Taboo Revue brings sexy back to East Van
Four bubbly young women giggle in innuendo a pajama party out of any school boys fantasy. Abruptly, one of the demoiselles, Melody Mangler, who just so happens to be wearing the skimpiest negligee of the four, begins posturing herself in very racy poses, romanticizing carnal pleasures shes read about in a magazine. Clearly misguided and naive, the four women are visited by Peter Panties. With a burst of song-and-dance, eventually the Ejaculation 5000 is introduced to the slumber party with screams of delight. Oh yes, the first five rows get wet.
To say that the Screaming Chicken Theatrical Societys New Taboo Revue: Burlesque Variety Show kicked things off with a bang at the Wise Hall (just off Commercial Drive) on November 21, understates the comically seductive explosion that opened the coming-out party of sorts for Screaming Chicken. Officially around since 2004, the Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society is a Vancouver-based, volunteer-run and not-for-profit society producing and promoting fun, provocative, and empowering performance arts. While prominent productions at The Cobalt a quintessential dive-bar on Main St. have garnered a cult-like following for the burlesque troupe, this particular production at the Wise Hall played to a bigger audience, in a much cleaner venue. And while I did yearn for the tall-boys of beer and the sticky floor of The Cobalt, Screaming Chicken did not disappoint in putting on its biggest, most elaborate show yet.
Supposed ex-lovers, Evil Bastard (who is in no shortage of die-hard fans) and Violet Femme host The New Taboo Revue, not hiding their bitterness towards each other with a bitingly uproarious take on a very familiar John Travolta-Olivia Newton-John number. Their tension loosely structures the show, as it has in previous productions, yet remains fresh throughout the evening. Surprisingly, they work as well by themselves as they do playing off each other: While Evil Bastards fumes over a phone call with a banana (yes, a banana), Violet Femmes solo parody of AC/DCs Shook Me All Night Long as an ode to her vibrator is (in my humble opinion) the most memorable skit of the night, dripping with unrestrained lust, yet paradoxically, raging with hilarity.
The general premise is simple Evil Bastard and Violet Femme host a variety of skits, songs, and performance pieces inspired from Burlesque, Gran Guignol, Vaudeville, b-movies, and pop culture. The smorgasbord of influences truly make this a variety show, as the fodder for production ranges from early 20th century Chicago burlesque to Thriller-inspired choreography. And the subject matter is generally provocative. While all in good fun, masturbation and anal sex are just some of the risqu topics covered in the New Taboo Revue.
The performers themselves are primarily women (with Evil Bastard being a notable exception) of all body types. Generally speaking, each performance is a striptease culminating with the quick unveiling of tasseled nipples. The New Taboo Revue is often in a surplus of talent particularly on this night that boasted more performers and more elaborate performances. Minute for minute, this is a funnier production than SNL or Mad-TV, with a high-caliber of choreography, costume design, and writing. Of course, there is the odd technical or wardrobe malfunction here or there, but youre most likely having too good of a time to notice (or care).
Highlights from this night include an ornately eccentric (if not bizarre) performance from Bananas in Pajamas, who end up going full-frontal banana and engaging in unspeakable banana love to the sounds of Shut Up (And Sleep With Me) and Get Your Freak On. Later, Drunk Mike makes an appearance as the whole Screaming Chicken troupe busts out some serious synchronized boogie to Improper Dancing right before the only intermission. Theres also a puppet show like no other you have ever seen.
Among the performers, stand-outs include April OPeel who is a sheer comical and dancing talent on display. Voodoo Pixie is particularly high-spirited, go-go dancing a storm for the packed Wise Hall. For one number, she was joined by Coco Cinder, who later makes an appearance as a 50s housewife singing about how much she can accomplish (not just cooking and cleaning) with those little hands of hers. And then of course, there is Melody Mangler. Easily distinguishable by the serpent tattoo that wraps around the left side of her midsection and thigh, her boisterous facial expressions, edgy getups, and seductive movements demand attention since she is just having so much fun. In short, Melody Mangler is a force of titillating exuberance to be reckoned with by any healthy libido and good sense of humour.
While other Screaming Chicken shows have offered more in the way of audience participation, Rosie Delight did make a suggestive comment to my date, while a couple of the other dancers came through the seating aisle to break the fourth wall. Clearly, however, this night bigger venue, more performers was about production, as The New Taboo Revue is reaching out to wider, larger audiences. Ending the year on a high-note, the Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society has certainly raised expectations among loyal fans as it continues to grow as a local spectacle.
