Director Irving Klaw presents a neat array of diverse burlesque acts in this entertaining time capsule of kitschy 50's Americana. Legendary pin-up queen Bettie Page alas proves to be a hopelessly stiff and awkward dancer, but fortunately she looks quite yummy in her harem girl outfit and sure appears to be having a grand time jumping around on stage. Singers Cass Franklin and Monica Lane do a couple of charming duets. Peppe and Roccio hit it out of the ballpark with their dynamic flamenco moves. The duo of Baros and Rogers are a completely different story: Their slapstick comic routine qualifies as downright jaw-dropping in its astonishing tastelessness as it makes a giddy mockery of mistreating one's spouse (!). Ravishing redhead Shelley Leigh boasts a spectacular voluptuous figure and has lots of energy to spare. Christine Nelson sings well, but ain't much of a looker and tells some seriously lousy jokes. Female impersonator Vicki Lynn does a pretty solid number. However, it's the highly touted Lilli St. Cyr who definitely cops the top honors: A stunning blonde with a nice slim build, long legs, and an elegantly composed manner, Lili's scorching climactic act sure lives up to all the hype thanks to her smoldering stage presence and impressive dance skills. Sure, the acts featured herein are a decidedly mixed bag (the stand-up comedian cracks lots of groan-inducingly terrible jokes), but it's still a lot of fun just the same.
Review of Varietease
