‘La Soiree’ is a review of a burlesque show in Union Square. Years of interest in the underground and hipster world have taught me that burlesque just happens to be a revived interest. What seemed to be a vague artform of the speakeasys and pubs of the early 20th century has been turned in a vivacious triumph of the human body’s capacity for sexual dramafication. Although my own tastes in this genre are modest, I found that the author of this article took considerable interest in the bodies and mannerisms of the artists that worked ‘La Soiree’. His choice of words included ‘hunk’ ‘beefcake’ ‘naughty’ which made me wonder if we were still talking about people. Clearly, this is a genre that embraces exaggeration and frivolousness.
However outside my comfort zone burlesque, and conversations about it, seem to be, I rather appreciated the strange number of combinations that were thrown out in this one show. Groucho Marx, Queen, bowler hats, bathtubs, magic tricks and West Side Story are all influences that I would not expect to be put into one single show. The reviewers takes delight in the conglomeration of all these influences but embraces not its idealogical superposition but rather its tease and appeal to the body.
The location of this show is also interesting. As Lou Reed once sang ‘walk down to Union Square, you never know what you’ll find there’, this area of the city has the uncanny ability to combine any sort of genres, subjects and people possible. In this case though, it isn’t the underground connection that brings burlesque to the stage- rather it is a mainstream British reviewed production in a very tame Union Square Theater. This in fact shows the transition of burlesque from a hushed inappropriate subject to an open and enjoyable (soon for all ages) entertainment. Funny how often that happens.
I think that the artistic side of burlesque is still alive and well in Brooklyn, but occasionally it is interested to see what it can do on the main stage with influences from far corners and inclusions of ‘sexy’ jugglers.
This was really well written and drawing. I do think Union Square is a great platform to revive this idea and it would be extremely interesting to see how they adjusted it to be formatted for all ages. The ability to bring sex appeal into an already broad spectrum of characteristics only furthers the ability to capture the public’s eye with it’s sexy jugglers. Even though I really enjoy seeing totally new ideas come into the arts world, when done right the revival of ideas can be just as interesting. It is amazing that they can incorporate Groucho Marx, someone who was on non-color TV in a way that still catches the interests of people today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BPm40HGTk4