Shimmery Burlesque Melbourne - Review

Post

Subscribe

Posted 2024-05-26 by Jen ⇒ follow

Thu 23 May 2024 - Sun 26 May 2024

Images a9 Beth Watkins

Shimmery Burlesque did not give Melbourne audiences long enough to immerse themselves in all the glamour, glitz, and grind that took over the stage at The Athenaeum Theatre, 188 Collins Street, in the City. Here from 23-26 May 2024, I hope you were fortunate enough to get tickets for the last day of the show, Sunday 26 May at 6pm. You can't really go wrong with seating at the venue as it's not super large, and you have a good vantage point from almost everywhere. With so many performers/dancers on stage, you need to step back a little in any case, to grasp them all in your sightline.

Part of the creative team , this is the story of Head of Costume Design for the Production, Kerrie Schultz, the real Lady Shimmery. We follow the story of this young dressmaker all the way from Melbourne to the city of Paris in 2010, where she is inspired by the art of Burlesque. It ignites her passion for something more than fashion design and bridal couture. Kerrie and her daughter Holly (Creator and Director of Shimmery Burlesque) were captivated by the opulence of French Cabaret, and Holly began performing Burlesque a few years later, with Kerrie making all her costumes. From these little sparks, fanned a flame, and 'Shimmery Couture' was born, and has since created costumes for some of the world's best in Burlesque.

In a way, a love letter to her mother, Holly developed this stage show about her mother's life, which made its debut in 2022, and inadvertently became a sister-strong production, and a beacon for body positivity, diversity and self-love. A female writer, director, producer and female-led story, it smacks of female empowerment, with a powerful message to embrace being ourselves. Holly has also embraced the classic allure of Burlesque, and pushed this traditionally solo art form into a grand-scale ensemble production with a story. It's an extravaganza at its best with the dance numbers, the opulence of the costumes, and a mix of old time music from a bygone era, in a style of entertainment you don't see often. Enjoy songs from Frank Sinatra like 'I get a kick out of you' or 'La vie en rose' by Edith Piaf that takes you all the way to Paris. Music and set design take you on a journey from Melbourne to Paris.

With a cast of many lighting up the stage, as they glisten with rhinestones, feathers and tassels, you'll be privy to big, beautiful Burlesque numbers that form part of the narrative of Lady Shimmery's story. With an array of performance styles to keep you captivated, the show is playful, cheeky, humorous even, peppered between the bump and grind. It's high-energy dancing, inclusive of aerial acts, and of course a lot of tease and skin. It is Burlesque after all. Let's not forget to pay kudos to the maker of the costumes that sport thousands of shining rhinestones, in over a hundred costumes, and the performers that do it justice. A show-stopping night of entertainment, and a very generous and supportive audience that whooped and clapped with gusto, made it a night of fun and frivolity. I have to say, even though Abbey (Lady Shimmery) sang her own songs with great vocal strength (at times having to be tweaked by 'sound' to be heard above the loud and enthusiastic audience) - I was amazed at the lip-sync and miming of songs by a couple of the performers (Maple is one I remember) who were absolutely and impressively spot on! I could go back and watch the two performers miming the songs all over again - Maple supplying the comedy with her animated expressions - priceless.

There were a few standout performances by individual dancers in the way they were precise with timing and movement, but not so far off everyone else who also performed spectacularly. Xandria and Shannon provided aerial acrobatics that were graceful and breathtaking, with some of the personalities of other performers jumping right off stage, engaging with the audience. Kerry and her daughter Holly were also ushered onto the stage and introduced at the end of the show, which was a great experience to see the real Kerry in the flesh. There was fashion aplenty on the night of the event - Opening Night - the audience turned up dressed in kind, looking a little Burlesque, a little sexy and see-through, which was wonderful to see. A world-class performance that's a little Moulin Rouge with a bit of can-can, catch it if it comes to Melbourne again.