Is it offensive to call a burlesque show "charming"? Sure, it is a funny and mildly titillating evening, but Show:Girls is suffused with such good natured charm that it is hard to describe it as anything else.
Unlike Gallifrey Cabaret which puts on a plethora of variety acts, this is a rather stripped down0 production.
The central conceit is that two acts have been accidentally double booked. One, a high-class opera singer, the other a low-down burlesque performer. HI-JINKS ENSUE!
Bellinda Williams has the voice of an angel and Elsie Diamond has the body of a devil1. They teach each other the secrets of their art form which leads to the most unlikely mash-up I've seen in some time; Opera Burlesque.
It is exactly as batty as it sounds. Each of them attempting to Eliza Doolittle the other to the great merriment of the audience.
I'm sure there's something profound to say about the origins of opera and its intersection with courtesan couture, or how empowering it is to play dress up with your friends, but I was too busy laughing to think of anything that intellectual.
As befits a fringe show, it is rather short and I could have easily enjoyed more. There seem to be a few revivals of cabaret de l'érotique2 within London's now-sanitised Soho. Most, like this, are fairly tourist friendly and unlikely to draw the wrath of The Lord Chamberlain. Perhaps we'll see them on the Royal Variety Show next?
There's only one thing which bothers me, and that's the origin of one of the marquee quotes. One of the performers is mentioned thusly:
famously described by Danny Dyer as having “a good old fashioned pair of Lils”.
I'm reasonably familiar with Cockney Rhyming Slang and its step-sibling Polari, and I can't find anything even close to that.
- Cockney:
- Lilian Gish - fish. A somewhat unlikely comparison.
- Lilly The Pink - drink. Although I suppose a pair of "pinks" might make sense?
- Little And Large - margarine. I guess "Little" might be heard as "Lil"? And Ms Diamond's are not exactly on the smaller side. 3
- Polari:
- Lills - hands. I have no evidence that her hands aren't old fashioned.
- Lilly Law - police. Perhaps Mr Dyer was comparing the shape of a bobby's helmet to the size and shape of…? 4
Either way, Show:Girls is performed sporadically - keep an eye on their websites for the next performance. The entrance fee isn't too expensive, but in exchange you'll receive your fair share of thruppeny bits5.
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Sorry! ↩︎
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Look, there's no way to write about these things without sounding like a bit of a seedy old man, OK! ↩︎
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That's yer actual French, y'know! ↩︎
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Look, you try writing about this without sounding like Sid James! ↩︎
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Probably best to stop there, eh? ↩︎
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At this juncture, please imagine a giant shepherd's crook protruding from the wings and dragging me off stage. ↩︎
