My first ever burlesque experience was back when I was 18, on the Southbank in London. I was thrown into a world of sparkles, sequins and nipple tassels… and I was hooked.
The idea of me liking burlesque confuses a lot of people. Why would I enjoy watching other woman taking off almost all their clothes? My answer is simple. Burlesque represents a liberated glamorous world that offers a change from the one that we are forced to experience every day. So when one of my friends told me she was unconvinced, I decided to drag her to her first ever burlesque show – in East London – so that she could see what the fuss was about.
As soon as you enter the club we went to, Proud Cabaret City near Fenchurch Street, you are transported into a world of glamour. The muted lighting, crystal chandeliers and girls serving you in corsets suggest “gentlemen’s club”, but everything is treated in such a cheeky tongue-in-cheek way that you quickly realise this is not one of those. The small table we sat at gave the place a 1920’s speakeasy feel, and after ordering our wine we turned our attention to the stage in front of us.
Burlesque shows usually include a host who introduces the acts and interacts with the audience, and crude humour is an absolute must. The acts themselves should, in my opinion, be considered an art form. They almost always involve a theme of some sort and that night I remember one built around giant powder puffs, and another that featured a half naked “Nigella Lawson” who engaged in a lot of spoon licking. And just in case you’re not convinced this type of performance requires skill, I dare you to try and take off your stockings on stage without falling over, and still manage to look seductive.
The word ‘burlesque’ comes from the Italian ‘burl’ for joke, and the first burlesque took the form of a comic interlude during 17th Century Italian theatre. It gradually developed into more of a cabaret format, and by the Victorian era was very popular in London, but mainly built around comedy and pastiche. It was in America where burlesque began to be associated with ‘exotic’ dancing and striptease, and it is this American or ‘neo’ burlesque that has become so popular in London now.
I associate burlesque with women’s gradual breaking free from sexual repression. If a man embraces his sexuality he’s considered masculine, but if a woman does same, she might be branded a “slut”. Burlesque challenges these social norms by releasing female sexuality into society, with the woman being completely in charge of her own body.
At the end of the show my friend turned to me looking shocked but also beaming, and told me that she now got it. Because the stripping isn’t just about teasing; it’s about having fun, and breaking social taboos. So, if you’re still not convinced, I suggest you go and watch some. You never know, you might just enjoy it and want to get a pair of sparkly nipple tassels as well.
