Lily Verlaine
Artistic Director Lily Verlaine & her collaborator Jasper McCann produced a very high quality burlesque show last night at the Triple Door.
With some younger performers to bolster an experienced cast, Lily found the perfect mixture to supplement appearances by Inga Ingenue, Indigo Blue, Paula the Swedish Housewife, herself and Waxy moon, as a preening Cheshire Cat.
The show opened with a piece called Caterpilar which was both inventive and hypnotic. I believe it's the first time I'd seen the three youngsters, known collectively as the Tribellas, that accompanied the star, but they looked accomplished already at a very young ages, and will doubtless continue to improve and enchant.
Other highlights were the Flamingo Dance, a supremly sensual but far from sleazy number performed with decreasing amounts of flamingo feathers, and a synchronised dance between two warring chess pieces, called the Red and White Queens. In this, Lily and her partner, Bunny Monroe, showed more of her balletic skills than I had previously seen and she looked in nimble and svelte shape.
Miss Indigo Blue performed a dance called Tiger Lily, but there wasn't a missing link in this show, although because they all adopted Mad Hatter themed names for their performances, it wasn't until the end of the show that a less attentive audience would have been able to decipher who was performing each act.
Nonetheless, a packed crowd continues to be a feature for Lily Triple Door shows and as long as the production team continues to be imaginative, they will keep filling up the TD's coffers.
Next up is the fourth instalment of NIGHTCAP, 10:30 p.m., August 22, 2009 at the Triple Door.
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