To find out more about What Katie Did, click here

Pin up model Jeni Yesterday wore a Harlow bullet bra with matching suspender belt, knickers and nude Retro stockings.

Burlesque sensation Annette Bette modeled the Cabaret underwired bra, matching suspender belt, deep knickers with Retro contrast stockings.

Ruby True is the only UK model to feature in Sheer and she made her mark in the book wearing Morticia sheer corset with a Cabaret bullet and matching knickers.

The UK’s only burlesque magazine prides itself with bringing you all the burlesque interviews, features and advice you could possibly need, and this issue is no different. To start with, not only do we talk to the starlet that’s bringing burlesque to the West End, the one and only Miss Polly Rae, but we also catch up with 2012′s Miss Exotic World, Australian beauty Imogen Kelly, and meet the charming trio behind the latest boylesque group The Stage Door Johnnies.

As it’s nearing the end of 2012, we also decided to turn our attention to the wonderful plethora of burlesque festivals and events that have taken place throughout the year, and the awards ceremonies that went with them. In this issue you can find who won the best accolades at events such as the Golden Pasty Awards, the BHoF weekend, the World Burlesque Games, and Miss Burlesque Australia and New Zealand.

Dedicated to bringing you exclusives from the world of burlesque, we’re also joined by Jo ‘Boobs’ Weldon who dishes the dirt on Julie Atlas Muz’s wedding to Mat Fraser. It was an incredible event, and you really don’t want to miss this feature! Plus we pay homage to the Golden Age of burlesque with tributes to the amazing Sally Rand and Josephine Baker. Two very talented artists with inspiring stories.

If that’s not enough, Lucy Sambrook questions if burlesque is becoming too mainstream, Glorian Gray asks if we’re now showing too much, and Vicky Butterfly explores the importance of satire in burlesque. Plus we have lots of vintage hair, make-up and fashion advice, as well as tutorials from Talulah Blue on how to use feather fans and Frankie Lynn on choosing the right dance styles for your routines.

Volume 4 of Burlesque Bible is on sale now in the UK in WH Smith plus independent newsagents, or you can buy it online here. It will reach Europe in around 3 weeks and the US in 6 weeks.

To win tickets to this amazing show answer this simple question: In which French city is the Moulin Rouge to be found?
The first entry drawn will win a pair of tickets to the show. To enter, click here

Terms & Conditions

Closing date: 16th October 2012
First prize will go to the first entry drawn. There is no cash alternative. Usual your publication rules apply. Editor’s decision is final. Prize winners will need to collect their tickets from the venue on the day of the show.

Last week someone asked me a very intriguing question which went something along the lines of “Have you ever stripped in front of an audience before? If not, how do you know you will be able to perform on stage?” It was a fantastic question which really got me thinking – how did I really feel about taking my clothes off in front of a crowd for the very first time?!

I answered (truthfully) by saying that I couldn’t imagine that the act of revealing my skin on stage would ever be a problem. I used the phrase ‘100% body confident’ by which I meant that I am very happy in my own skin – so taking my clothes isn’t as daunting as the thought of trying to appear graceful on stage! But it was this very question which got me thinking about the Burlesque industry as a whole and how it is one of the very few in the entertainment industry that really celebrates women of all ages, shapes and colours – a rare feat in this day and age.

In a world obsessed with size zero, botox, youth and fitting the mould, the women of Burlesque provide audiences with a much needed antidote! If you go to any Burlesque show you are guaranteed to see performers from all walks of life with varying ranges of experience. Some will be young, while others will be significantly older. Some will be slim, while others will be fuller figured. Perhaps some carry the blood of exotic and far off lands, while others are the archetypal English rose. The Burlesque community comprises an eclectic mix of performers, making it a real melting pot for talent. Yet very rarely is a woman judged on looks alone, but rather judgements are made based on her talent. What other sector in the entertainment industry can say it treats women the same way?

Just consider the most celebrated names in the business, Dirty Martini, Anna Fur Laxis, Catherine D’Lish, Roxi D’Lite, Perle Noire and  Michelle L’Amour to name but a few – these women couldn’t be any more different from each other, both physically and creatively. Each has their own image, character and stage presence which makes them completely unique. This not only marks them out from their competition but most importantly, is the reason why they are the most celebrated names in the Burly community. There’s no fun in being a cookie cutter anyway!

Of course audiences still have their preconceptions. I remember going to one show with some very close friends of mine, and while we watched a very slight woman take to the stage – who seemingly had no significant curves either in her chest or hip area – one of my friends turned to me and said, “She’s too skinny! I thought Burlesque was all about women with hips and tits!” However as soon as the performer sat down at her piano and began to play Chopin’s ‘Nocturne,’ while simultaneously stripping, my friend was well and truly silenced! (Of course, it turned out to be none other than Chrys Columbine).

And that ladies and gentlemen, is the real beauty of Burlesque. Not the flesh but the incredible talent, the creativity, the sheer delight in a performer’s face as she whips off her last garment before teasing the audience mercilessly! Any focus on the size or shape of a performer’s body soon melts away within the first few bars of the opening music, in the lip biting crunch of a bump n’ grind strut, in the reveal of the act’s theme or ‘story’ which intoxicates audiences until they are completely lost under its spell.

The word ‘empowering’ gets thrown about a lot when it comes to Burlesque and often gets misused in the process, but I think the Burlesque community is one of the few in the entertainment business that really does empower women! I mean just think about it – in a day and age where female actors and TV presenters are losing countless jobs because they are considered to be ‘over-the-hill’, Satan’s Angel decides to come out of retirement to start performing again, and she’s 67! Size, age, race, sexuality even gender; really it does not matter when it comes to Burlesque and Boylesque. The only thing that does is a willingness to do your homework before taking to the stage, and really that isn’t asking a lot, is it? And that’s probably the real reason why I’m not nervous about stripping in front of an audience…

Ms. Idelle was inducted into the Burlesque Hall of Fame as a Legend during this year’s festivities. Taking to the stage for the first time since 1958 she was accompanied by her signature sized feather fans. Watching her work her fans and command the stage caused goose bumps. She was charming and a sweet delight to speak with. She shared stories about her experiences being one of the only burlesque dancers of colour on the Minsky circuit. She encouraged us to dance and travel.

Her tag line, The Sepia Sally Rand, was given to her when she was groomed to be a fan dancer for Minsky’s circuit in the 50s and 60s. The ladies of her day earned the equivalent of two to three hundred thousand dollars a year today. Though some burlesque dancers of the time travelled to Europe, Ms. Idelle did not, working throughout the US and Canada. Now in her 80s, she still dreams of seeing The City of Lights. She mentioned several times over the course of the weekend her desire to go to Paris. If anyone would like to host Ms. Idelle and her entourage to Paris, it would be such a treat to see her realize this dream.

I had the opportunity of first meeting her at my troupe’s, Brown Girl’s Burlesque (BGB), (www.browngirlsburlesque.com), BHOF’s Legend Challenge Fundraiser in New York this spring.  BHOF holds fundraisers nationwide to assist legends in getting to BHOF each year. I was extremely nervous that a classical legend was going to be introduced to neo-burlesque by one of our generation’s most provocative performers, Tigger! He’s the manager of the BHOF Legend’s programme and BGB was thrilled to have him MC our fundraiser. But what would Ms. Idelle think of his Tawny act?  This character is a hilarious and loveable hot steamy transvestite mess of show girl past. Needless to say, we started the show with an exciting bang. Do you know what? She loved it!  She loved everything!!! The freedom and diversity we had to do so many different things as burlesque performers was a stark contrast to the many rules and guidelines of her day. Just look at what women can create with freedom, she quipped.

Having had this orientation she was ready for Burlesque-a-palooza 2012. Throughout the weekend she had entourage. Based on her stories this is something she is quite used to. The Minskys provided her with police escorts as one of their performers. This is especially true for a trail blazer like Ms. Idelle, a pioneer for performing in all white spaces. She said they took extra care to protect her. The legends all told us they were not allowed to go to after parties or have anyone in their hotel rooms.  Both of her sons were with her every step of the way the entire BHOF weekend. In addition to her sons she had Chicava HoneyChild and I making sure she got to her appointments with ease. This lady had many appointments too!  She was a delight to everyone she met and signed autographed photos for the entire weekend.  She was informative and funny in her fan dance workshop.  She demonstrated a way of holding fans I have never seen done before. During her tech rehearsal, it became abundantly clear that being onstage was indeed like riding a bike for her.

Getting her from one appointment to the next was sometimes a challenge. She was being stopped every few steps and took the time to talk to everyone. In addition to the usual BHOF events, she was also interviewed for NBC 3 Los Vegas television news programme (http://www.mynews3.com/mostpopular/story/Burlesque-dancer-82-takes-the-stage-one-more-time/ZUB8KN8zGEqFfyUH6fRK0A.cspx). Part of the interview was done in her dressing room as we helped her dress for her highly anticipated return to the stage. She was a study in humble wit and confidence.

It was a special treat to experience her backstage before and after her performance. Beforehand she chose to be backstage even though she was closing out the show.  It was special to be able to see her work her fans with ease  (http://youtu.be/wFG1MMuib6M) during impromptu interviews and photo ops.  I thought that I learned that muscle memory fades after forty-eight hours.  Clearly it is not so in this case.

The more things change the more things stay the same.  A through line in the majority of the individual conversations I had with legends over the weekend was the isolation they felt as strippers. Imagine going from stage to room to transportation and repeat. Having been a club stripper before doing burlesque, I understood exactly what they meant. Burlesque dancers are more accepted in some circles than club strippers. Before burlesque, I experienced the somber isolation of a club stripper’s life.  Ms. Idelle and the other legends expressed joy at being among people who understand their show girl lifestyle.  They have no idea the joy their legacy and presence bring to us.

Finally, the moment comes for her to grace the stage. She danced to one song merging seamlessly into the second song. There was a huge standing ovation. I was not in the audience, I had a better seat – I watched thru the wings and backstage there was not a dry eye to be found. As we cried and thanked her, she expressed disbelief and gratitude for being “dug up” on the internet, as she puts it. She was so grateful for being so accepted, she said. We have the research of Dr. Ginger Snapz & Chicava HoneyChild to thank for this connection.

What I took away most from my first BHOF experience is the importance of having a kindred tribe to come home to. Being on the edges of society, (even while covered in plush feathers, dazzling crystals and shimmery trim), makes community even more important and appreciated. Ms. Idelle’s legacy is proof that we all are important parts of this community no matter what skin color. Ms. Idelle made me promise that I would travel, dance and not let anyone stop me. So, next time someone asks me when I’m going to quit dancing, I’ll tell them Ms. Jean Idelle says I’m not allowed to quit.  As Ms.Idelle told us all weekend, “If you don’t use it, you loose it!”

To read more from Essence Revealed, visit her blog – www.essencerevealed.wordpress.com

Over the many different discussions either face-to-face, on forums or just general musings of performers that I’ve overheard, it appears to be the general consensus that to mingle with the audience after a show is of great benefit.

I happen to agree with this sentiment, but regardless of opinions on whether one should mingle or not, what about the appearance of the performer that has decided to stay and mingle? What sort of impression are you trying to portray outside of the safety of the stage? How do you want to be perceived by others?

There is no right or wrong answer – style is always about the individual and personal preference, but there are some important things to consider.

I am sure that many of you have had a variety of experiences on how you feel after a show. Maybe there was an occasion where you thought you would tone it down and go with a semi-casual look in the hope that you come across as accessible and approachable, only to feel scruffy and lack lustre. Maybe even a little awkward as there were far more glamorous creatures in the crowd. Or perhaps you have experienced the opposite. You have gone with the mindset of ‘dress to impress’, donned your best frock to give the impression that you are equally as well turned out off the stage as on, only to feel like a dogs dinner. Everyone is relatively casual and you are there looking like something that’s fallen off last year’s Christmas tree!

Then there is the ‘Swooning Dress’; that rare and elusive dress that fills you with ‘body confidence’ as soon as you slip it on. You feel sexy and stylish wearing this dress. You believe that it absolutely encapsulates your sense of personal style and would even argue that it is an extension of your ‘inner Goddess’. How important a role does this kind of dress play when it comes to after show mingling?

An observation I have recently made is that every business takes a great deal of care in their branding. Whether it’s the logo, the tagline they use, the layout of their website and so on. This then led me to thinking that, if people are able to form an opinion of another person within seconds of seeing them, then naturally most people would like to be able to have some sort of control of how they might visually influence that first opinion. Think of it as personal ‘image branding’.

For example, I know that as an individual there are certain character traits that I would like to emphasize so that people understand my personal style such as my interest in the macabre, my rather odd sense of humour and so on. So when it comes to my personal styling off the stage I try to bring out these little nuances through what I am wearing. Sometimes that will be a rather eccentric corsage, or a piece of jewellery that is particularly quirky and most often…my shoes. They’re nuts!

In essences, I am creating for myself a sort of ‘working wardrobe’ of outfits that I would choose to wear off the stage that I feel enhance my own personal ‘image branding’. This is just what works for me.

To get even more of an insight into performers perceptions of ‘dressing up’, I asked two well-known UK performers how they felt about the subject and how important it is to ‘Dress Up’ off the stage.

Here are their responses;

Vicky Butterfly – Part Burlesque Starlet, part innovative Performance Artiste, Part Music Hall Vaudevillian and all Dreamer

In one sentence, how would you describe your personal fashion style?
I suppose I dress like I went wild in the attic of an old country house… Maybe with elements of vaudeville style and fetish fashion. And also a bit like a kid going to a party in the 1920s.

What are your preferences in attire for before and after a show?
Same as every day really. Maybe less complicated as I like things that are easy to put on and take off when I’m a bit tired. But if I’m planning on having a drink, maybe something a bit fun.

How important do you think it is to dress up after a show and mingle with the audience?
I don’t know. I like seeing the audience, as after about a thousand performances it can blur a little as I’m always me, and it’s usually pretty dark out there. By itself, that would be a bit samey. So I like hearing accents, seeing how people are dressed. But I don’t think it’s imperative to dress up or mingle: after all, we dress up as part of our jobs!  The fact that I do dress up off-stage is a personal thing – I’ve always been like that, and it doesn’t take me any longer to do.

What impression are you trying to give people with your choice of ensemble for after a show?
No impression at all: I wear clothes that make me feel happy and that’s it. People can think what they like. I think I’d actually prefer to dress more ‘normal’ offstage in some ways: for me it would enhance the power of the transformation onstage, maybe make it a bit more magical. But I’m afraid it’s just how I am…

How do you feel about those who prefer to keep it casual and not dress up after a show?
As I said… it should be personal preference: and it can make the power of transformation onstage a more magical one! People have always been fascinated by that: part of the Art Nouveau appeal of Loie Fuller was that she was so plain and dowdy offstage, but transformed into an electric nymph on… it was the transformation that made her the emblem of the era!

Anna Fur Laxis – ‘She’s killed sixteen men and she *will* kill again’

In one sentence, how would you describe your personal fashion style?
Lady-who-lunches meets slutty teen.

What are your preferences in attire for before and after a show?
Depending on how I’m getting to a show (flight/long drive etc) I prefer to arrive looking “smart/casual”. That might mean disco pants or a pretty day dress. Afterwards, I prefer full-on glamour!

 How important do you think it is to dress up after a show and mingle with the audience?
I think it’s very important and I try to do this whenever possible.

What impression are you trying to give people with your choice of ensemble for after a show?
The way I view it, this job is very much about selling a lifestyle, and part of that is being seen dressed appropriately.

Two very different responses from two very different performers both held in very high regard. Interesting nonetheless to hear the views of both of these individuals.

I guess the answer for yourself depends on how important that ‘image impression’ is to you when mingling with others after a show. Do you prefer to remain a mystical creature that transforms from one thing to another? Or do you like to make a clear and distinct impression to all your viewers as much as you can? There is no right or wrong answer, but it is quite a fun experiment trying to establish what you like to ‘Swoon’ around in the most.

Both reliant on movement, grace and poise, hoop dance and burlesque go hand in hand, and, if executed well, complement and enhance each other perfectly. With both hooping and burlesque enjoying a resurgence in recent years, it is no surprise that there has been a cross-over between the disciplines. Performers like Pippa the Ripper and Anna the Hulagan are well-known on the cabaret scene for their hoop routines, and more people than ever before are picking up a hoop for the first time and giving it a whirl.

I began hooping over a year ago, and it quickly became apparent that there is a world of difference between the 1950s hula hooping craze and modern hoop dance. It has nothing to do with how long you can keep it around your waist, and, to some extent, neither does it rely solely on tricks (though we’ll come back to that later). Like burlesque, hoop dancing is about captivating an audience; it’s about every movement being deliberate and sensual, it’s about ‘flow.’ Flow is the term used to describe the feeling of dancing with the hoop as if it is an extension of your body, but it can also apply to regular burlesque with every deftly used prop and well-timed glove-peel enhancing your ‘flow’. It’s those moments in which you are utterly attuned to your body, the energy of the audience, the music.

There can be a tendency to divide hooping into two camps: hoop dance and circus hooping. This is unfortunate for a number of reasons (not least that we should all support each other), but also because so much can be gained from pooling skills. Let me explain.

Circus hooping, by nature, involves multi-hooping and trick-hooping. The audience are wowed by technical skill, often a series of tricks involving an ever-increasing amount of hoops on various body parts. Hoop dance involves tricks too – mostly with a single hoop and incorporated into the flow, but it also involves manipulating the hoop, making it dance and pop and hover.

Like all things, both these styles have good points and potential bad ones: circus hooping can run the risk of becoming a series of tricks, which though undeniably impressive, by sheer volume run the risk of numbing the audience to the feats they are witnessing. And hoop dance can be bland and over-simplified. But there are ‘bad’ examples of every art form, and it would be a shame to damn whole disciplines based on the least developed examples of that craft.

So good multi-hooping will include impressive skills, but will also be funny or ethereal or thematic (see Pippa the Ripper) but always engaging. Good hoop dance is fluid, emotive and accomplished. Musicality is important, as is technical skill, light and shade, rhythm. Go onto Youtube and take a look at a girl called Brecken Rivara, or Sharna Rose. THAT is flow. It would be missing a trick to not combine both styles.

You’ll notice, of course, that what constitutes good hooping (though of course ‘good’ can be subjective, but that’s another debate altogether) also constitutes good-quality burlesque. Funny, engaging, elegant, etc. And as with the stripping element of burlesque, when using hoop dance in burlesque there should be some kind of narrative – a reason for the clothes to come off, a reason for the hoop to be there. In one of my routines the hoops are with me from the beginning – they are the medium through which the ‘message’ of my act is conveyed. In another more narrative-based act a glowing white hoop becomes the moon.  In Anna the Hulagan’s Triple Crown-winning hoop act at the World Burlesque Games, she based her act on the myth of the Phoenix, with feathers plucked from the hoop itself, before setting it on fire. It was a balance of technical skill, narrative, burlesque dance and ‘flow’.

I have performed one of my routines in both a traditional big top circus and at cabaret and burlesque nights and it is interesting to gauge which parts of the act get more of a reaction from those different audiences. What I strive to achieve and develop in my acts is a fusion of circus hooping, hoop dance and burlesque. I think audiences enjoy trick hooping and multi-hooping. I also believe they enjoy the opportunity to lose themselves in a sensual performance. Combining these elements into a burlesque performance has the potential to be nothing short of sublime.

If you want to learn burlesque it’s not usually hard to find somewhere that teaches it. You can find lessons in local dance schools, pole dance schools, fitness schools, and being taught by individuals. Spoilt for choice! But are all choices equal? It seems common sense to assume that if someone is teaching something, they are experienced in that thing, insured and qualified to teach. Yes? Surely. But with burlesque, it is not so clear cut. Not everyone is satisfied that all teachers are qualified to teach, and there are real concerns that some people teaching classes have comparatively little experience or training as burlesque performers or as teachers.

Why is it important to have suitable teachers in burlesque? Well, arguably, this could produce less able/informed/skilled performers, which could influence the standard of performance across the art form, which could lead to customers not enjoying shows, gaining a negative impression of burlesque, and not attending or recommending future shows. So, in the long run, less jobs for all of us.  It could result in very unhappy customers who have paid money under the impression that they are learning from an expert when they are not. It could be dangerous if the teacher doesn’t have safely awareness (warm-up and down, insurance, risk assessments etc). It could result in students not going on to perform due to a bad experience, therefore reducing the amount of new performers, who we need to feed the industry and keep everything fresh.

Summary: Unsuitable teaching could threaten the future of the industry, take money unethically from people, lower the standard of the art, taint the reputation of the art.

Or, it could do none of this. It could all be fine.

For as long as I have performed, there have been debates about who is suitable to teach burlesque, and the same questions always arise. How long is long enough to have performed before you teach? What skill level should you have? Should you be a regular head-liner? Do you have to have a teaching qualification? Do you have to be trained in some kind of performance? And so on. And to this date, there has been no consensus about the answers to these questions within the community/industry.

But why is there so much debate around these questions? Shouldn’t it be obvious? Well, consider these examples of burlesque teachers;

•    A newcomer to burlesque (done a few shows, less than a year’s experience),  who is a trained dancer and dance teacher.
•    Someone who has performed burlesque regularly for five years, but is not trained in any way.
•    A newcomer to burlesque, who just wants to teach burlesque for fun/confidence, not for the stage.
•    Someone who is a limited performer (performs small events, hobbyist level only etc) but a good teacher.
•    Someone who has never performed burlesque but runs a fitness school & has devised a fitness accredited burlesque course.
•    Someone who is an experienced, skilled performer with no teaching experience.
•    Someone with experience as as stripper.
•    Someone who has never performed burlesque, has been to a couple of shows and watched some instructional DVDs.

Which of these are more “qualified” to teach burlesque? With one exception, it’s difficult to call, but we see all these types of people teaching. And the truth is, being a brilliant performer does not guarantee you will be a good teacher, and people who are mediocre performers can have very satisfied customer reviews. People who have limited ability/skill and little experience can still lead classes that produce happy customers.

Part of the reason for this is that there are different types of classes, with very different aims. What does it actually MEAN when we say we are holding a burlesque class?  Will our classes just be fun, taster sessions, almost burlesque themed parties, like hen parties are? Are we trying to train new performers for the stage? Are we teaching burlesque-themed dance and fitness? Are we talking striptease or comedy/mime/acting based burlesque, or a mix of both? There are many approaches to burlesque, which is a very varied art-form, and can (whether you agree with is or not) go as far as to include a certain look, a certain sound, a certain aesthetic, for many people involved, as well as being about performance.

So – it’s pretty complicated.

We have collectively been debating and bemoaning this for years, without being able to really work out who should and shouldn’t be teaching, or even if there should be a “should” or “shouldn’t”. The one possible solution that keeps popping up is to have a burlesque class curriculum that we all endorse and follow. There are loads of difficulties here though, too. Never-mind the massive amount of work to get it in motion, who would create the curriculum? Would a set and examinable syllabus stifle the much valued creativity and individuality in burlesque, creating a set of clone performers? It is already possible to tell where a newcomer learned by what they do on stage, sometimes. Aaaaaaand- if someone created a syllabus and had it accredited by a dance society etc, what if you didn’t WANT to teach what the syllabus set? What if you don’t rate the people who create it, don’t rate their view on what burlesque is and isn’t? What if you already teach and are happy with what you are doing? Would you want to adopt this new curriculum? Would we just end up with just as much division as ever? Maybe.

A possible solution is this; we do it together, as a community. Through consultation and questionnaires etc, we find out what performers think, what newcomers want, what existing teachers teach, what we all think should be the BARE MINIMUM that a newcomer should learn in a class. We create a set of LOOSE GUIDELINES about this. Not a rigid curriculum.
This would allow people to teach in their own way, using the guidelines but communicating and teaching them in whatever way they feel is best.  They can put their own spin on it, and make their own additions, just making sure they cover the bare essentials. Once we have devised these guidelines together, we roll it out together. This would not only make sure that newcomers learned what they need to know, but if everyone adopted it, it could help those teachers who have less experience to lead even better classes, and it could help customers get a good all-round basis of teaching, no matter where they learn.

Now I reveal- a large group of performers are working on this idea, and more input is needed from everyone. Give your input!  What do you teach? What do you want to learn? What do you think should be taught in a beginners course? Do you disagree totally with any kind of standardisation?  Say why! This link is to a small questionnaire on the issue, fill it in and have your say.  You can also google “Burlesque Teaching Survey” to find it.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8BM5KNV

Modern burlesque is an emerging, developing industry, in its infancy. All other performance arts have teaching standardisation of some sort. This is going to happen at some point. Lets make sure that WE are the ones who do it, that WE are the ones that shape and guide it, because WE are the ones living it.

THE HURLY BURLY SHOW, Naughty But Nice!

Special Offer – tickets £29.50*

The Hurly Burly girlys are back in town with a bigger, bolder, sexier new show for a summer season of deliciously bawdy fun.

Starring Miss Polly Rae, The Hurly Burly Show is an all-singing, all-dancing revue with a contemporary twist.  Fusing fashion, music and popular culture it is the first major burlesque inspired musical spectacular to be staged in a West End Theatre.

Featuring steamy covers and twisted mash ups from artists including Kylie, Britney, Prince, Beyonce, Madonna, Lady Gaga and many more.

With a bevy of beautiful burlesque stars, speciality variety artists and fabulous costumes, sets and music, The Hurly Burly Show opens at the Duchess Theatre on 2 July for a strictly limited 12 week season.

Directed by William Baker (best known for his creative work with Kylie Minogue, Rihanna, Leona Lewis and Westlife) with a creative team including Wayne Cilento (Wicked, Aida), musical direction by Steve Anderson (Kylie, Take That, Britney Spears) and choreography by Ashley Wallen (Ghost the Musical). 

So leave your inhibitions at the door and prepare to be dazzled in the intimate surroundings of the Duchess Theatre by a night that will be Naughty … but Nice!

**** ‘GLAMOROUS, DIVINELY DECADENT ENTERTAINMENT’ Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph

*tickets are valid for Monday – Saturday performances excluding Friday and Saturday at 9pm until 20 July. Tickets can be booked by calling 0844 482 9672 or and quote ‘open’  BOOK ONLINE  and quote ‘open’