Described as Scotland’s best schlock horror cabaret burlesque sideshow, Triskaidekaphilia is a show that certainly managed to live up to its publicity.
The host, Vendetta Vain, is a modern day Elvira - all big hair and slinky PVC.. It's very clear from the beginning that this is an intentional homage as she flirts with the audience, dropping double entendres and saucy jokes with sultry ease and the audience laps it up.
Bill shows at the Fringe (where all the acts are there to promote their own shows) can suffer from varying quality but, with only one date at this years festival, Vain seems to have called in some favours to ensure a strong lineup.
The one hour show opens with a sexy zombie themed group fan dance from the excellent Late Night Shop (appearing at Boom Boom Club) before flying through a varied cast that included a wonderfully bizarre burlesque from New Yorker Cherry Pitz, incredible acrobatics from Alessio Motta and some racy songs from Ria Lana.
A surprising act was Abigoliah Shamaun, a stand up who has been turning heads at this years Fringe with her brand of sexy/slutty comedy (indeed, she slayed them at a recent Late and Live), appearing onstage with a classic freakshow routine where, instead of the comic routine we expected, she proceeded to eat a lightbulb. This summed up the night for me; I had been expecting the same old mix of burlesque, comedy and variety and what I got was a carnival of grotesque delights.
Finishing off the night, Vain returned to the stage with a very appropriate striptease themed on the Creature From the Black Lagoon. A perfectly schlocky ending to a night where we learned that Triskaidekaphilia means 'a love of the number thirteen'. I certainly loved it.
