Best of Burslesque is a constantly changing variety night showcasing the wealth of risque acts at the Fringe. The MC for the night I saw it was Dandy Darkly, who was cheeky and dirty but also slightly haphazard, with many misjudged jokes and lapses in momentum. It was a shame, he was arguably the most disappointing part of the show and his hosting meant that the show kept halting. The acts themselves, were of varying standards, but were all mostly enjoyable, including some particularly renowned artists such as award-winning Eliza DeLite (who performed twice) and Scarlett Belle performing to very different styles of music, ranging from Rhapsody in Blue to a dubstep remix of Why Don’t You Do Right. The night was playful and saucy with Scarlett Belle and Whisky Falls being particularly adept at interacting with the crowd.
As a variety show it had its ups and downs. Whisky Falls’ Jessica Rabbit impersonation was fun and playful but unfortunately her singing was not quite up to scratch and often out of tune. However, it was part of a large array of talents: Mr. Meredith, the only male guest, also sang, ‘What is a Man’ which was hilarious and uplifting, whilst stripping to a sequinned waistcoat and thong. Meanwhile, Diva Hollywood’s whip technique, though not quite perfect, provided excitement and danger to the proceedings.
This show will always be slightly hit and miss, but it is an enjoyable night and is bound to provide surprises and titillation and of course, a lot of late-night nudity.
