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“Blues and burlesque, nothing more, nothing less”
So declares Pete Saunders, aptly summing up his duo act with showgirl extraordinaire Belle de Beauvoir. Well, maybe a little more. Never have I EVER imagined that I would witness King Kong with nipple tassels, yet here we are.
Straight from London’s West End – and in an Australian first – this entertaining pair is a joy to watch. Expect a show brimming with tongue-in-cheek original songs, blues-soaked piano riffs, witty repartee, audience interaction and of course, some good old-fashioned burlesque showmanship.
Belle’s sexy, commanding stage presence, paired with razor-sharp comedic timing, charms the audience each time she sweeps on stage in an explosion of glitter and feathers. Or ape suits. Whether it be performing the iconic burlesque staple of the fan dance, regaling us with a cheeky ode to moustaches, or crooning a sultry yet surprisingly vulnerable ballad while clad in said ape suit (after being pelted by paper aeroplanes), Belle commits wholeheartedly to the bit.
This is perfectly complimented by Saunders’ jazz-flavoured mastery of the baby grand piano, and his bone-dry wit. He moves seamlessly between smoky, soulful riffs, to playful, musical punchlines. One of many favourite moments for me was their bluesy rendition of Kylie Minogue’s Locomotion, or as Saunders describes it, “a song about trains”.
Together, Belle and Saunders strike the perfect balance of polish and parody. Their easy chemistry and natural warmth draws us in from their very first notes to the last sparkly curtsy.
“Nothing more, nothing less?”
Hardly.
Blues and Burlesque is equal parts sharp and sexy, yet silly – and one hundred percent sophisticated. Proof that sometimes, more is exactly what you need.