Matthew Jenkin talks to burlesque star Chrys Columbine whose piano striptease is set to have pulses racing at The Orchard.
ONCE confined to the dark and seedy backstreet clubs of Soho, burlesque is fast becoming the hippest part of the new cabaret scene.
Previously reviled by prudes and feminists, the striptease has been transformed into a symbol of girl power rather than oppression.
Thanks to the sexy chicness of stars such as Dita Von Teese and movies including Moulin Rouge and the recent Cher and Christina Aguilera musical Burlesque, the slow and sensual reveal is now so mainstream, even your mum would approve. But maybe not your gran.
After having hedonistic Londoners frothing at the mouth for years now, the naughty cabaret has finally grown legs and An Evening of Burlesque is currently touring the country with an eclectic mix of cabaret, circus and, of course, striptease acts.
Hoping to get audience pulses racing at The Orchard in Dartford on July 1, piano maestro Chrys Columbine is taking finishing with a flourish to a whole new level, performing Chopin’s Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor dressed in sumptuous vintage garb and ending her act wearing considerably less.
But how does a professional concert pianist and trained actress go from classical starlet to fantasy harlot?
“When I was young I always wanted to be like the old fashioned Hollywood stars and when I saw burlesque I found a way to do that,” says Chrys.
After enjoying modelling corsets, latex and lingerie, burlesque seemed to be a marriage made in heaven — allowing the blonde bombshell to indulge both her passion for performance and fetish.
“I always wanted to stand out from the crowd and do something unique,” she says of her act, which she describes as “a series of slick movements, choreographed into the process of playing the piano”.
With its origins in the speakeasy bars of the 20s and 30s, today’s neo-burlesque retains the look and feel of the era but has been given a modern twist.
Playing a key role in the genre’s 21st century revamp is the queen of burlesque titillation, Dita Von Teese.
“She’s stirred burlesque’s reputation and made it popular,” admires Chrys of the American sex kitten.
“She’s got her own style but she hasn’t fiddled with the look and given people the wrong idea.
“Some people think burlesque is part of the sex industry when it’s not. It’s theatrical entertainment.”
An Evening of Burlesque. The Orchard, Dartford. July 1. Call 01322 220000 or visit orchardtheatre.co.uk
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