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

Moisture Festival: Burlesque & Variety in Seattle

"You got up this morning," says sandwich-maker Rob Williams to his volunteer from the audience, "and you pretty much thought you knew where this day was headed."

The volunteer acknowledges as much, and then concedes how wrong she was.

Perhaps you're thinking: "Sandwich-making — that's hardly a vaudeville-worthy activity."

Yes, but what if you do it with your feet, as the jaunty, motor-mouthed Williams does? He's just one of the surprises in the sixth annual Moisture Festival.

The festival, which alternates family-friendly shows with racier burlesque programs, is longer than ever ("because we're out of our minds," co-host Ron W. Bailey says cheerfully) and has expanded from its usual Fremont venue, Hale's Palladium at Hale's Brewery. You can see it through Sunday at ACT Theatre, or go to SIFF Cinema next weekend, where a series of circus/burlesque-inspired films will be preceded by live entertainment. Shows at Hale's continue through April 5.

On opening night, extravagantly costumed performers greeted the audience at the door and feather boas and other "moisture" keepsakes were on sale in the lobby. In the theater, the G-rated offerings included music, comedy and juggling. Best of all was the aerial work: acrobat Sally Pepper of Circus Contraption, working solo, and the Velone Sisters, delivering captivating midair displays of balance, grace and strength.

Dr. Calamari and his assistant, Acrophelia, after nimbly parodying German expressionistic cinema, performed equally demanding feats — he remaining earthbound while she perched on top of him with the nonchalance of a bird on a twig.

A cappella rockers the Bobs dropped by to perform "a nondairy version" of their favorite Cream tune, "White Room." And Tom Noddy's "bubble magic" ranged from an erupting Mount St. Helens to a rotating carousel. ("What you see here," he said, "is the result of over 30 years of playing with bubbles almost every day. My father is so thrilled.")

The most striking acts were Pinky d'Ambrosia, fantastically decked out in an op-art hoop-skirt and head-dress as she invested an operatic aria with a passion bordering on psychosis, and Godfrey Daniels, a clown of remarkable proportions with a slow but oddly perilous balloon routine. Most acts will be appearing again at some point between now and April 5. The lineup changes slightly every night, so check the schedule for details.

Note: "Family-friendly" doesn't mean entirely vanilla. Risqué moments on Wednesday included jokes designed to fly over the kids' heads and a dance number by Du Caniveaux Dancing Bears, whose décolletage was not what it seemed.

But this wasn't raunchy fare. For that, the burlesque shows are the ones to go to — as the names of the performers (Indigo Blue, Ben DeLaCreme, the Von Foxies) suggest.

by Michael Upchurch

Seattle's 6th Annual Moisture Festival

The 6th Annual Moisture Festival kicks off March 11, 2009 at ACT with 10 shows in the Falls Theatre. This year, as a part of The Central Heating Lab at ACT, the festival plans to dazzle and delight even more people, of all ages, with five Grand Varietè shows (family friendly) and five Burlesque shows (18 years and over). On March 19th, the Festival continues with comedy/varietè shows at Hales Palladium through April 5, 2009.

The family friendly all ages varietè shows include captivating acts of skill and daring - be it aerial, acrobatic, clowning, rope tricks, sketch comedy, juggling, dancing, singing, magic, puppetry, and astonishing bubbles. A live show band provides the underlying pulse that propels the show to create a fantastic family entertainment experience. Performances are: March 11, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m.; March 14 at 2:00 p.m. and March 15 at 5:30 p.m.

For an intimate adult evening, The Moisture Festival presents its glorious Libertease Burlesque shows. Featuring a tantalizing mix of burlesque stars and ribald comedy/varietè acts, these shows seduce and delight while tickling your funny bone. Performances are: March 12, 13, 14 at 10:30 p.m.; March 12 at 7:30 p.m. and March 15 at 8:30 p.m.

Tickets to the varietè shows are $10-$20, and $15-$25 for the burlesque performances. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.acttheatre.org or call ACT's Ticket Office at (206) 292-7676.

Aerialists:
The Aerialistas - Seattle's premiere all girl aerial gang
Eric Newton - formerly with Cirque de Soleil
Tamara the Trapeze Lady - Columbia City Cabaret Mistress of Ceremonies
Richochet - Aerial duo, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Sally Pepper - Seattle star of the rope swing, Circus Contraption
The Velone Sisters - aerial duo from The Aerialistas and UMO ensemble
Quynbi
Amanda Crockett

Burlesque:
Trixie Little and the Evil Hate Monkey - Baltimore
Indigo Blue - Star of the new film "A Wink and A Smile"
Miss Lily Verlaine
The Shanghai Pearl
Inga Ingénue

Plus:
Baby Gramps, Bellini Twins, Daniel Forlano, Dr Calamari & Acrophelia, Flaming Idiots, Foolz, Fyodor Karamazov, Godfrey Daniels, Hilary Chaplain, Hokum W. Jeebs, Jim Page, Jonathan Rose, Lelavision, Los Magnificos!, Mud Bay Jugglers, The Peculiärs, Reid Belstock, Rob Williams, Smerdyakov Karamazov. UMO Ensemble

This performance genre has its roots in the Music Halls of 19th century England. It evolved into Cabaret in Europe and Vaudeville in America. It's an intriguing assortment of entertainment featuring highly skilled performance mixed with unique talents, often humorous, with no limit to the imagination. The Moisture Festival's Varietè shows feature a rapid succession of acts showcasing comedy alongside awe-inspiring physical and mental dexterity, with poignant moments of strength and delicate beauty. Aerialists, jugglers, comedians, dancers, rope acts, bubble acts, clowns, acrobats, can can girls, tap dancers, drill teams, the weird and the wonderful- all keeping the tradition of Comedy/Varietè/Vaudeville alive. Each show is propelled by a live show band.