#radmila rocky zombie

[devilishdewitt]

“Ladies of Burlesque”, March 2019.

~The Eternal Disclaimer~

It is hereby declared that this little nook of the world wide web shall be devoted to the praise & critique of the art of burlesque, specifically in Russia.

Let it also be known that I am first and foremost a benevolent force, and every single criticism is documented solely for the purpose of evolution, growth and inspiration, darling.

Never forget - it is fantastic that the burlesque scene in Russia has grown so much in the last few years. Brava, ladies! As a fact and a statement, it is absolutely fabulous.

However, I volunteer to wear the heavy crown of expertise, having seen many a show in many a place, and having a keen eye for detail and a heart hungry for that wow factor. I always come with an open heart, am quite easily entertained, and know how hard the craft is - I can overlook many a fault when there’s stage presence, charisma and that fire of passion. Oh, and self-irony.

 All is sickly without self-irony.

Without further ado, onto our beautiful first show!

“Ladies of Burlesque” is the creation of Anja Pavlova, a shining star on the Berlin scene who descends into Moscow in attempt to elevate the world of Russian Burlesque.

The Venue

Quite splendid. Conveniently located minutes away from Taganskaya metro station, Dorfman karaoke drowns in luxury (it is painfully evident in the ludicrous lavatories). An atmosphere of glamour is immediately created - the view is good from all seats, the stage is well-located, the lights are a bit mad, but tolerable.

It is absurd for a Muscovite to complain about the price of anything, but the money demanded for the simplest things is aggressively silly.

The Wait

The producer of the show, who chose the somewhat childish moniker Konfetki, was at the door, checking the lists and being wonderful. She is delightful, but good God, please dress her better. The ensemble she chose did not fit the venue nor the atmosphere. She is gorgeous - let her outfit be gorgeous, too!

The magnificent lady selling pasties was exactly that - magnificent.

 I wish there was a lady like that everywhere I went.

The Performers

Anja Pavlova is undoubtedly a ray of jazzy 20’s sunshine. “This is the show of my dreams”, she announces, and you can tell it’s true - she is simply glowing. She clearly knows what she’s doing and she loves it completely. However, at times her beaming adoration for the performers seemed over the top - especially when her words were far from the truth.

When one thinks of a chorus line, the mind is immediately alight with synchronised wonders, radiant smiles & fascinating costumes. That is how Anja introduced the Ladies of Burlesque Chorus Line.

But oh boy, it was a spectacle for all the wrong reasons. The costumes do not flatter the ladies at all and look quite sloppy. They were saved by the gorgeous headpieces and smiles, but the moves…seemed incredibly random. Rare moments of synced movements provided some sense of relief, but over all, for chorus line dancers, they have an abominable sense of rhythm and don’t dance that well. The girls seem very nice, but don’t have the oomph & electricity to really capture the audience. Also, they left in what seemed to be an embarrassed hurry. Never!

Also, you’re doing a burlesque show & you’re not cinched? Girl, bye.

As a wise professor used to say, “It’s not about the size, it’s about the line”. Take care of that silhouette, mademoiselle!

Then came the singer, Marie Weinberg. If only she was as good as our charming host promised…remarkably, her stage presence was close to nil. Both of the dresses were gorgeous, but she should’ve worn the green one first - the black & diamanté ensemble should’ve been saved for dessert.

The choice of songs was excellent, but she did nothing with them. Her version of “Oops I Did It Again” was surprisingly charmless. One mustn’t even do much to make it a hit, it’s all there - the dramaturgy, the humour, the irony, but somehow she managed to make it gloriously bland.

I was bored! At a Burlesque show! Nonsense.

Does she have a good voice? Yes.  

Does she sing well? Yes.

Is she entertaining? No.

Does she know what do with an audience? No.

Do I want to see her again? No.

On to the deshabillants!

In general, I want to say that most of the acts were extremely similar. I know, I know, this is Burlesque, the main mechanism is quite predictable - but it seemed like 90% had a version of a wrap-around dress with pretty much the final look underneath. It is so fun to play with expectation in this genre, and somehow most of the performers completely overlooked this opportunity. However, this is only the beginning. Everyone started somewhere!

Ellisha Fox, I salute you. I can’t even imagine the amount of raised eyebrows and hurt pseudo-masculine egos you had to encounter on your path. His style is reminiscent of glorious anime characters, his moves are impressive, and those heels!! Those heels!!!! Good Lord, he’s a superhero!!

However, a pinch of self-irony would not ago astray. Perhaps, for a future act. I’d recommend taking a leaf out of Jett Adore’s book - specifically the Zorro act with which he travelled all over the world as part of Dita’s show.

Still, Ellisha had one of the best acts of the evening, Bravo!

If we were to speak about lack of self-irony, Tamasina Beansun is the queen of it. Her acts have excellent ideas - the Eve one she showed at last years’ Moscow Burlesque Festival, or the Little Red Riding Hood she presented this time - but her performances are so self-absorbed, at times one feels like he’s the third wheel. Like a party for one that you somehow found yourself in. And sure, it can be a style choice, but it’s not working. Sometimes it simply becomes vulgar. And it’s not a question of confidence, for it is always felt.

This is not the case. Simply put, she does not need the audience. Her self-indulgence feeds every appetite that she herself has.

Her Siberian Prime ally, Katerina Sahara, is an exact opposite. She loves the audience and it shows. Her acts range from witty & ironic (The Bunny), to majestic & mesmerising (the newest addition, The Dragon). Her moves are hypnotising, she always looks impeccable. She knows her worth and yet is the first one to laugh at herself. I must admit, her Dragon act amazed me. It was so well thought through, so gorgeous, utterly hypnotising. I often use her Bunny act as an example of brilliant Russian Burlesque. Can’t wait to see what she does next.

The Stage Kitten, our charming engineer, was quite good. I do wish she had a bigger moment though, you know, the moment. Also, perhaps it would be wiser to opt for a pair of more comfortable heels - the chance of a fall loomed over her in a quite a terrifying way.

Jeva Noir. I was particularly excited to see her, as I remember how sad she was at last years’ Moscow Burlesque Festival, sharing that they didn’t include her in the programme. Well, I must admit I can see why.

Does the act have an idea? Oh yes.

Is she gorgeous? Absolutely.

Is the costume marvelous? Quite.

The music? Good.

But something just didn’t click. Nerves? Perhaps. Some of her moves seemed forced & mechanical. In Burlesque, every move has a meaning, a purpose, a storyline to unveil. Also, a better wig is strongly advised.

If it is not a wig, better hair care is strongly advised.

Radmila Rocky Zombie got somewhat lost amongst the midst of performers. I was looking forward to this voluptuous beauty, but didn’t really get much. Caravan is a fantastic song, and she definitely has the skills, but something just didn’t work. There was no “wow” moment. I have a strong desire to see her other acts, this one seemed quite bland.

Well, Anja Pavlova is a treasure and a wonder. Not many leading ladies can shift between MC & performer with such ease & elegance. Her performances are a time machine, she exudes excitement. It is a treat to watch her.

However, when she gushed over the “kinky Burlesque” of Blanche De Moscou as something wildly original, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was convincing herself. In an industry where Dark Burlesque & Fetish Burlesque are huge, kinky Burlesque isn’t novel at all. Not even a little bit. Also, what was kinky about her number? A small demonstration of a few rather tame objects? The mask in the end? The spilling of the milk on her dainty bosom?

Blanche is a true enthusiast and her entrance look for this act is jaw-dropping. But the transformation that takes place in this performance can be made bigger, better, bolder.

THE FINALE

The show has a signature atmosphere of luscious elegance. It may not be thoroughly consistent, but it’s very clear that Pavlova knows what she wants and is working to fully fulfil her dreamy fantasy.

Perhaps if she were more strict and demanding, the results would be even more fabulous.

✶✶✶✶

[devilishdewitt]

Ladies of Burlesque, December 2019

Anja Pavlova is back to host, perform and celebrate her birthday in the festive edition of the show of her dreams,  Ladies of Burlesque!

Did the show weave a winter spell or left us alone under the mistletoe?

Read on, darling!

Before we dive into the glitter,

Here’s the most important point of everything I do - 

~The Eternal Manifesto~

It is hereby declared that this little nook of the world wide web shall be devoted to the praise & critique of the art of burlesque, specifically in Russia.

Let it also be known that I am first and foremost a benevolent force, and every single criticism is documented solely for the purpose of evolution, growth and inspiration, darling.

Never forget - it is fantastic that the burlesque scene in Russia has grown so much in the last few years. Brava, ladies! As a fact and a statement, it is absolutely fabulous.

However, I volunteer to wear the heavy crown of expertise, having seen many a show in many a place, and having a keen eye for detail and a heart hungry for that wow factor. I always come with an open heart, am quite easily entertained, and know how hard the craft is - I can overlook many a fault when there’s stage presence, charisma and that fire of passion. Oh, and self-irony.

All is sickly without self-irony.

Now, onwards! To fabulousness!

Short summary: I do it because I love you all and want you to excel.

Also, allow me to share a wonderful review by Party Parrot!

 https://lazy-boogie.livejournal.com/3435.html

Thank you ever so for the wink and the nod - what a pleasant surprise! Thrilled that your inspiration lead to write such a brilliant summary of the night. Perhaps my tiny endeavours might create a movement of sharp-eyed, truly grateful audience members! After all, we can’t all be blocked, right? (read on, darling...)

The Venue

The place of action was Cеребряный Век (Silver Age) restaurant, a classic among burlesque events (it even hosted the Moscow Burlesque Festival). It is indeed pure glamour, opulence dripping off every detail! I mean, look at the pool room!

Just look at the pool room!

The second you entered, the atmosphere enveloped you with it’s gilded velvet glory. Of course, there were columns (this is Moscow after all, it’s near impossible to find a venue without columns), but thanks to the high stage and spacious room everyone had a pretty good view. I do wonder if the dressing room was as luxurious as the rest of the place!

If only my accolades extended to the food, but alas! We are spoiled rotten by Michel, and the tiny portions, uninspired recipes and stale presentation were not worthy of the non-negotiable deposit (which was almost as expensive as the tickets!). But we did not come to eat, oh no, darling - we came for a feast, but one for the eyes!

The Performances

Darling, it was a beautiful night. It was a dazzling, glittering, bejewelled, vajazzled (not really) night. My heart melted - and not just because Pavlova was back, but because it was legitimately a beautiful - beautiful show.

The Chorus Line Jazz Dancers were stunning! Their number was so gloriously joyous, for the first time they legitimately looked like they were having fun. Every beat was greeted with a tap, clap or other inspired move, and the joy was infectious! They looked stunning, danced wonderfully well and energised the whole room. 

Marie Weinberg appeared not once, not twice, but four times - and looked stunning every single time. Every single song sounded exactly the same, but that’s her strength - she sounds exactly like a 1930′s record. She is a perfect pin-up model, her photos are always flawless. She does not currently have an arsenal of stage choices (perhaps she doesn’t need it), but she did find her niche and she is gently charming in it. 

We got to see the famous blue showgirl ensemble of Jeva Noir! She presented a classic number - no gimmicks, no emotions, just good ol’ undressing. What strikes me every time I see her is how majestically beautiful she is - she has a unique type of beauty, like an actual Titaness, but doesn’t use it in her acts at all. We are always stunned by her looks, but never by the performance - perhaps because there is no harmony between them. A hawk does not excel when posing as a sparrow.

However, the general public got to see a new side of her talent - Jeva is a marvellous seamstress, and she brought her first collection for everyone to view and purchase! Every single lady left that room with a desire to own the velvety, feathery, dreamy ensembles made by Lady Noir. 

Tamasinushka looked utterly stunning - as usual. And her act was exactly how her acts are every single time - luxuriously languid, entrancingly self-focused, glittering and poised. Was it the most exciting or memorable act of the night? No, but it was gorgeous. When her magic works, she truly does change the flow of time in the room. Quite excited to see her emerge in 2020 with new energy and new renditions of beloved acts. 

Ellisha Fox graced the stage in his blue and white ensemble, and was an absolute treasure. He is an astonishing dancer, his charisma and stage presence are indeed unique. Looking forward to the moment when he finds even more freedom on stage and lets himself dissolve in the moment - it does sometimes feel like he’s participating in a dance competition, focusing hard on the moves and slightly loses the connection with the audience...but being a boylesque performer, all eyes will be on him regardless. I always sing the song of the benefits of self-irony!...But I am nitpicking, darling - because I can see him becoming an international superstar and want him to excel. 

Katerina Sahara brought her Desert Sun and Dragon acts (not quite the most Christmassy/wintery choices, but we didn’t really mind). It is impossible to look away when she’s on stage, but I must say that this particular combination of acts doesn’t really work - they are incredibly similar (if not equal) in tempo and atmosphere, so putting them together within one show doesn’t make either one shine particularly bright. Again, both are flawlessly gorgeous, it’s not a critique on the acts themselves - more on the directorial decisions of the show. Hope she does not overwork her wondrous self, for she seems to have fully joined the ranks of Bezhetskaya’s belles.

Radmila Rocky Zombie - well, it’s been a while since the vivacious mistress of Haunted Cathouse graced the Moscow stage! She brought her Americana fantasy cowgirl ensemble, and it was pure fun - she enjoyed it, the audience enjoyed it, everyone had a good time. Where the act lacked polish, it made up plenty with its ebullient bounciness. 

Sadly, our mullet marvel blocked me on Instagram - understandable, darling! What can be more horrible than constructive criticism and adoration? Quite flattered, never thought my humble self would get this much attention!

Konfetki looked fabulous - especially at the curtain call. Fantastic dress!

Helen! Helen the heavenly stage kitten! I swear to all the Glamour Gods, every single show that lady has a glow-up. Her Burlesque Santa outfit leaves me speechless - me, darling! Speechless! Flawless.

Blanche de Moscou brought her Sweet Kink act to the stage, and it was as beguiling as usual, but that’s not what I want to talk about. There’s a new act. The new act is phenomenal. It’s inspired by an act that her stunning mother directed in the 90′s, and it’s a whole spy-robot-Blade Runner extravaganza! Jaws dropped to the floor the second that luxurious umbrella appeared, and every new costume reveal was even more hypnotising. Her sense of rhythm is impeccable, and the way she marries complete immersion in the atmosphere of the act and her signature humour is spectacular. And the glitter gun! It was not a gun, it was a bazooka!

This was a true showstopper, and really would make more sense at the last act of the show (energetically and logistically - all that glitter!). I think this might be the most impressive act I’ve seen in this country.

Anja Pavlova, the one and only Swan Queen, oh how we’ve missed you. Lady Pavlova brought a myriad of costume changes and two acts, a classic Jazz Age one, and a premiere - Snow Maiden! Her forte truly is her emotional range. When is on that stage, she lives and breathes the music, and takes the audience on the ride with her. The way she catches every bit is ingenius, and she truly floats. Even this old heart had to wipe off a few secret tears...She is a pure delight. And she sang! And she knows exactly where her strength is, so she invited Marie to sing with her and went for acting and engaging with the audience. Her voice can not boast strength, but the sweetness, tenderness and sincerity made it soar.  If I were to make one comment, it would be about the hosting. Each act completely mesmerised and transported us into a magical land of pure glamour...and the hosting was more Earth-bound. Can’t claim that it’s a negative, but when I noticed it, it did create a slight imbalance. 

We want to dive deep into the magic, uninterrupted, darling!

Dearest reader, do yourself a favour and have a look at these superb photos. Dive into the atmosphere, honey! No words of mine will truly convey the joy of the evening.

The Verdict

The show truly was a showcase of ladies - and how different they can be.

 It was utterly delightful and stunningly beautiful.

Ladies of Burlesque remains the most elegant and polished burlesque show in Moscow - at least when Pavlova is around to keep an eye on things.

Bar Burlesque is taking place on January 10th, you can secure your sweet spot here.