Accompanying photographer (and
Australian Burlesque Calendar creator)
Dusk Devi to New Theatre to experience ‘Esque’ - a Sydney Fringe event, I was keen to view a contemporary dance troupe’s take on burlesque and more importantly, eager to spy the audience for their reaction to what was presented.
As a burlesque performer, I often find that folk expect burleque will be something of a Cher/Christina stage show. It (burlesque) is not. Anything Cher-esque would be, in my view, cabaret!
Esque is a fine boutique production - a cast of three beautiful, slender female dancers, two gentleman actors and an MC. What they presented was entertaining and absolutely rewarding...but it was not burlesque.
It was sexy dance wrapped in well written dialogue presented by the two melodramatic male characters - oh, and a somewhat redundant compere that introduced the show with humor - touching on the neo-feminist elements of burlesque.
Dubbed as being from the Moulin Rouge, I expected magic from dancer Shikye Smith. Her high kicks were mastered, her hip movements smooth and sinewy. She prowled sensually around her prop but needs just a bit more raw (roar?).
Clearly a well trained dancer, Jessie Karam was cute as a kitten and she performed a sensual silhouette shadow act that moved me, but still, I was left craving a touch of nudity.
To me there is nothing more beautiful or more powerful than the fluid lines of a naked body. Instead there were intersects to her shadow act - where knickers cut into skin and broke the line of the silhouette.
It was hard to keep my eyes off Shannon O’Shea who conveyed so much fun and sensuality - all from her eyes. And her movements were mesmerising.
Daniel Poole played Reginald, a homesick stage hand - desperate to return to England. He was, in a word, fabulous. With brilliant writing, this actor leaped at the opportunity to delicately break the fourth wall and invite the audience into the drama and hilarity of his anecdotes - even having his head caught up his arse.
David Adlam is one amazing actor. The second stage hand, he used space, voice, body and every bit of his being into playing Francis - a former property financier that secretly wanted to be a dancer. Reginald and Francis were the most wonderful device to entertain the audience whilst the dancers changed costumes - they also prepared the stage. Very clever.
Beautiful costumes and long legs to wear them - the dancers moved to classic cabaret songs, showcasing their fine feminine forms and charisma with crafty theming - however, what was missing for me was the raw, natural and empowering element of exposure.
[see an album of pre production images here]
It was obvious that the dancers were well trained - the routines they presented were cleverly choreographed - but there was no joyous, invigorating reveal of breasts, no lifting of layers.
This was not a weakness of the show, no. It highlighted to me what a magnificant burlesque community we have here in Sydney; stunning women of all ages and body shapes, raw, powerful and able to perform without holding anything back - nudity is just one aspect of that!
Wrapping up - Esque was a tight production that started and finished on time (
how we love that on a school night). The lighting was simple and effective - the New Theatre, a cosy and appropriate space for this event.
I simply ask for an encore - with a little more real roar and exposure!!!
