Review: The FORCE is Strong with THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK: THE UNAUTHORIZED STAR WARS™ BURLESQUE PARODY

THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK brings Star Wars-inspired sexy, nerdy fun to San Diego through April 30th. This burlesque brings comedy, pop culture, humor, and the art of the strip tease to the stage for an incredibly entertaining time.

Two things to clarify at the start: 1) you don't have to be a Star Wars fan to find this show engaging, but it helps, and 2) if you're not familiar with burlesque, it is the art of the tease, its sexy, and yes clothes come off, but there is never full nudity. It is full of very talented dancers, mostly women, who aren't there just to look good, but to bring fully choreographed and complex dance routines that only build and get more high energy as the night goes on.

Held at The Aldreaan Memorial Theatre (aka a Pop-Up Venue at 1944 Commercial St) you can get drinks or merchandise and then settle in for the show. There is only one person smooth and suave enough to host an event like this, and that is Lando Calrissian, but since he is busy we get his nephew Eric (Eric Newton) who is in full Calrissian regalia, including the gorgeous cape.

Eric opens the show with some jokes and some ground rules for everyone to have a good time. One strictly enforced rule is no photographs or videotaping at all because consent from the performers is important in galaxies.

The opening dance is from the titular movie reference, and you won't look at the ice plant Hoth, or think of using a Tauntaun to help keep you warm ever again. Next, a dancer as Luke is giving her land speeder a wash since it gets dusty on Tatooine, all set to Nikki Minaj's "Starships."

From there the characters and the numbers just keep going. Princess Leia lets her hair down from those buns, and a little later liberates herself from Jabba the Hut and her prisoner uniform as well. Han and Chewy make appearances in high-energy numbers, the Emperor brings a lot of campy comedy with "Wrecking Ball," and proving once again that he is everyone's favorite and helpful droid, R2D2 makes it rain dollar bills when appropriate.

The numbers range from balletic to modern pop choreography, and feature characters from Stormtroopers, Boba Fett, to puppetry and animatronics. The production and the performers are all top-notch, with some standout numbers that include a scintillating solo number from a Jedi with a lightsaber that is beautiful in how it plays with shadow and light with the dance, a lovely and lyrical Twi'lek duet, to a truly gorgeous number featuring the Imperial Guards that uses the lighting and their signature red robes to great effect.

The lighting for this show is beautiful and allows for some excellent silhouettes, interplaying with the costumes and choreography, as well as setting the mood and location.

The show is entertaining and accessible for everyone, as long as you are open to more than a little skin. Again though, this is burlesque, so the performances are dancing and entertainment-focused.

THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK is a show from a galaxy far, far away, but it would equally be at home in Las Vegas for its production and performance quality. Since the show has been performing around the world for over 10 years, it is clear the Force is with them.

THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK: THE UNAUTHORIZED STAR WARS™ BURLESQUE PARODY is playing through April 30th. For ticket and show time information go to www.theempirestripsback.com

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