delightfully raunchy
Rating: 5
My Girdle is Killing Me
KC Fringe Festival
Though I've barely scratched the surface of what's available via the Fringe, I'd venture to say this is easily one of the Fest's best!
How much fun is it? Burlesque isn't even particularly my thing at all, but I found 'MGIKM' to be wild fun - surprisingly naughty and nice. Who knew shamelessness could also often be somehow delicate and dainty? Go fig.
In typical burlesque fashion, the show hangs on a 'plot' as flimsy as what each performer is eventually wearing. Nevertheless, the slight tale (with its refreshing lesbian subtext) is clever and contains a charming potpourri of songs, skits and skin. (In a way, this is gay theater for a straight audience - but it's simultaneously very very hetero.)
There really isn't a weak link here. Kitty Von Minx is a confident MC and she hosts a terrific group of gals. Unfortunately, I'm a bit at sea with names (I wish the songs had been listed in the program), but the performer who sings Kander and Ebb's "If" manages to out-do Liza! And the gal doing a cute bit with a photo album then bursts into a forceful turn with a song I'd never heard. I'm aware I'm at 'dangerous' risk of short-changing members of the memorable ensemble (and I apologize)...but, if absolutely forced to mention a stand-out, I'd have to go with Annie Cherry and her, uh...rendition of Nick Cave's 'Red Right Hand'. Yowza! As well, Cherry's real-life beau Artemus Vulgaris has a marvelously expressive face for this type of material - and, in one segment, his various attempts at murder are...well, endearing somehow. But, again, that's just me: everyone in the show does a terrific job!
This doesn't happen to me all that often during a theater outing, but I was sitting behind someone who had the potential to make me lose my reason (ah, men!) - but even that wasn't reason enough to make me lose sight of what was so fearlessly front and center!
read the review at KC Stage
To clarify: It was Violet Vendetta who performed 'Red Right Hand'. Was the "...gal doing a cute bit with a photo album then bursts into a forceful turn with a song I'd never heard." Thanks to all who came to the shows. We had a brilliant time!
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