Risque Bizniz - 31st Aug 12

Today has been a day of differences, for one it started with coffee with the Minister followed by an evening’s entertainment with old fashioned “Burlesque”. Ahh!!! Burlesque…….. I hear you all think, what is that. Well, let me tell you it was not what we three Red Hatters thought it would be; “A dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works. Or a kind of variety show with gentlemen dressed as ladies with elaborate costumes designed to show off a feminine figure while singing songs with lots on innuendo, as often seen on the European Cabaret Acts”. But I digress…….

We got to the theatre early so that we could have a cuppa before the start of the show. Cheryle insisted we sit on the couches rather than at the coffee tables. So we did and drank our tea while discussing our day and people watching. We noticed that people here all seem to have brought their own drink and nibbles and were all making themselves comfy. It was only than that we realized that the show would not be held in the theatre but on the small stage in front of the coffee tables.

The stage had a piano with candelabra on it – we started to think that the show would be a cabaret act with the singers coming down from the stage to sing amount the audience, and of course with German accents!! Just like in all the best movies. We were also told on our arrival that tonight’s performance would be a very informal affair. So, we Red Hatters went with the flow and every so often we would glimpse some of the young actors coming through from backstage to meet their friends etc.

All of the actors were sporting red outfits and being red hatters we discussed the various merits of these. There was a wide selection of boas, hats of many descriptions, flowers to wear in your hair or hat and the odd risqué outfit discreetly covered by a coat, but offering us just enough of a glimpse to get us either admiring it but wishing we were younger or had the figure to do the outfit justice. The main thing all the outfits had in common, apart from the colour red, was that they seemed a bit skimpy but in keeping with our thoughts on what would be needed to perform “Burlesque.”

All too soon the place started to fill up and we shared our little corner with a couple of young men, who might I add were very impressed with our red outfits. We of course explained that we were Red Hatters and how as we grow older we just want to have fun. In hindsight it may not have been the best way to describe ourselves……….but thankfully no harm was done and the young lads accepted us a bunch of eccentric ladies.

The lights finally dimmed and the Master of Ceremonies came on stage with Madam Tickler. His face covered in white face paint. In fact he looked a bit like the joker from the Batman films.  And Madam Tickler was dressed a bit like a French Maid from the Hello Hello series. He told a few jokes, in a German accent, before introducing the first act. A young lady dressed in a cream “Charleston outfit”

The music started to play and she mimicked singing along to a song while performing her version of the Charleston. Her version for some reason involved her slowly removing her long gloves and flinging them into the audience and every so often she would drop the shoulder strap of her outfit – just teasing the audience and then shaking her index finger from side to side - in a” No No” fashion - as if to say we were very naughty. But before you know it the young lady had removed her dress and we three red hatters were left sitting speechless, for the first time that evening. And I kept thinking about what we had said to the young lads about wanting to have fun…………..and hoping they did not take it the wrong way.


It seems that Burlesque is a form of striptease where the ladies strip down to their underwear and finally take off their bra as they turn to face the audience in the last few seconds before they exit stage left/right to much applause. After the initial shock we sat back and enjoyed the show. It was very well choreographed and the ladies teased the audience with their routines before giving them a brief glimpse of their “titties” ( a word much used by the Master of Ceremonies).

The audience; a mixture of young and old as well as ladies and gentlemen  - all showed these brave souls the greatest of respect. All in all it was a great evening full of risque fun and laughter.  At the end of the evening we were informed that the Burlesque troupe would be recruiting on the Monday and if anyone would like to join the troupe they would be made very welcome

We Red Hatters gave it a moment’s thought - well more like a nanosecond - and decided not to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Now as I write this I wonder how Delia will explain to the Minister how the rest of her day went when she sees him on Sunday.