Lily Verlaine's Nightcap Burlesque

A packed house attended the Triple Door last night to see the latest Burlesque show in the Nightcap series. This one did not disappoint. With a smaller cast than a full length show, producer Lily Verlaine presented a compact and consistent show with a regular high calibre of performer. She herself kicked the show off with a quality turn to the musical accompaniment of La Vie en Rose, and then produced a Charleston like dance, successfully transporting us back into an earlier era.

What came next was equally invigorating as a young dancer ca lled Fuschia Foxx belly danced as exotically as anything I have seen in the inevitable belly dance scene in a Bond film. She really is very good and demonstrated a total control over every extremity as she gyrated to the accompaniment.

Minnesotan Nadine Dubois guest hosted the show but probably it requires a longer show and perhaps a drunker audience to eke the best out of a lady of such personality. Indigo Blue was also on hand performing an inventive and original routine involving a fetish for biscotti. It’s always welcome to see even the most experienced of performers coming up with new routines. The audience loved this one, and in general love Miss Indigo, as do I. Still wondering how I get to meet her though. ;-)

Babette LaFavre has an extraordinary angle on this art form. She performs largely from behind a tarpaulin. Nonetheless with incredibly inventive use of lighting, she achieves some incredible effects and manages to alleviate our disappointment that we don’t get a little more of her flesh. It is though quite a stunning act.

The only male performer was called Ultra who lip-synched through two numbers. During the first he barely moved or acted, and the audience, comprised mainly of females, began to get restless, although you could feel they wanted to love him. In his second number, he moved, disrobed and entertained, convincing me that he has what it takes to keep an audience captivated with a better selection of act.

Each of the female artists did two separate turns and didn’t disappoint with either. The next venture for Lily is somewhat more ambitious than a short late Saturday show. She has been asked to do the Nutcracker for a ten day run, doing two shows a night in December, starting on the 14th. With twenty houses to fill, I’ll be interested to see how she does. It’s quite a task and her success will demonstrate just how strong Burlesque has become in Seattle.
By Steve Clare of examiner.com