EDINBURGH 2023: Review: BLUES AND BURLESQUE, The Voodoo Rooms

Who knew "Come on Eileen" could be so hypnotic?

Scintillating, fun, and dripping with attitude, Blues and Burlesque is a roaring good time, affably searching for a 1920s-esque* vibe with Belle De Beauvoir’s Charleston number as way of an early introduction. *(Needing a titillating escape from widespread economic collapse, a pandemic, and the eve of global disaster? Who could relate to that?).

Dubbed “the sparkling diamond of burlesque” Belle De Beauvoir shines – literally, the sequencing detail on those outfits is intricate – in the spotlight, pulling full attention with every sway and turn as she enthralls the audience with her command of the stage.

Belle is a theatrical chameleon, owning her craft with confidence, humour, and grace; from leather-clad dominatrix to feathery ballerina, she shifts between personas, each more delightfully risqué than the last. Each routine provides the mystique and thrill promised by a burlesque performance all the while showcasing De Beauvoir’s triple threat talent as an actress, singer, and dancer.

Pete Saunders (Dexy’s Midnight Runners) as Belle’s musical partner strikes the perfect balance to her provocative physical performance from behind his keyboard. His dry and sardonic sense of humour cuts through the glamour without ever breaking its spell. Their rapport and affectionately antagonistic banter is the backbone of the show and holds it together well, keeping it more grounded than grandiose. Their on-stage relationship brings comedy without becoming a caricature, their banter bouncing back-and-forth easily and keeping the audience engaged between numbers.

Guest dancer Roxy Stardust impresses early in the show with a routine of her own, earning the very loud approval of the crowd with her more sullen and confrontational approach to burlesque. It’s a fun performance but her intentionally abrasive comedic style feels a bit too at odds with the glitz and charm of the rest of the show. Without being given space to develop, the conflicting character comedy of Roxy and Belle felt somewhat forced. There’s not enough of Roxy in the show’s run time for it to feel like a deliberately stylised juxtaposition, and it’s left feeling a little out of place overall in the show’s one hour run time. Incorporating any guest performers more fully in the show’s running might alleviate the risk of the performances feeling disjointed in future.  

Overall, Blues and Burlesque is the perfect antidote if you’re searching for a decadent night of fun in the midst of some global turmoil. After all, there’s nothing like a Charleston to distract from the apocalypse.

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