I just got back from the opening night of Sinner Saint Burlesque's newest show: Forces of Nature. It's billed as "An Opulent Strip Tease Tribute to the Natural World" and was a whirlwind of scrumptious costumes and dazzling creativity.
If you've never seen burlesque before, this production is a fun treat that is equal parts high brow (there's a lot of voice over speeches & poetry in-between acts), traditional strip tease (gloves, glitter, silk & pasties), as well as sometimes irrelevant tongue-in-cheek humor that makes you fall a little bit in love with the performers for their honesty. Even the stage kittening (people who pick up the clothes & props) between the performances were a delightful transition.
While there were a few parts of the show where the music was distractingly loud, the overall show struck a balance between being sensuous, playful, and artistic without being crude (okay...except for that one time...oh and that other time where everyone was a delicious writhing mass on the ground...).
What makes Forces of Nature stand out to me however, is that it's a refreshingly Seattle, feminist, and unapologetic celebration of diversity in body types. Not everyone has shaved armpits. Not everyone has toned arms. Not everyone has big boobs. Not everyone has a flat stomach. It's the people that you see on your morning commute, transformed into decadent creatures stalking the stage. It's a show worth seeing whether you're a burlesque virgin, or well-acquainted with its charms.
