Burlesque film fun returns to Baltimore with Twisted Knickers; DC with Tilted Torch
For most movie buffs, a darkened downtown theater is a perfect setting to see an obscure film. But add a bevy of burlesque beauties to a night of cult features and suddenly the cinema goers are also buff buffs.
That has been this reporter’s experience while covering tribute shows such as Taranteese and Barbarellesque. This Saturday night, Twisted Knickers Burlesque continues the scene-stealing sport by kicking off a brand new film series at the Yellow Sign Theatre.
Titled, “What the (heck) Were They Thinking?” the series will feature a mixture of classic movies that are so bad, they are actually good. Imagine watching John Wayne as Genghis Kahn; Sean Connery in an orange diaper in a trippy sci-fi flick; or Jackie Gleason in a musical about LSD, and you get the idea. It’s like Mystery Science Theater 3000 – with beautiful vixens and plenty of beer to boot.
Twisted Knickers will pay tribute to films like these with a show that is a mixture of standard and novel routines. But as Tapitha Kix explains, most of the numbers are new to the Yellow Sign audience.
“Ruby Spruce is debuting two new acts based on ‘Rocky III’ and ‘Nice Girls Don’t Explode.’ Chérie Nuit will be offering her take on ‘Pee Wee’s Big Adventure’ and a generic bad zombie film spoof. And KiKi (Allure) is doing ‘Little Mermaid/Splash’ and ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.’
Kix told the Baltimore Post-Examiner this show will mark her return to pointe tap after taking 3 months off to recuperate from a serious injury. Kix should be tapping in style to ‘Black Swan’ then turning south for ‘Dueling Taps’ with a performer named Shy Violet. Violet will be making her burlesque debut on stage that night.
Valeria Voxx – the winner of Yellow Sign Theatre’s New Year’s Eve presentation of the Gong Show – peppers the festivities with ‘An American Werewolf in London’ and something special she’s worked up with event host, Hot Todd Lincoln. And Cherie Sweetbottom will reprise (with some tweaks) her very sexy and hilarious opening space strip from ‘Barbarella’, then toucha-touch the crowd with something from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The bar of course will be open. And yes, they are giving away free popcorn!
As mentioned before, Hot Todd Lincoln hosts this event with the limber Lunchbox Lauren (doing all of her own stunts) serving as stage kitten.
Doors at 8; show at 9. One word of advice is please get there early. These shows tend to sell out rather quickly.
Tickets are $10 in advance via Brown Paper Tickets (now with no service charge!) $12 at the door. The Yellow Sign Theatre is located at 1726 North Charles St., Baltimore. More information may be found on the events Facebook page.
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In a similar cinematic vein, the immensely popular Pasties and Popcorn series returns to the nation’s capitol with four shows on Jan 24 and 25 at the U.S. Navy Memorial’s Burke Theater in Washington, DC. Combining the talents of Tilted Torch burlesque with DC Shorts’ growing collection of saucy films, the cast threads an entertainingly thematic show amidst the rapid succession of short subject films. There is also comedy and dance and, if the venue allows, at least one fire act.
The featured artists for Tilted Torch include the beautiful Miss Joule, belly dancing by Abby, sideshow girl Mab Just Mab and the Reverend Valentine. The event will be hosted by femme-cee extraordinaire, Shortstaxx.
Joule told the Baltimore Post-Examiner, “The first two installments of Pasties and Popcorn were very well received with sold out shows! The acts are tied to the films to weave a story line throughout the evening.” Joule added, “It’s great fun for both the performers and the audience!”
Some of the films on tap include:
> Shenanigans
7 Minutes, Comedy, USA
Opening your son’s bedroom door is always a surprise…
> Eighty-Sixed
7 Minutes, Comedy, USA
Bragging to your one-night stand that your uncle is an astronaut is not always a
good idea.
> Love in Our Time
11 Minutes, Comic Drama, USA
After a one-night stand, a couple tries to figure out if they’ve met the loves of their lives or simply made a huge mistake.
> Scent of a Woman
11 Minutes, Comedy, USA
When her boyfriend serves alfredo, lactose-intolerant Chloe’s declaration of love is a race against time and humiliation.
Both Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25 will feature two unique performances, at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; each featuring a different lineup of films and burlesque numbers. A special-priced “double header” pass is being offered to those who would like to catch both shows. Tickets are $20 per performance – $30 for the double header and may be purchased online. For a complete schedule of the films, directions, and more information on the performers, visit DC Shorts.
Combining burlesque performances with odd, quirky films is the recipe for a fabulous evening. The best part is you don’t have to be shot into space with two crazy robots to enjoy the fun.
Anthony C. Hayes is an actor, author, raconteur, rapscallion and bon vivant. A one-time newsboy for the Evening Sun and professional presence at the Washington Herald, Tony’s poetry, photography, humor, and prose have also been featured in Smile, Hon, You’re in Baltimore!, Destination Maryland, Magic Octopus Magazine, Los Angeles Post-Examiner, Voice of Baltimore, SmartCEO, Alvarez Fiction, and Tales of Blood and Roses. If you notice that his work has been purloined, please let him know. As the Good Book says, “Thou shalt not steal.”