Star and Garter Burlesque

REVIEWED 10/6/06: Franky Vivid and Michelle L'Amour, of Lavender Cabaret, have relaunched their Star and Garter Burlesque moniker with some interesting changes to the concept. What was formerly a somewhat random monthly collection of variety acts is now a weekly show with a regular ensemble, The Starlets, performing individual and group numbers, interspersed with sets by three local stand-up comics, and a striptease by Michelle herself, all hosted capably by TJ Miller.

I have seen both the final night of the opening version of the show and the opening night of the Halloween version, Thriller! I Hardly Know Her, and I had a great time both nights. The Starlets, while not the professional dancers that Franky and Michelle have used before in FemmeTV, are clearly enjoying themselves onstage, and a lot of creativity has gone into the striptease numbers and skits they perform, especially in the Halloween show, which features a series of Alfred Hitchcock parody vignettes. Oh, and they are all stunning babes and extremely sexy.

Almost all the Starlets, Bit O'Honey, Holly Wouldn't, Dominique Trixx, Fanny Tastic and Vivian Velvet, have also graced the stage at Girlie-Q at least once. While I had already seen some of their acts in the opening version of the Star and Garter, I am happy to say that there is plenty of new material in the Halloween show.

Until I actually saw Star and Garter, I wasn't sure about the combination of burlesque with stand-up comedy and no other variety acts, but it works. I laughed, I ogled, I laughed, I ogled some more. It's an appropriate rhythm for a burlesque show.

Star and Garter is currently running Thursday nights upstairs at Fizz on Lincoln, an especially interesting space to me because my wife and I got married there, with a mini burlesque show by some of the Belmont Burlesque cast as entertainment. Fizz has an decent kitchen, so you might consider arriving early for a bite to eat before the show.

Highly recommended.

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