Blending sensuality, camp comedy and genial camaraderie, the playfully seductive Miss Cherry Buns (creator, choreographer and performer, Lauren Dean) and her troupe of burlesque performers, Cream Tease, entertained us with an evening of songs, skits and stripteases.
Having never previously attended a burlesque performance, I had been briefed that I might initially struggle to know where to look. However, as the full team of cheeky seductresses eased us into the night’s proceedings with an opening performance that was simultaneously erotic and mischievous, any concerns about knowing where to look were quickly banished.
Our fabulously droll compère for the night, Derry Pope, dazzled us with his excellent crooning, witty asides and impressively sparkly collection of festive outfits as he introduced the Cream Tease crew’s diverse roster of solo, duet and group performances. His patter was effortless, and the sly wit of his interactions with the enthusiastic audience propelled the show while maintaining an inclusive atmosphere of fun and camaraderie.
The dancers and singers varied from beginners to seasoned pros, and so the consistency of their performances was doubly impressive. Each performer has clearly embraced their physicality and personality to create something spectacular and unashamedly sexy. With just under two hours' worth of performances, it would be easy to overlook the amount of work and cooperation that has gone into the show, but the quality of Lauren Dean’s expert choreography was abundantly clear. As one would expect, the tone and content of each routine contrasted dramatically, from the rock chick shtick of Tootsie Roll’s animated dance to Joan Jett’s 'I Love Rock and Roll', to the old school sultriness of GG Bon Bon's rendition of 'When You’re Good to Mama', and Misty Von Schweetz’s newspaper-assisted striptease, the creativity and technique remained seamlessly stylish.
The performers’ skill and creative flair was matched by the quality of the stagecraft, costumes, sound and lighting design on show. I dread to think how many hours were spent sewing rhinestones onto bodices for the show, or designing imaginative new methods of disrobing, but the conceptual design was so seamless and joyously flamboyant that these observations did not occur to me until long after the curtain call.
Unluckily for some, Friday the 13th of December 2019 will have begun as a day of disappointment and dismay, and yet for Cream Tease’s audience it finished as a joyful celebration of diversity and passion. Our performers did not shy away from the political elephant in the room, and yet neither did they allow recent events to detract from their efforts to allure and entertain. And so, by the time Derry Pope’s hilarious final number ended and the entire principal cast reunited onstage for 'Baby It’s Cold Outside', the audience were hooting and hollering in united appreciation.