I arrived at the Whitely Bay Playhouse for An Evening of Burlesque with a question: what exactly counts as burlesque?
I had a little read beforehand and found the Academy of Burlesque & Cabaret’s guide. It traces the art form from parody and comedy through to the glamour and variety we associate with it today. As it turned out, that was a useful way to approach this show.
The showgirls opened the evening in full glitz and glamour, drawing us straight into their world. From there, each performer brought something different. The dance routines were sharply choreographed, the fire-eating act was a particular highlight for me, and the lighting looked superb. I especially appreciated that it illuminated the action without shining into my eyes and making me miss it.
Our compère, the delightful Ivy Paige, kept proceedings moving with warmth and humour. She also had a chance to show off her excellent singing voice. You may recognise her from The Voice UK. There was no programme at Whitley Bay, unfortunately, so I initially couldn’t give the other performers the individual credit they deserve. However I have since received the full cast list, they were; Abi Collins, Dani Rejano, Belle De Beauvoir, Cherry Shakewell, Athena Beauvoir, Serafina Hart and the Vegas Showgirls.
The audience interaction was another strength. It made the evening feel inclusive, and the crowd clearly enjoyed being part of the fun. When invited to stand and join in, around three-quarters of the audience were on their feet.
At times, the show felt closer to cabaret or variety than to what I had imagined burlesque would be. But the mix worked: comedy and speciality acts gave the dance routines room to breathe, while the more serious performances gained impact from the change of pace.
A couple of choices weakened the atmosphere for me. “YMCA” drew an enthusiastic response, but it shifted the mood from theatrical allure towards holiday park entertainment. I also felt Ivy’s song at the beginning could have been chosen to better establish the world the show was creating.
The one thing I didn’t really see on stage was cast camaraderie. Each performer delivered their individual act very well, but it wasn’t until the end that they came together. I found it hard to tell whether they were supporting one another as a cast or performing as individual stars. More duo or trio dances might have helped bring that sense of togetherness to the show.
Those points aside, An Evening of Burlesque was a thoroughly enjoyable night out and good value for a ticket. It offers glamour, skilled dancing, impressive speciality acts and plenty of laughs. If you’re curious about burlesque but haven’t been to a show before, this is an entertaining introduction. Men should be prepared to be the subject of a joke or two!
Four stars. ★★★★☆ A night of glamour with plenty of surprises and Ivy Paige holding the evening together beautifully
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