Visions of Sugarplums: A Burlesque Nutcracker

(Originally posted on Minnesota Theater Love)

The first post of the New Year, and the show was my last show of the old year. I took a chance and went to "Visions of Sugarplums" at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Mpls. If you don't know, this is subtitled "A Burlesque Nutcracker" and it was everything I could have wanted for my first foray into burlesque.

photo by Bill Cameron

Burlesque is defined as parody, or making fun of something by imitation and/or exaggeration. It is also a variety show that features striptease. This show was certainly a variety show featuring various stripteases while being a very soft parody of the actual Nutcracker ballet. The show was produced by Lily Verlaine and Nadine DuBois. It featured a variety of dancers and burlesque performers from around the states with quite a few from right here in the Twin Cities. Believe it or not we have a HUGE burlesque community here in the Twin Cities. This show was the perfect introduction to what burlesque is.

The show used the music from the Nutcracker ballet (originally written by Tchaikovsky), but it all the arrangements were amazing, jazzed-up versions. This made it perfect for some fun dancing, and shaking! There was no real story to the burlesque version but Master of Ceremonies (Nadine DuBois) kept things moving while they got ready for the next number. She had three Sugarplums with her to dance and flirt with, while also making some bawdy comments to the audience. The audience was right there with her the whole time. They were loud and raucous and loving every moment! The cast was loving the energy given by the audience and it was a true love-fest.

photo by Bill Cameron

Now, about the burlesque aspect. There was at least one group striptease - two couples starting off in zoot suits and ending in g-strings and pasties. Sweetpea (a legend and pioneer of the Twin Cities Burlesque Revival) had a solo number which was astounding!! My favorite number, though, had to be in Act Two. The Arabian music was being used while two male dancers came out. They danced for a bit around a rolled-up carpet set in the middle of the floor. Then they unrolled it and there was a woman, perfectly posed in a classic pin-up pose, pasties covered, one leg in the air. From there they did the most amazing reverse-strip where the two guys lifted and moved the woman, all the while dressing her. The number ended with all three of them sitting on the carpet and sipping coffee. It was amazing.

The one downside to this whole evening was the lack of programs. Each act was introduced thematically but it would have been great to have a program to know who was performing each number. BUT when that is the only downside to an evening of theatre - that is all good. The show was charming, classy, and sexy. Everything you could want from a burlesque show in my view. It also opened my eyes to a whole world that is out there - a world that I want to experience more of. And isn't that the goal of most, if not all, good theatre?