ARTS REVIEW: 'STRIP STRIP HOORAY' AT THE ROXY
Dita Von Teese Brings Glitz and Glam to Hollywood in a Supreme Spectacle of Burlesque
(May 17-18, 2011 in Hollywood, California) Strip Strip Hooray is a supreme spectacle of a burlesque show orchestrated by one of the top burlesque performers in the world, Dita von Teese, and debuted at legendary music venue The Roxy in West Hollywood, California, prior to heading out on the road to more cities and venues in the upcoming months. In addition to Dita, the show features a cast of renowned performers from all over the world.
The Roxy is an interesting choice of venue for this type of show, where visuals are of such importance. While the stage is of generous size and has a catwalk projecting into the center of the room, the audience to stage right were seated VIP ticketholders, while the audience to stage left were general admission, which was standing room only. The problem with standing room at a burlesque show is that it means anyone not standing in the first two rows misses about half of each routine. Anytime a dancer sits on a chair, does intricate floorwork, or steps out to mingle with the VIPs, a portion of the audience is gone. Not to mention that, when burlesque-loving ladies in LA go out, there is apparently an unspoken minimum 4” heel height rule. Asking those ladies in their sky-high footwear to stand for three hours (doors opened an hour before the two-hour show) is borderline cruel. Fortunately, the show is so superb that everyone was having far too much fun to notice!
The fun was immediately brought in large quantities by gender-mysterious host Mr. Murray Hill. Hill gained an almost instant rapport with the audience, bantering with individuals about everything from sexual identity to wardrobe choice, but all from a place of openness and inclusion. In addition to introducing the acts, Hill engaged each of the guest performers post-routine in a variety of quirky bits, vamped during scene changes, and kept the audience more engaged than any host I’ve ever seen, while all the while making lowbrow humor somehow highbrow with a true vaudevillian flair. At one point, Hill even hosted a dance competition between three audience members, including the exotic Prince Poppycock from America’s Got Talent Season 5. If you’re interested in hosting a show, or even if you are an experienced host already, do everyone a favor and go see Murray Hill at least once. That is how it should be done!
A Dita von Teese show should, of course, feature plenty of Dita, and the Roxy show had her performing three of her most glamorous routines. As the show opener, she debuted her new “Swarovski Martini” act, in which she started off dressed in dapper tux with Marlene Deitrich-esque sass and strut, and then finished in a new, far more bedazzled version of her famous Martini glass. The second routine was her “Powder Puff Pinup Show” in which an inanimate object comes to life a la the Nutcracker -- in this case, the powder puff inside a compact. Dita glides around en pointe, her puffs becoming smaller and smaller until the finale in which she powders herself. The grand finale was the “Opium Den” act, an oriental fantasy complete with giant Asian fans, Swarovski crystal cheongsam, and a shower of cherry blossoms.
Interspersed throughout the evening were a host of exuberant and talented performers that provided an excellent counterpoint to Dita’s reserved mystique. The most exciting was La Cholita -- a curvy firecracker who was a non-stop blur of pink ruffles in her flamenco number, finishing with a tassel-twirling extravaganza. She had personality oozing from every pore and whipped the audience into a frenetic state. Straight from the Crazy Horse in Paris was Lada -- a tall Russian who exhibited an infectious, childlike joy. Slightly less polished than the other artists, Lada performed two acts, including one of Dita’s classic numbers using a giant heart that exhibited her flexibility. Diamondback Annie arrived onstage as a 1970s Elvis, performing her burlesque number exactly as one would imagine the King would, if he burlesqued. The ladies in the audience went wild for Monsieur Romeo, a boylesque performer. Romeo’s act was very minimalistic, relying heavily on walking and interacting with the crowd, but the women still loved it. From New Orleans was Perle Noire, winner of Best Debut at the Miss Exotic World competition. Her number started slow, weaving spells with her powerful arms, and then culminated in a gymnastic tribute to Josephine Baker. Lastly was Raja, the winner from Season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, who strutted in feathery fabulousness to “Whatever Lola Wants,” towering over all with a two-foot headdress.
The poweful energy onstage ebbed and flowed throughout and overall, Dita’s new show provided a great evening of entertainment, showcased some fabulous burlesque talent, and featured more than enough rhinestones to dazzle even the most cynical viewer...see it for yourself in upcoming dates coming to New Orleans, Dallas, Houston and a city near you soon...
For Fans Of: Dita von Teese, The Burlesque Hall of Fame, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Crazy Horse Paris
See The Show For Yourself: Ticket Information
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