Festival Preview: Dublin Burlesque Festival
Wednesday night saw the launch of Ireland’s first burlesque festival get underway in Harry’s on the Green, which had been transformed into a sparkly, decadent speakeasy for the occasion. Bartenders decked out in trilby hats, braces and bow ties were slinging cocktails named after the Dublin burlesque scene’s brightest stars while scarlet corset clad usherettes welcomed guests at the door. On the night, we were treated to a taste of what the upcoming festival has in store, compered by Dominique DiVine and kicked off with a fan dance by the radiant Epiphany deMeanour, wriggling out of her slinky white dress to a gorgeous version of the Mad Men theme tune. The diva stylings of Kristin Kapelli followed, where she belted out When You’re Good To Mama and Big Spender with aplomb, whilst rocking the most formidable pair of false eyelashes I’ve ever seen. Cheesecake cutie Truly DiVine was up next, searching for her imaginary backing singers and yellow basket during her adorable rendition of Ella Fitzgerald’s A-Tisket A-Tasket and flirting shamelessly with the crowd for the sumptuous Peel Me A Grape. The performances were rounded off with a splash of Boylesque, as Phil T. Gorgeous swaggered around the stage, cheekily stealing a taste of an onlooker’s cocktail to a delightfully demented Richard Cheese swing version of Alanis Morissette’s You Oughta Know and Britney’s Crazy.
The festival takes place across Dublin city centre over the weekend of Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th of September, in an assortment of venues. There’s a very special Boylesque show taking place on the Friday night in The Sugar Club, workshops covering everything from tassel twirling, fascinator-making, Charleston dancing and burlesque for beginners in the Workman’s Club on Saturday, with classes from Roxy Rhinestone, Bella A Go Go, Epiphany deMeanour, Tootsie Royale and even boylesque performance classes from Lord KXB and Fabio. A Gala Show takes place in The Button Factory on Saturday night, with top class performers specially selected from competition entries who will battle it out in a cabaret showdown to be up with a chance of winning a gong at the Sunday night Awards Show in The Sugar Club. Throughout the weekend, there will be vintage fashion shows and markets and even a spot of Saturday afternoon tease in the Mercantile.
As if all that wasn’t enough to make you itch to get your glad rags on, Screen Cinema is getting in on the act with Burlesque On Screen, a mini-season of burlesque movies running every Thursday for the month of September, including screenings of Moulin Rouge!, Mrs Henderson Presents and Behind The Burly Q, a documentary looking back at the golden age of burlesque.
Tickets are available on entertainment.ie and for more details, drop into to The Dublin Burlesque Festival website. They’re also sashaying around Facebook and Twitter, so do pop by and say hello to them, because it’s shaping up to be one hell of a festival weekend.
Photos by Tcup | Graphic Design.