Burlesque! – The Lowry, Salford

Reviewer: Poppy Helm

The Public Reviews Rating:

The Slippery Belle’s Burlesque! shows run in Leeds, Manchester and Huddersfield every month, presenting a changing cast of singers, dancers, magicians and acrobats. Tonight the naughtiness comes to an unrecognisable Quays Theatre transformed into a hazy cabaret bar.

With the mysterious absence of the billed compere, ‘lesbian vampire queen, Rosie Lugosi’, sadistic Texan, Crimson Skye, is instead charged with warming up the audience. Initially, this feels slightly under rehearsed, but as the wine flows and the audience become more responsive, Crimson settles into her role, strutting and swearing her way across the stage in frilly knickers and fishnet tights.

Despite the show’s saucy raison d’etre, the high points actually come from acts who keep their clothes firmly on. Preston’s own Eva Fox kicks off the first half by singing Fever and Why Don’t You Do Right in a clear voice with a sexy, smoky edge. The second half brings more up tempo numbers (Son of A Preacher Man and These Boots Are Made For Walking) and some banter with the crowd that demonstrates there’s also a strong personality behind this exceptional voice.

Desmond O’ Connor’s musical routine proves extremely popular with existing fans and wins him plenty of new ones with lyrics that are inescapably depressing and deeply funny. His refreshingly original songs, diverse in both vocabulary and content (pandas with erectile dysfunction, anyone?) are close to genius. Prepare for people to edge away from you on the tram as you sing Pretty Little Miss Dysmorphia all the way home.

Carrie-Ann O’Dell’s tributes to the first lady of burlesque, Dita Von Teese, are elegant and sexy but two routines is the right number – any more would be too repetitive. Velma Von Bon Bon brings an element of humour with her cheeky performance to Blue Moon followed by a surreal but precisely executed routine as a downtrodden monkey who breaks free from captivity and strips right down to her red nipple tassels.

Not all acts are quite so successful; acrobat AJ James builds a good rapport with the audience but his knife-throwing acrobatics are anti-climatic. Magician Paul Dabeck’s fast-paced illusion act in the first half is entertaining but definitely outdone by his hilarious shadow-puppetry in the second.

In all, a thoroughly entertaining evening with a varied cast and the right balance between smut and humour. Keep an eye out for Burlesque!’s next incarnation in Manchester; with just a little tweaking, this show is certainly capable of earning that elusive final star.