Something naughty but nice is on its way to Peel next weekend.

Madame Zuri Arrosa, Miss DeeDee, Angel X, Sapphire la Sass and Trixie Vixie, collectively known as Burlesque IOM, are to tell the story of Burlesque dancing through the ages with raunchy dance routines, song and comedy skits, and occasionally dressed in little more than a conveniently-placed feather boa.

’A Night of Burlesque’ features two shows performed by the island’s only burlesque dance troupe, along with some special guests, and takes place at the Peel Centenary Centre on Friday 29 and Saturday 30, later this month.

Jooles Morrison appears as Madame Zuri, mistress of ceremonies, and will introduce performances from Rachel Crellin, Hazel Walsh, Sarah Callow and Sophie Keating appearing as their glamorous and provocative alter-egos.

Following their last production by the Burlesque IOM group in 2015, Jooles said that this time around they felt compelled to make their new show a bit more raunchier whilst also telling a story.

’I had the idea of making the new show bigger, better and a little bit naughtier,’ said Jooles. ’Our last show was an evening of burlesque, and this time we have called it a night. It is like a naughty big sister to our last show.

’There is much more raunch in this one, but a lot more comedy too. We are really trying to get back to that traditional burlesque, which is traditional storytelling, comedy, and something that is more about the tease of burlesque, and not about just stripping.

’The show itself will take the audience on a journey through time. We will start off in the days of vaudeville, around 1880,’ she said.

’Burlesque started off around that time in theatres, with women having to wear men’s clothes to perform which, at the time, may have showed their ankles, which was considered quite risque.

’We will progress through to New York, where the girls took more clothes off, and then the 1940s-50s, where burlesque went into decline, and turned into stripping. It rose back into fame around the 1990s. We’ll also take in different genres, like Steam-punk and pin-up girls.

’Basically it is a journey through burlesque history. It has a storyline, which many burlesque shows don’t have.’

The troupe have already experienced success with their new show, having already performed parts of it in the UK, at the ’Splendid Day Out’ Steam-punk festival in Morecambe.

The ladies proved such a hit that they have been invited back to perform the whole show in November.

’The feedback was that they have never seen a burlesque show with such a storyline and also live singing,’ said Jooles.

Joining the five principal members will be three additional burlesque dancers, called ’kittens’, Margaret Chalk, Theresa Thornton and Jackie Bamford, and two drag queens.

’It will be a bit of husband-and-wife affair, as Jackie’s husband Mark is one of our drag queens.’

Vida La Fierce, the island’s number one drag act, completes the line up.

In amongst the fishnets, basques, feathers and the suggestive theatrics, Jooles believes that there is a serious and positive message that runs through their show.

Burlesque dancing, with its focus more on sensuality and suggestiveness, rather than nudity, can, said Jooles, offer empowerment and a strong message of body confidence.

’I came into burlesque after retiring from musical theatre. I thought I was too old for it, and I thought that burlesque was a good thing to get into.

’We do encourage empowerment and confidence, especially body confidence. There is not one of us under 30 years old, two of us, including myself, are grandmothers,’ said Jooles, who turned 43 in March this year.

’I thought it was perfect for people my age and that it would be good for others to try too.

’We are trying to promote female empowerment and encourage the audience to embrace their ’inner-burlesque’.

And, interestingly, the majority of our audiences are female.’

Tickets for ’A Night of Burlesque’ are £15, which include a complimentary glass of fizz on arrival, are available from Celtic Gold, Peel, and online from peelcentenarycentre.com

by Mike Wade

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