‘Burlesk of the Surreal’ takes the sultry artform to next level
A woman is standing on stage, facing the audience in what looks like a plastic mask; she has a crown of thorns on her head and a large heart on her chest. She looks like a kinda kabuki version of the Virgin Mary only the woman is standing backwards and the audience has been fooled she’s facing frontwards; soon she reveals all in a sultry striptease.
Two individuals take to the stage, one dressed as a bunch of bananas; another as a donkey piggybacking a plush banana. Yes, it’s all very bananas, indeed, but this is what you get when you venture out to a show called Burlesk of the Surreal.
One of the first images that springs to mind when you hear the word ‘burlesque’ is of buxom performers delivering sexy moves on stage or amid an audience. This image is multiplied threefold in the case of presenter ‘Porcelain Doll’ who bursts with effervescence and welcoming chat to warm up her audience.
Porcelain is busty, feisty, and not afraid to show off her ample assets. She owns her body with pride and shakes her stuff with more bada bing than Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and Lizzo combined.
These days it takes a damn good theme to drag me to yet another burlesque gig. That drawcard last night was Burlesk of the Surreal. Hosted in the very appropriate part of the Leederville Hotel – the Red Room, this is red light burlesque with a little education and some humour thrown in for good measure.
My favourite act would have to be Inga Salome, hailing from Berlin – arguably the capital of the artform. It was Inga dressed as the Virgin but who moved like anything but.
Salome’s performance definitely takes the art of burlesque to next-level status.
In fact, all of these women – Dirty Rose, Jessyka, Rassputin, Lucy Furr, and our wonderful hostess, provide for a great night out, celebrating the body beautiful to a quirky-meets-classic soundtrack.
If you’re going to venture to a burlesque show this Fringe, make sure this one’s it.
★★★★
Antonino Tati
‘Burlesk of the Surreal’ is on at the Red Room, Leederville Hotel for two more nights only; tonight and tomorrow night from 8pm. Tickets are $35 (rush tickets $24.50), available at www.fringeworld.com.au.
CREAM MAGAZINE 
Feel free to leave a comment!