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When I first heard about burlesque nearly twenty years ago, I thought it was “artful stripping” – for want of a better term.
But as the years went by, my understanding of this art has deepened, and honestly, I’m still learning. I’ve only recently learnt about burlesque’s comedic roots and it was brilliantly explained by Sugar Blue Burlesque in their show last year.
So I was piqued by Lucy Lovegun’s Dirty Sexy Funny: Burlesque! in this year’s program. A chance to see one of my favourite burly girls showcase this comedic side? I call Editor’s dibs!
The show started off strong with Lucy performing her iconic bogan burlesque act. And yes, it is exactly what you’re thinking – plaid, mullet, VBs and a soundtrack of Accadacca. If you haven’t witnessed this glorious routine, this is enough reason for you to purchase tickets to Dirty, Sexy, Funny. Trust me, you will never look at cans the same again.
But that’s not surprising.
After all, Lucy Lovegun is currently one of WA’s best burlesque performers. She has a clutch of awards to her name, including Most Comedic Performer at Burlesque Hall of Fame in 2024. She’s also 26th in the 21st Century Burlesque’s global Top 50 list.
Dirty Sexy Funny also features other heavy hitters in the WA Burlesque scene.
Kitty Litteur, multiple Mx Burlesque Perth and WA winner, shone a light on why she is such a stalwart of the scene.
She started performing in 2009 and her experience manifests in her coolly confident, effortless performance. She nailed the brief for dirty, sexy and funny perfectly with her rather unexpected prop. I was initially worried things would degenerate too far into the dirty element but we were treated to quirkily unforgettable act.
Sugar Du Joure, the reigning Mx Burlesque Masters champion, had us choking back tears of laughter from her “heartwarming” routine. This tribute to boobs in all their weird and wonderful permutations was a lesson in crowd work, as Sugar engaged the audience while lip-syncing “Show Them To Me”. Even though this comedic song seems crude, Sugar reworked it as an anthem for body positivity. It almost made me want to join in with flashing my mammaries.
Sugar and Kitty were also joined by Veruca Sour, Gigi Love and Karl Kayoss. All names in their own right and wildly celebrated by the audience during their time on stage.
If this line up of burlesque bosses isn’t enough, there were also performances from interstate artists, Kelly Ann Doll and Milo Hartill.
This was my first time watching Milo Hartill and I absolutely loved her. This proud African-Australian, queer performer was a joy to watch. Her range of expressions from wide-eyed Dorothy to sassy queen were on display in her Wizard of Oz inspired number. It was a joy watching her shake her thing onstage. I can’t quite put my finger on it but her energy brightened my spirit and I wished I could have danced with her.
I often talk about how modern burlesque is about body positivity.
This holds true for this show. All the performers owned every inch of their bodies, which ranged from petite to plus-sized. And as per my review, there were times when I was itching to join the celebration.
However, the core take away from Dirty Sexy Funny is that embracing your kookiness is sexy. Beyond promoting body positivity, this show will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt like a misft. Rather than loving our body, let’s love ourselves and have some fun while we’re at it.
After all, who wants to be a stick up the proverbial?
Don’t answer that, Kitty Litteur.
DIRTY SEXY FUNNY: BURLESQUE! is running at Connections until 5th February 2026.