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As you enter the dimly lit venue, your ticket is sold to you by a man in a zoot suit. You pass women in stylish Stop Staring dresses, flappers, possibly even a girl in a poodle skirt, their companions adorned with fedoras and wide ties. A cigarette girl wearing a corset, a garter belt and very little else proffers her wares to you. The lights dim, and a man in a pinstriped suit strides onto the stage. "Hey, Joe!" he declares, singling out a hapless man in the front row. "How's your wife and my kids?" After a few more wholesomely ribald jokes, he surrenders the stage to a woman wearing a 1940's dress. As 1940's music plays, she strips to reveal... 1940's style underwear. Meanwhile, the audience whistles and cheers as if seeing a woman in her underwear is still a significant event. Welcome to the contemporary world of burlesque. If you live in a large or largeish city, most likely there are burlesque troupes in your area. It's a small, cultish interest, the performers often travelling from nearby states to cross-pollinate the world of sequins and feathers and corny jokes. The audience is often almost as worthy of watching as the performers; those with a love of retro clothing don their reproductions or vintage finds and take advantage of the chance to show them off. Bettie Page Official Website
Dita von Teese
Catherine D'Lish
Starshine Burlesque
Big City Burlesque
Glitzkrieg
Big Mamma's Productions
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