At first glance,
A show that will change the way you see the human body, and open your eyes to the damage that can be done by a sometimes puritanical society
Miss Glory Pearl, with her varied history in teaching, burlesque and circus, immediately exudes confidence, despite quite literally baring it all on stage. But as the show progresses, it becomes clear that she has suffered from the same physical and emotional hang-ups we all do. The difference here is that she has learned how to accept and celebrate them, and guides the audience through her healing process.
Of course, the show is not entirely about self acceptance; there is plenty of material on gender politics – such as highlighting the bizarre way in which women, and to a lesser extent men, are subject to damaging beauty ideals – and how nudity is consistently sexualised.
This second concept forms the majority of the show's opening, in which Miss Pearl delves into the legal system and explains all of the ways that her performance may – or may not – be breaking the law, and how the distinction lies solely in the hands of the audience. This technique of taking everyday assumptions and picking them apart to expose their logical inconsistencies is the root of much of the humour found in the show; unfortunately, there is not a great amount of humour to be found.
Despite the engaging and unique nature of the show, the laughs are few and far between, and the performance seems to be less 'Naked Stand-Up' and more 'Naked Lecture', or 'Naked Spoken-Word'.
If you are looking for a show that will change the way you see the human body, and open your eyes to the damage that can be done by a sometimes puritanical society, this the show for you. If you are seeking belly laughs and tears of joy, you may have to look elsewhere.
