Stay Sick

•09/15/2010 • Leave a Comment

“Two nights of unctuous depravity to fellate your jaded soul!”- taken from press materials by Heidi Von Haught and Randi Rascal Present: THAT’S F*CKED UP!

“You’ll want to arrive early because front row seating is a must for this show. But make sure to wear clothing you don’t mind getting stained, because blood will be flying!”- taken from press materials by Gorelesque Girls for SLICE, SLICE, BABY!

The creative writing alone is enough to pique my interest in this week’s Seattle burlesque shows. Maybe it’s fall hanging in the air- but I’ve decided to listen to only The Cramps, admit that I was a black-wearing teenage ghoul that grew into a neutral-tones wearing adult, and get ready to take in some nonconformist burlesque. As it happens, there are two ways to do it this week:

Stripped Screw’s Randi Rascal has teamed up with Heidi Von Haught to present an entire showcase of unusual acts September 15-16 at Theatre Off Jackson’s Upstairs Gallery, bluntly titled THAT’S F*CKED UP! Drawn to the more innovative and boundary-pushing conceptual work that’s being done in burlesque, the pair wanted to showcase acts and performers that are challenging for audiences. Social taboos, political commentary, cultural appropriation- according to Randi, nothing is sacred. “We’re not featuring shock value for its own sake,” she points out. “Each act was handpicked because of its message and the radical way that message is being communicated. Voilà! Performance art!”
Click here for ticketing info

Gorelesque Girls are a newish revue, billing themselves as Seattle’s premiere “gorelesque troupe”. I’ve never seen them, but photos give the impression they’re girls that aren’t afraid to get dirty. SLICE, SLICE, BABY! (tonight at Rebar) couples an 80s theme with blood, guts, and rock n’ roll. You can also catch red-headed Gigi De Gore Sunday, September 19 at Can Can, and the rest of the troupe October 6 at High Dive’s Skinny Dip.
www.thegorelesquegirls.com

A bloody mess: a couple of Gorelesque Girls

Gorelesque Girls

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Goodnight, Lustfully Legendary

•09/09/2010 • Leave a Comment

Sinner Saint's host: comedienne Nicole Lucas (photo by K.R.K.)

Tonight is the finale of Sinner Saint’s Lustfully Legendary tribute show @ Noc Noc. After that, the ladies improvise through two weeks of Kamikaze Burlesque (audience picks the music, girls create routines on the fly) followed by a new run, Wild Card. According to troupe mama Audrey McManus, Wild Card will feature a carte blanche of whatever acts the girls want to break out- or break in- each week. Devotees get to see Evilyn Sin Claire, Jesse Belle-Jones, Polly Wood, Lolita “Tatas” Valentino, and Doña Dei Cuori in a brand new show of their choosing every Thursday through November 4. Jo “Boobs” Weldon once told me that a fundamental difference between New York and Seattle is that our performers tend to bring more finished works to the stage; NYC sees a lot of inspired experiments fearlessly rolled out and fine-tuned over time. Kamikaze and Wild Card bring a little raw invention to Sinner Saint’s usually more structured themes.

Incidentally, Sinner Saint’s promoter Audrey McManus also lends a hand with Blitz, the monthly Captiol Hill Arts Walk, as well as blogging about sex for Girl Power Hour’s networking site. GPH’s third anniversary gathering takes place on Sept 24- it’s going to be a big one. Tix available through their site:
www.girlpowerhour.com

Now back to transcribing interviews…recently I had the pleasure of chatting with Sinner Saint host Nicole Lucas, as well as with Atomic Bombshells’ emcee Jasper McCann. (I’m working on a short article on hosts- and as one might guess, you get a lot of mileage when interviewing people who are professionally chatty).

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Historic Strip in the Heart of Vancouver

•09/06/2010 • Leave a Comment

In Vancouver for the weekend, and through some kind of cosmic serendipity I’ve just started reading Lily Burana’s notorious memoir Strip City, while our retro-modern hotel happens to be steps from the city’s most historic and longest running strip club. Opening its doors in 1947, The Penthouse is still family-owned and operated and boasts a rich history- at one time the center of commerce for over 100 working women. From the late ’40s and into the ’50s and ’60s, the club booked big name entertainers and hosted afterparties for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., and even Gary Cooper. The Penthouse evolved from a swinging nightclub to a full-blown strip palace in the ’70s; comedians and burlesque girls metamorphosing into exotic dancers and strippers, despite multiple raids and shifting liquor laws. Apparently history buffs on Heritage Vancouver tours make a stop at The Penthouse as well- for educational purposes, naturally.

This weekend, there’s a Miss Pole Dance Canada competition, but unfortunately we’ll be back in Seattle by then.

The Penthouse:
1019 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC V6B3M4
(604) 683-2111

The Penthouse, front view (courtesy of http://www.penthousenightclub.com)

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Catherine D’Lish to perform at Blue Moon Cabaret

•09/02/2010 • Leave a Comment

Catherine D'Lish performing this summer in Spain

Catherine D’Lish is one of a handful of uber-glam burlesque performers that have broken through to the upper tiers of worldwide appearances and international festivals. She’s won over thirty titles (Miss Exotic World and Showgirl of the Year among them) and continues to be revered and name-dropped as an influence to many performers I’ve interviewed- including The Shanghai Pearl, who cites Catherine’s poise and full-blown sensuality as an inspiration. All that, and she’s a legendary costumer as well- possessing an enviable cache of hand-jeweled gowns and enormous props including a gilded birdcage, a giant spider web, an eight-foot waterfall, a champagne glass, and what may be the world’s largest feather fans.

Catherine- a recent Seattle transplant- has just returned home from a few months of shows in Madrid with Teatro Circo Price Orchestra. This Friday, September 3 she stars at the Pampas Room’s Blue Moon Cabaret alongside Inga Ingénue and The Shanghai Pearl.

Inga has also been a busy lady this summer. She choreographed SHINE: A Burlesque Musical and has been teaching the secret moves of Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Michael Jackson as one-third of Dance Belt (Lou Henry Hoover and Waxie Moon round out the trio). Rehearsals have also started for House of Thee Unholy #4, which returns to the Triple Door September 23-25. Inga said of the first rehearsal: “It went very well; I forgot how much I love that show. I get to make out with Lou Henry Hoover, dress up like a Viking, take Waxie Moon by force, AND smash stuff on stage with a giant mallet. Fucking sweet.”

Tonight Inga cameos at Noc Noc with the ladies of Sinner Saint (Inga left the troupe two years ago and is delighted to return for the evening). Friday, she’ll guest at Blue Moon.

Academy of Burlesque instructor The Shanghai Pearl, recently profiled in The Stranger’s Burlesque Box, appeared in The Swedish Housewife’s First Annual Seafarer Follies among other shows this summer. At Blue Moon she’ll debut the “Diamond Necklace” act, inspired by by Marie Antoinette.

*For more info on Dance Belt, Catherine, or Shanghai’s Academy classes, see the sidebar at right.

Inga Ingenue (photo Debora Spencer)

Shanghai Pearl & Twisted Monk (photo John Cornicello)

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Red Hot Summer’s (almost) over

•08/28/2010 • 2 Comments

Fierce lady, fierce photo. Iva Handfull @ Prowling for PAWS (Rebar)

Last night’s Prowling for PAWS benefit continues with a final show this evening, 7:30pm @ Rebar. Iva Handfull of Discontinued Trim performs both nights; she’s enormously talented and a little bit dirty, too. When skill and raw sexuality collide, one must pay strict attention.

In other salacious news, Red Hot Summer was a fitting finale to Seattle’s full-scale summer burlesque shows last Thursday night. Five-piece lounge kings Orchestre L’Pow! brought some Portland talent with them. Madison Moone and Charlotte Treuse have performed with the band three times now, getting their start with a Lotería called Dames and Games– an interactive show in which Madison and Charlotte portrayed lotería cards (La Sirena, La Corona, etc.) while the audience played Mexican bingo.

Madison Moone @ Red Hot Summer (Triple Door)

Charlotte Treuse @ Red Hot Summer (Triple Door)

The second half of Red Hot Summer featured excerpts from The Heavenly Spies’ hugely successful XOXOX show. I can’t say enough about these ladies; they’re my latest obsession. Blending dance and burlesque in an incredibly fetching mix, the Spies have just started rehearsing their fall run, Mata Hari, debuting in November. They’ll also shake a tail feather at Seattle International Cabaret Festival this October.

The infamous blue balls. Heavenly Spies @ Red Hot Summer (Triple Door)

Caela Bailey is the honorary blues belter of The Heavenly Spies- yet another reason to love them. Her cover of “I Put A Spell On You” was mind-blowing. Not an easy feat for a little lady and such a big, big song. But she did it- effortlessly.

Caela Bailey (photo Chris Blakely)

*Special thanks to Matt The Photographer and BSP’s ringside pal Chris Blakely for the photo recap. Check out more of Chris’s photography on the sidebar, at right.

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