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Saturday, 2 June 2012

British & World Male Crown at the World Burlesque Games 2012 - Royal Vauxhall Tavern - 10th May

Chaz Royal's all male cast, showcasing UK and international performers, attracted a very rowdy, mischievous audience at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, a pub in the heart of the gay community in London.




A show full of bawdy humour, satire and parody, Boylesque brings us another angle to the original traits of burlesque, with vaudeville entertainment and the art of striptease in their own individual way.
A much anticipated show in this festival, the ladies were out in force. Judging from this vociferous crowd, full of screams, raucous throughout the whole show, ladies and gentlemen, had a great time. The dress code might not have reflected the glamour of other events, but this crowd was one of the most engaging this week!

Joe Black, our compère for the night, a charismatic eccentric who captivated the audience taking them on a roller coaster of laughter, rudeness and entertainment in his unique style.




On the menu tonight, Lord Ritz tried to teach us some British etiquette in his top hat and tails; the good boy turns bad stripping to a corset and Union Jack underpants sending the spectators on a whistling frenzy.
But this was just the starter. Duke De Milo, full of class and charm and his tribute to 'Chicago' gives a brilliant performance, dancing and singing all the way to his striptease that leaves the audience in a state of relish.



Lord Ritz (UK)




Duke De Milo (UK)


Expecting the best from the boys tonight, the crowd is delighted at Mr Mistress in his long dress, ostrich feather fans and painted beard, who dances his way from one gender to another with perfect moves.
Undeniably, the most applause so far and Absolutely Fabulous!


Mr Mistress (UK)



The best of British advances in a safari expedition with Hooray Henry juggling with fire; his fantastic acrobatics raise the heat to a hot raunchy striptease in his 'standing to attention' finale.


Hooray Henry (UK)


But nothing had prepared us for the final act of this round! British Heart in his white coat, surgical mask, plastic goggles and black gloves had us fooled thinking this might just be a lab act. But what a performance! A white coat for a most bonkers act...!
The mad scientist...!

Changing into a leopard's print outfit, a real animal is born! British Heart shows us everything he can do...! And I mean everything! Leaving nothing to the imagination when the crowd gasps loudly as the only item separating us from his 'sexual organ' is a cock-sock that he snatches off then covers himself with a load of foam... To the crowd's astonishment, he leaps onto the audience who quickly disperses in a panic, fleeing the mad scientist gone truly bonkers...!


British Heart (UK)




After British came The rest of the World....!

For entertainment loaded with energy, Smokin McQueen and his bunch of bananas provided great moves to 'I want to be like you' from the 'Jungle Book'. A favourite amongst the crowd tonight who gives a great ovation to the strip leading to the 'one banana' epilogue...!


Smokin McQueen (USA)


All the way from the USA gallops in Go-Go Harder with his cow-boy theme; the boy next door meets the whore. A fabulous performance of 'horse riding', line dancing and striptease. An extremely entertaining act according to the frenzy and screaming crowd. A crowd hard to tame after Go-Go Harder wears nothing more than his hat to hide his 'manhood'! To show us he has been branded, an illuminated 'H' on his dick pouch provoked a standing ovation with an 'encore'...!


Go-Go Harder (USA)


And finally, flying in from Spain, Marcos and his parody of Freddy Mercury's 'I want to break free' is still a favourite, no matter how many times you have seen it. Marcos is an extremely talented acrobat who, despite the small stage and unable to perform his famous aerial act, still wowed the crowd with his agile body and his floor gymnastics...!

But did the judging panel reflect the decision of the audience...?

A big applause for British Heart, winning the British Male Crown and Go-Go Harder who swishes away the International Male Crown, to the delight and screams of the audience...!

Absolutely fantastic night...! One of the most entertaining burlesque I have ever attended and if I were to recommend any show, I would direct you to this one, so watch out for next year and in the meantime, find out where these boys are performing and judge for yourselves...

Tonight it was Boylesque with a capital B - one of the best bawdy, vaudeville Burlesque...! Well done Boys...!


Eva Lamour



All photos by JAMES DRURY



Hooray Henry (UK)



British Heart (UK)



The Great Leo (Belgium)




Alan Debevoise (Italy)




Go-Go Harder (USA)



Marcos (Spain)





Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Twisted Crown at the London World Burlesque Games 2012 - at Madame Jojo's - 9th May

Chaz Royal's Twisted Crown delivered one of the freakiest shows in burlesque cabaret at Madame Jojo's.
Showcasing a cast of performers with a touch of the twisted mind, we all expected the best of bizarre.




Freaky from the start, the theatrically strange character, Benjamin Louche, with his big eerie eyes, creepy disposition and his mysterious air owns the stage, winning the audience over. A brilliant host for the Twisted cabaret, Benjamin Louche matches his lexicon to his character: unusual, daring and creative...! The perfect compère for the weird and freaky. Not only he engages the crowd, he provokes, pushes boundaries and keeps the humour till the end...!



Benjamin Louche


The Twisted Cabaret is where burlesque meets fetish, complete with BDSM and a touch of ghastly. After all, where on earth would you find two Canadian entertainers playing the masochist game? The Monsters of Schlock are raving bonkers using the most vile props: mousetrap, electric bat, an animal trap, and a sledgehammer with a concrete breeze-block. Twisted performers? Yes, but even more twisted crowd...! Plenty of 'Ooohhs' and 'Aaaahs' but let's face it, these perverted minds love it..! A bunch of sadists who thoroughly enjoyed this unusual side of burlesque...! And judging by this packed room and the spectators' reactions, it is obvious that Chaz Royal has a good insight as to what his public wants...!!



The Monsters of Schlock


Thankfully, we get a respite from the masochism; not all acts have you on the edge of your seat...!

Bettina Spakenhaus performs her Phantom of the Opera act, with her 'companion' attached to her, demonstrating great coordination skills. The flirting, the kissing, the dancing, it is a mixture of bizarre and beautiful, all the way to the sensual finish. An act worth a place in the Twisted cabaret.


Bettina Spakenhaus


Aliens and Gremlins probably applied for tonight's show, and so very kindly, weird but wonderfully talented V J Spankie obliged, parading with a gremlin on her backside. A brilliant entertainer and one I always enjoy watching, her very personal touch, and creativity, brings originality to any act; worthy to be applauded. A parody of David Bowie in Labyrinth, and playing with 'her big cock', her show has plenty of wit, dare and fun. What a performance!




V J Spankie


From Gremlin to Harlequin, Zora Vipera, a Swiss performer, wows us with her attire and her wonderful fire breathing act.
Part of the enjoyment of burlesque is undoubtedly the costumes, the grand and unusual way performers own the stage with beautiful outfits. While we all enjoyed the weird and freaky, I can't help admiring Zora's theatrical piece, with all the glamour and a zest of the unusual and sensual...!



Zora Vipera


Competing for the Twisted Crown, tonight's performers are all worthy of the winning place, as Chaz has gathered first rate entertainers who do freaky burlesque the grand way, bringing us beautiful, bizarre and weird.

But the Twisted show could not exist without the freakiest character of all...! We have seen him perform before and whether we get his humour or not, Big Chief Random Chaos is certainly chaotic, loud, bonkers and daring all the way...! Dragging a man from the audience, whom he chooses to call 'Jeff', Big Chief takes on the mission to traumatise the poor soul who is subjected to tribal lap dance, followed by a striptease... The audience, who falls over in stitches, cheers for more... He gets spanked by Jeff, sets his mohican on fire and performs his big finale right in the midst of the crowd... An entertainer who has us on the edge of our seat, never knowing what is coming next...! No wonder he took the crown tonight...! Freaky? Absolutely... but showbusiness, all the way...! In my view, they were all winners tonight, because it takes the most creative performers to offer us such a sublime array of wonder.... Bravo to you all...!!



Eva Lamour



Winner: Big Chief Random Chaos

1st Runner Up: The Monsters of Schlock

2nd Runner Up: V J Spankie








Big Chief Random Chaos



Other Performers:

Kitty Ribbons
Bambam Blue
Bettina Spankenhaus
Lottie Kixx
Zora Vipera

PHOTOS BY JAMES DRURY



The whole troupe


Bambam Blue


Lottie Kixx


Saturday, 19 May 2012

Triple Crown at the London World Burlesque Games 2012 - The Floridita


The much anticipated World Burlesque Games 2012 finally opened its doors at the Floridita, in the heart of Soho, on the 8th May, with the Triple Crown show.




Chaz Royal chose a fantastic venue for this show, ensuring all odds were on his side. The Floridita oozes glamour, with a grandiose decor, perfect for a burlesque cabaret.

Celebrating its 6th birthday, the London Burlesque Festival still tops the A-list of burlesque cabarets in London, judging by the crowd present. Personally, I was awaiting these acts with great expectations.



Chaz Royal and 'Secret In Lace'




Chaz and Betty D'Light


Greeted by some gorgeous performers modelling the Secret In Lace lingerie line, we all took time to enjoy the prelude. Chatting, drinking, posing for the amalgam of cameras present, it was a pleasure for all. My time to ask questions and find out about various acts and future development in the burlesque milieu; all important information for the Burlesque Map London.


Betty D'Light







This year, Chaz organised the festival with the help of Betty D' Light, a talented performer with a smile that would refresh and vivify the most miserable soul...! A perfect ambassador for the Burlesque Games...!

After much precious time dining and socialising, the audience was still buzzing, anticipating and expecting the best of burlesque tonight. The judging panel ready now to enjoy and observe, and the papparazi out in force, all eyes on the stage.

Miss Behave, compère extraordinaire, witty, saucy and theatrical, she is a natural at engaging the crowd. Confident and vibrant in her demeanor, she owns the stage with brilliance. An accomplished performer, Miss Behave never tires to impress us. A good compère makes all the difference; we can enjoy the journey to each act as a full part of the show.



Miss Behave


The Games opened with a most impressive Anna the Hulagan. Her hula hoop act, her agility and her originality wowed the crowd who couldn't stop cheering and raving. As she sets fire to the hoop, her body sensually teases the fire while performing a striptease revealing her acrobatic body. A first class act worthy of the applause and the acclamation it attracts.
Excellent brilliance from a saucy, salacious 'hulagan'...!

An act difficult to follow, or so you might think.

Kiki Lovechild brings a different kind of burlesque to the stage accompanied by his hand puppets. A wonderfully entertaining performance, Kiki, and his ostrich puppet, sends the crowd into a wave of laughter and finishes with an 'encore' - a true performer and entertainer, with his parody of tease and strip, he is worthy of a first place...!

Two acts so far, and the night promises to be filled with first-class acts, so I am not sure how on earth the panel is going to choose a winner if all performances follow this high standard we have witnessed so far...!





Anna the Hulagan






Kiki Lovechild





Showcasing performers from the UK, Australia and the USA, the night provides us with a mixture of parody, satire and wit presented in an entertaining, funny and daring manner. The many faces of burlesque attract and enthral a varied public, all expecting to be amused by a lot more than just a variety show. Unquestionably, the tease and the strip are all part of it, together with acrobatics, fire breathing, story telling; a true burlesque performer is more than just a dancer or a tease, it is a skilled 'showman'.

While most acts are undoubtedly burlesque, Tango Manga leaves us wondering what the connection with burlesque is, as their routine is merely a lap dancing number for a man who has very little significance in this performance except looking completely lost. Pleasing to some eyes, no doubt, but burlesque? Not really...!

Great costumes are as much part of the act as the performance itself. Tonight we have been delighted with some great attires.
Lexi Sexx with half her face covered in a mask, her eccentric act consisting in some masochism, burning her tongue and a nail and hammer...! Finishing with wax poured over her body...! Madness, eccentricity with a touch of exoticism.

Of course, there is no doubt that the striptease and tassel twirling are a complete part of many acts, and the audience would be highly disappointed if they were not teased to the full. Bunny Pistol brings a tassel twirling act of her own...! Her bottom cheeks provide the entertainment as much as the rest! Turning from back to front, showing us how she controls her assets...! A great cheer from the crowd who enjoys a good twirl with a difference.

A magnificent crowd for a brilliant show, but sadly not all can be winners.

Anna the Hulagan took first place whilst Kiki Lovechild came second. Although it felt, by the applause they attracted, both acts were worthy of first place. An opinion I easily share; both wonderfully entertaining in their own special and different way.


Anna the Hulagan - crowned winner of the Triple Crown Games



A splendid night at a perfect venue with glamour all around. A night to remember...!
Bring on the next one, Mr Chaz Royal...!


Eva Lamour


SOME PHOTOS FROM THE TRIPLE CROWN BY JAMES DRURY



Clara Cupcakes



Lexi Sexx



Missy Fatale




Bunny Pistol



Betty D'Light and Duke de Milo