Review: ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL 2016: DITA VON TEESE - BURLESQUE: STRIP, STRIP, HOORAY! Thrilled Her Many Fans

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Monday 13th June 2016

Murray Hill was a hit with Adelaide audiences when acting as MC for the incredibly successful, Club Swizzle, and so it was with great pleasure that we heard that he was back as the MC for Dita Von Teese - Burlesque: Strip, Strip, Hooray! He is a bundle of fast-talking, fun-loving energy, and he ensures that there is not a dull millisecond while the set changes are happening behind the closed curtains. I defy anybody to keep a straight face during one of Hill's spots.

He held one of his Murray Hill's Challenges, calling three men from the audience to show us all their striptease dancing skills. One informed Hill that he was a 'brickie', which Hill played on a little. When the competition began, though, this bricklayer, Anton Schrama, went above and beyond dance moves, removing his jacket and waistcoat, and beginning to undo his belt, while demonstrating some sensational dance moves, before a halt was called. He won, of course, being invited to go backstage after the performance to meet the star of the event. Dita was not to know that he was involved in the Adelaide theatre scene.

Dita Von Teese contributed four of her elaborately decorated sets, and costumes covered with Swarovski crystals, to the evening. The Swarovski Martini, The Bird of Paradise, The Rhinestone Cowgirl, and the Opium Den all brought cheers, applause, and whistles from the audience, which included just about every burlesque performer in Adelaide, including my own guest for the evening, who couldn't believe that we had seats front row centre. We were close enough to count the sequins.

Dita Von Teese is acknowledged as the pinnacle of burlesque performers, and this production sold out in no time at all, attesting to her importance in this genre. Her performances are a combination of style and grace, plus the magnificence of her sets and costumes. The audience were givien everything that they had hoped for and a bit more.

The 2,000 fans in the audience were thrilled with the production, all of the other performers offering diverse and clever routines. I was particularly impressed by Perle Noir (The Black Pearl), introduced as the Mahogany Queen of Burlesque, who took us back to the days of the great Josephine Baker, her hair styled to match, and performing the incredibly energetic type of moves for which Baker was famous. The audience agreed with me, judging by the response.

Dita Von Teese was assisted by her Vontourage, two muscular young men in gold shorts, but there was also a male performer, Jett Adore, who had the audience laughing along with his Zorro striptease, brandishing his sword and swirling his cape.

Natasha Estrada, with Marilyn Monroe hairstyling and very brightly coloured outfit, performed to an exciting Latin beat to get the blood racing, or perhaps it was not only the music that caused that. Catherine D'Lish, in dimmed lighting, performed a slinky routine over a large rope spider web creating a range of silhouetted patterns as she moved. Statuesque and very fit, Ginger Valentine, drew screams of delight from the audience, too.

For burlesque fans, this will surely go down in their diaries as the event of a lifetime, with the world's greatest artist and a host of others of an equally high standard, all award winners and solo performers in their own right, on stage in one tightly packed, spectacular production, with the added bonus of Murray Hill, everybody's favourite MC.

Here is a brief glimpse of the American show to tempt you into booking for the added performance at 7:30 on Thursday 23rd June.

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