The roots of burlesque go back as far as ancient Greece but its theatrical heyday was in the Victorian music hall. Burlesque literally means ‘to satirise‘ and traditionally it incorporated bawdy jokes and provocative antics. relying heavily on costumes and props. liach routine was designed to entertain the masses and show a delicately gloved linger to the establishment. The movement was exported from Britain to America in the 1860s and gradually reinterpreted as 'striptease'. Performed by men and women from all specialities. these same traditions live on today.
Burlesque and striptease go hand in hand like a good pair of opera gloves. but they aren‘t interchangeable. Burlesque acts must have theatrical values. To burlesque is to make a point. regardless of whether anything comes off or not. Sexiness should be incidental and any striptease should be contextually relevant.
Burlesque theatre is live. interactive and upbeat.
It provides access to a non threatening world of
the risque. seductively wrapped in intellect and
humour. The active scene provides a focus for
socialising and creative exploration and the burlesque ethos allows both men and women to enjoy each other‘s ideas and experiment with personal style and latent desires to perform. Burlesque is now more accessible than ever and celebrated by everyone. The new burlesque renaissance has generated a dedicated industry. a vast hobbyist circuit and a tiny professional set complete with its own emerging stars and celebrity culture. If nurtured now. burlesque
theatre will reclaim its rightful place at the top of
the bill.
Burlesque revue High Tease, Classic Grand, Glasgow, Sun 22 Apr, from 8pm. www.ministryofburlesque.com; www.kittieklaw.com
Show Tell
Diana Kiernander gives us a brief history of burlesque
The burgeoning burlesque scene has its roots in circus sideshows and vaudeville. Originally an unsophisticated routine of comedy and music. the shows ridICuIed the upper classes. In the early years. the suggestive stagecraft amounted to little more than women appearing on stage in tights. Burlesque was exported to
America in the 10608 when British starlet Lydia Thompson lpictured abovei took a Burlesque troupe to the New York stage. Performing a mythological spoof. entitled Ixion. the show soon moved to Broadway's most prestigious music hall.
All male troupes debuted stateside in the 1880s. led by native burlesque queen. Mabel Saintley. Influenced by the Minstrel tradition. Saintley's initiative brought a smile to the faces of even the well-to-do ladies in the audience.
Bose Louise Hovick. aka Gypsy Rose Lee. is regarded as the most famous burlesque entertainer of all time. A child star in the 1030s. she went on
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to appear in 12 films. received an Oscar nomination and secured her own television show before her death in 1070.
In the early years. burlesque dancers were a bit like a Victorian version of footballers' wives. Offstage. they had an ornamental presence. cavorting Wllli well—known socialites and even royalty. thereby transgressing their working class origins. Lavisth adorned. they were perfect arm candy for writers like Jean Cocteau and Oscar Wilde.
In the 10505;. burlesque offered a real opportunity fOr many young women. In an independent shimmy forward for America's first career girls. former chorus girl Jennie Lee stood up with eight other dancers and threatened to strike in LA over pay. They wanted 81253 a week for their routine.
While she was famed primarily as a pin—up model rather than a burlesque performer, Bettie Page has retrospectively become a style icon for the
contemi.)orary burlesque movement. She became the first renowned fetish model. though she was f()l£ll|\.’(3l\,/ innocent for the 19503. and her sweetly suggestive poses. were Just that. The 2004 biopic on Bettie cast her as an innocent but the bangs. poses and sense of fun still chime with fans today.
The popularity of burlesque dipped in the 1060s. With rising liemlines halting the high street in its tracks. there was no place for cheap shot theatre that parodied promiscuity. But historians reckon that burlesqtie's brand of strip spoolerv appeals best to audiences living in times of
political unrest. as it challenges soCiety's status quo.
Today. burlesque's brightest star is Dita Von Teese (pictured below. Commanding fees upwards of 9:30.000 for a five-minute performance. her shows are a carefully crafted homage to the movements glory days. Von Teese has been known to base entire shows on props. from a powder compact to a martini glass.
Clubland has lapped up the burlesque renaissance which started in New York and London and quickly spread across the globe. As Well as MoB events. Glasgow boasts one of the hottest burlesque tickets anywhere. with I700 spilling through the doors at Club Noir (pictured abovel each month. It JUSl goes to show: girls and guys can never get enough glamour.
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