![]() But then came the Opium Den, crashing like a soggy burlap potato sack on the energy of the room.Ī white dragon blazed on the closed velvet curtains that opened to reveal an elaborate set, half pagoda, half settee, surrounded by red lanterns. The audience loved the performers, the performers loved the audience right back, and everyone was feeling sexy. Up until the last act of the night, the show felt like a big love fest. Dita Von Teese performing as a “dragon lady” in her Opium Den show during Burlesque: Strip, Strip, Hooray! ![]() There were many popped pasties and jokes demanding freedom for female nipples, and the vibe was lighthearted and fun. Later, he playfully teased a white male audience member about being a bank manager and for generally being privileged. The emcee, drag king Murray Hill, fanned the sexual energy of the crowd by encouraging couples to smooch (first a straight couple, then two lesbians, then two gay men) while the rest of the audience cheered them on. I approached the show with an open mind, eager to see for myself what the so-called Queen of Burlesque was like in the flesh.ĭita’s casting choices were thoughtful and inclusive, with talented performers ranging in race, gender, age, and body type. I also knew that Dita would be performing her much-contested “Opium Den” act, which had been widely criticized for being culturally appropriative yellowface. As a burlesque performer myself, the chance to see so many talented artists in one night was just as exciting for its educational value as for its entertainment. Though I’d never seen Dita in person before, many of the supporting cast were performers I had seen in the past (and some I’d even performed with), and I could confirm that the show would be epic. My partner recently surprised me with tickets to see Dita Von Teese’s Burlesque: Strip, Strip, Hooray!, purported to be a revue of high production-value, best-of-the-best burlesque performed by Dita and a cast of striptease superstars.
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