Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre launched its 2018 season in raucous style last night with BURLESKO BIZARRO.
After spending time with CPAC’s wonderful current visual arts exhibitions (featured previously in the Sydney arts Guide) , the full house of supporters was ushered into the theatre to be greeted by Hostess Glitta Supernova in full pink poodle mode. The Burlesque we were to see was back-to-its-roots Performance Art she explained… satire and parody of sex and sexuality.
Following was a fast paced 90 minutes of exactly that. The other performers Lillian Starr, The Amazing Ari, Betty Grumble and Kira Hulala Carden presented an entertaining, extremely well prepared, high concept show with the power to please and provoke.
Betty Grumble was all fucked up and went hog wild firstly. Then in what Glitta called “brave, anti-establishment punker rocker” mode, really put her highly personal stamp on proceedings. And we got to hear her superb singing voice with a little of ‘Love Hurts’.
Glitta Supernova was at her hilarious best when being the hostess with the leastest, dressed only in only her tattoos. Her performance ran the gambit from shy, nervous Janet (Rocky Horror Show ) to the Hulk (hand only) to great applause. “Give it up for moi!” And her bring “back the sexy chicken” outfit was a huge hit.
Lillian Star knows how to wear a spangle and make it spin! Her satiric and sexy homage to all things horse …. it bit the audience right in the conservatives.
The Amazing Ari was wrapped and then unwrapped in a fantasy offering on the Gymnast Ring and a very wolfish fairy tale with the Chinese Silks. Such skill and charisma!
Kira Hulala Carden was incredibly skilled too. And fast! Her hoops spun so rapidly and precisely that the LED pattern spin was psychedelic and constantly changing. What a spin? And quite the change from the luxurious, lyrically beautiful butterfly silks of her reptilian swamp character. Oh, and there’s something unmentionable with a pink thing.
Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (Facebook) is a wonderful space, and convenient to get to , just off the M7/M5. Make sure you visit.