Burlesque Fest: Striptease meets the circus
Monica Rudd, Associate Staff Contributor
After high school, most people either work up the corporate ladders at companies like McDonald’s or the Gap, or go on to post-secondary in pursuit of a steady occupation in fields such as business or education. A very select few, however, like my fellow White Rock high-school graduate Lorin, go into the world of partying and entertainment. Lorin, aka Betty Barracuda, is part of The Ultra Vixen Peepshow, a modern rock and roll burlesque/striptease troupe from Vancouver. These vixens, voted the number-one party girls in Vancouver by The Georgia Straight, were part of the three-day, second annual Vancouver International Burlesque Festival at the Croatian Cultural Centre on Friday, February 23.
So what is burlesque, anyway? Is it stripping? A distinct type of dance? Theatre? The extent of my knowledge of burlesque culture before attending the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival was, well, nothing other than a suspicion of Moulin Rouge-type performances by women in barely-there, gaudy costumes similar to the styles of Betty Page or the corsets and fishnet garments of Moulin Rouge or The Rocky Horror Picture Show. What I didn’t know was that although stripping is one element of burlesque, the overall show is about humour. In fact, comedy skits with R-rated material divided the cheeky shows.
“Burlesque derived from vaudeville. You know, like Abbott and Costello. Anyone too dirty for vaudeville would get into burlesque. The ‘blue humour’ of burlesque refers to how comedians would be blue-slipped as a warning to clean up their act or get fired,” says the corset-donning Melanie Mangler, burlesque producer, performer, and choreographer. “[Burlesque is] just about having fun. It’s about people laughing and relaxing about sex. Relaxing about the female form. Like, in strip clubs you feel guilty. Burlesque has a party vibe and gets you excited about the body . . . burlesque means ‘to make fun of.’ It’s about dirty humour. It’s about girls in elaborate costumes . . . think of it like a variety show.”
Back in the early days of burlesque, from the 1860s to 1930s, burlesque was not only seen as scandalous for its raunchy humour and graphic celebration of sex, but also because the women in these shows, like burlesque star Linda Thompson, would refuse to accept social norms by showing their legs without leggings or refusing to wear corsets. In those days, it was unacceptable to show the female form. I must admit, it is still shocking to see dozens of women strip down to their underwear on a stage in front of a large crowd. If it weren’t for the awe, why else would anyone else witness such an act?
Yet, I must point out that there is quite a difference in modern burlesque compared to that of the early 20th century. This year’s Vancouver International Burlesque Festival was just the second installment of the event, which received early buzz and continues to grow. “We won’t know [how popular burlesque becomes again] until we’re back on Broadway.” Mangler is speaking of the ‘30s, before the art of burlesque went downhill to striptease in the ‘40s and ‘50s. She does point out the misconception between pin-up style and burlesque. People, pin-up is still-photography. Burlesque is live, colourful, and comedic.
So how does one get involved with such a notion? To ordinary ol’ me, the idea of becoming a burlesque performer is not a far stretch from running off and joining the circus. Mangler, also of Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society, sees it differently. “I’ve been in drama and dance all my life. I was inspired by Josephine Baker, the highest-paid woman in the world at the time of 1920s. She would walk down the streets of Paris with pet panthers, monkeys. You might know her as the girl with the banana skirt. She’d bug her eyes out, do a camel walk, dance goofy, and get naked. Her most famous quote was, ‘I wasn’t naked, I just simply didn’t have any clothes on,’” she said. Screaming Chicken originated from Mangler’s days working at the Colbalt, where the group continues to perform. In those days burlesque was used to prime the ladies and get them excited so that they would get involved in the “R-rated Gameshow,” where cans of beans would be dumped down people’s pants. Screaming Chicken also does specific events. For example, every Halloween, a version of Ed Wood’s B horror movie The Orgy of the Dead is brought back to life.
So what is VIBF all about, then? The celebration of history, comedy, theatre, dance, women, sex, and the city in burlesque’s global context? The answer is all of the above, plus more. I was surprised by the dozens of burlesque performers who had migrated from all over the West Coast for this event. Apparently the burlesque industry is flourishing more than I had thought.
“The internet is great for burlesque and making contacts, but it’s more exciting to meet or see a person in real life,” Mangler said. Burlesque was nothing less than exciting with all the sights, sounds, lights, and sparkles. But if you’re looking for a family affair, take the kids to the circus.