déviant. The show was thoroughly enjoyable, funny and sexy…very sexy.”

Very Special Host: Diva le Déviant

“Some highlights of the evening included Lady Ta-Tas, who read from her gratitude journal while Doña Dei Cuori responded amusingly (and seductively) to Ta-Ta’s real & imagined outrageous things that a 13 year old would be purposely grateful for if she found out her mother had been reading her journal.”

Lady Ta-Tas

Doritos!

“Evilyn Sin Claire read her poem “Sugar Starch” (which she wrote in 9th grade) like a poetry slam pro, as Belle Cozette stripped out of her dress. The Luminous Pariah read his composition about hot go-go boys on the dance box while brothers Trojan Original and Paris Original wowed the crowd with their graceful and powerful dance.”

Belle Cozette @ Very Special Feelings

The Luminous Pariah paired up with Paris and Trojan Original.

Paris and Trojan Original

Heidi Von Haught teamed up with Jesse Belle-Jones

Jesse Belle-Jones, resplendent as always.

-Recap commentary and photos by Paul O’Connell, POC Photo.

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Violent Femme: Goodbye Tura Satana

•02/06/2011 • Leave a Comment

As you may have heard, notorious bad girl Tura Satana died yesterday at age 72 in Reno, reportedly of heart failure. Satana’s 1965 role in Russ Meyer’s Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! was a classic (and sincere) portrayal of a smoking hot unhinged lady you wouldn’t want to cross- particularly since Satana did all her own fight scenes with wild abandon. It’s rumored in her burlesque and stripping days she was a bit of a hellion as well, often fighting with other dancers. In 1973 the tough-as-nails Satana survived a gunshot wound to the stomach (supposedly by a lover, but I’ve read also it was a random drug addict when she was in nursing school); in 1981 she was hit by a speeding car, none of which broke her will to kick ass. Another random fact: Satana once turned down a marriage proposal by Elvis Presley. Perhaps that’s why Priscilla’s makeup took a turn for the dark and devious Tura Satana for a while there…

Here’s some classic images of Tura Satana, voraciously living life:

Tura Satana 1938-2011

I love photos of hungry ladies.

Dangerous!

From Tura's Satana's burlesque days.

Tura Satana portrayal by the artist Shag.

Lovely.

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Pinch Me.

•02/03/2011 • 1 Comment

Very Special Feelings: a very special benefit.

With what might be one of the most aggressive and appropriate names for a production this week, Sinner Saint’s new run- Forces of Nature– cuts a proverbial swath tonight at Noc Noc. Tomorrow you can see a softer side of the ladies as they read from their journals while improvisationally stripping to make a buck. Very Special Feelings is a fundraising show to help the Seattle burlesque troupe make it to London in March, where they have been invited for a two week residency to accompany photographer Greg Holloway’s photo exhibit.

A few weeks ago, Belle Cozette told me she was inspired by the recent appearance of legends Joan Arline and Dixie Evans at the Gypsy Rose Lee Centennial show (see my review HERE as well as Dixie Evans & Joan Arline interviews soon to be published on BSP). As a result, we can expect to see her performing much more this year- in addition to reading at Very Special Feelings, she’ll also be reading in nothing but her beautiful skin at Naked Girls Reading’s Love Stinks! this Sunday at West Hall. Click HERE for tickets.

Belle Cozette says she'll perform more in 2011. Hip hip HOORAY!

And speaking of Gypsy Rose Lee…everyone’s talking about Karen Abbott’s new book, American Rose. Karen Abbott herself will be speaking about the complex icon and her excellent biography tonight at Elliott Bay Books. Tomorrow the book tour takes Ms. Abbott to our sister city, Portland- hot on the heels of the Mercury’s just published review penned by Burlesque Seattle Press contributing author & burlesque entrepreneur Rayleen Courtney. Check out Rayleen’s fab review HERE.

Today’s bonus photo: an Associated Press photo of Gypsy Rose Lee’s “Eclipse of the Sun” number that struck me as a possible prototype for Julie Atlas Muz’s “Waiting for the Sun” act. If you haven’t seen it, Julie is arresting and in your face as usual; her costume looks a little like the photo below- only bigger and more amazingly gaudy and elaborate.

Gypsy Eclipse of the Sun (AP Photo)

So much to do this weekend, so little time. Pick something, pick anything, and warm up with some burlesque this weekend. – J.Price

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J’Adore!

•01/30/2011 • 3 Comments

J'Adore! returns to The Triple Door

The Atomic Bombshells celebrate the third year of Valentine’s spectacular J’Adore! at the Triple Door February 12-13. In what is arguably their best production, The Bombshells ruminate on the many forms of love in roughly a dozen imaginative numbers. The bizarre signature act features a couple of cherubs in their skivvies poking at Honey D. Luxe (aka fashion designer J.Von Stratton) who is barely visible in a monstrous balloon ensemble which converts to an amazing sweetheart of a dress.

Incidentally, Honey- who performs as Lucky Penny outside the Bombshells- is in Finland this week guesting in the Helsinki Burlesque Festival. In addition to the prerequisite workshops and a special viewing of award-winning film Tournée, the roll call of festival performers and speakers is impressive in itself:

– Princess Farhana of Hollywood ( US)
– Kitten on The Keys (US)
– Mimi Le Meaux (US)
– Alotta Boutte (US)
– Trixie Little and The Evil Hate Monkey (US)
– Miss Astrid (US)
– Lucky Penny (US)
– Cherry Typhoon (JPN)
– Velma Voluptuous (SE)
– Virginia Valentine (SE)
– AlexiXXX Carpentieri (SE)
– Hell Monty (FIN)
– The Itty-Bitty Tease Cabaret (FIN)
– Loulou D’vil (FIN)
– Welma Jackpot (FIN)
– The Silk Sisters (FIN)
– Kiki Hawaiji (FIN)
– Bettie Blackheart (FIN)

How is it the US can be the burlesque capital of the world and we still can’t get a domestic release of Tournée? I’m crippled by jealousy. However, we do have J’Adore!, which might be the hottest ticket for a Valentine’s date in existence. Feast your eyes on these photos from previous years…

Honey D. Luxe in the mother of modern balloon dances.

Miss Indigo Blue lusts for biscotti

The divine Lily Verlaine

Ben DeLaCreme's take on "Sugartown"

WHAT: The Atomic Bombshells present : J’ADORE! A Burlesque Valentine

WHERE: The Triple Door, 216 Union, Downtown Seattle

WHEN: February 12th and 13th, 7pm(17+) and 10pm(21+). Special Guest Star BEN DELACREME on Feb 13th!

TICKETS: www.thetripledoor.net or call 206-838-4333

PRICE: $22adv/$25dos; SPECIAL LATE NIGHT RATE FOR SUNDAY 10pm SHOW! $15adv/$18dos

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Seattle Woman, A call for brave men.

•01/27/2011 • Leave a Comment

Polly Wood, Seattle Woman covergirl (photo by Greg Holloway)

Burlesque continues to land in the media- this week Polly Wood has popped up on the cover of Seattle Woman’s February issue. The magazine can be found downtown and should be available for reading online in a few days. The feature mentions Seattle’s pioneering ladies Indigo Blue, Tamara the Trapeze Lady, and Paula The Swedish Housewife, as well as insight from Trixie Lane. Sydni Deveraux and Evilyn Sin Claire are pictured in photos by Greg Holloway. As a side note, I love that not only is the title “Burlesque is Back: and Women Are Running the Show” but there’s a feature below titled “Get Rid of Varicose Veins”. How very utilitarian!

In other news, follow this link to listen to a great interview from NPR yesterday with Karen Abbott, author of American Rose. Honeysuckle Hype, “West Coast burlesque producer and performer who performs as your average food-obsessed 1950s Lesbian housewife”, is also a featured guest.

But women aren’t the only ones blazing a trail in burlesque. February 9 a new session of BOYlesque 101 (with instructors Waxie Moon and Ernie Von Schmaltz) begins at the Academy of Burlesque. Don’t be shy- the world will only be a better place with more bright & shiny stars of Boylesque. Learn more about the class HERE
-J.Price

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