Stella Luna teaches pre-school. But when class let out on Wednesday, she let her hair down, grabbed her feather boa and brought her fetishes down to the burlesque floor, where the crowd was hot for a teacher.
The Blue Light Burlesque is back this year, featuring all the bondage, heels, silk, straps and of course, smiles that Montrealers have come to expect. Le Petit Campus, located under Café Campus, was treated this past Wednesday to the opening edition of this monthly show.
“It’s an intense release; you get to invent a character and go with it,” said Luna. “One that’s the extension of the person you want to be when you walk by a shoe store.”
Luna brought her finest egg-white apron and candy red heels to bake some cookies for the captivated crowd. The confections didn’t turn out, but the crowd wasn’t disappointed and I’m sure no appetites were ruined. The skit was cuter than Mae West and even Martha Stewart would’ve been titillated.
“It’s a show that women like, and I’m very proud of that,” said original member Mme. Oui Oui Encore. Indeed, women in the crowd seemed to only snuggle up closer to their companions as the show traipsed forth, sharing many laughs.
“There’s a Zen philosophy to burlesque: be there now. The moment and the crowd give you energy,” said Oui Oui.
Along with Luna, a pastiche of sultry names and acts kept eyes glued, seats filled and brews in hand. Trixie was “waiting” for her hubby to get home, Oui Oui had a hot day at the office, Tigerrr Lily Betty Booped her way into ‘auto-bondage,’ and magic shows provided a bit of sensual relief.
Part of the burlesque renaissance, Blue Light brings this turn-of-the-century art back into the limelight for Montreal. They’ve been together for four years and noted was their professionalism.
“You need presence on the stage,” Oui Oui says. “Burlesque is not an easy art, it’s not dance, not stripping, not hardcore, but a mix of all.”
With what can only be described as “magic,” the burlesque managed to take normal life and colour it sexy. There is something healthy about being able to take the plain-vanilla moments of our existence and turning it into a thing of fetish. It puts a “hot” before what bothers us, while lampooning anything that requires being taken down a notch or two.
Burlesque has become something of a demystified and respectable art. What goes on at the show could hardly bother the Parental Advisory Council. Perhaps it’s shaken any seedy undertones such shows garnered during their fall from favour and replaced it with a post-modern wink and tease, one that will excite a playful mind without being utterly decadent.
Ironically, this burlesque is the perfect first date. It’s light fun that’s playfully suggestive.
Blue Light will perform every month. Check out their website at www.bluelightburlesque.com.
