Blues and Burlesque – The Voodoo Rooms

Blues and Burlesque have become something of a Fringe fixture, achieving a sell-out run of shows last year.  They are packing the punters in again with a new performance showcasing songs from their recently-released EP (available on a Bandcamp near you apparently). 

Ex-Dexys piano man Pete Saunders provides the Blues while Belle De Beauvoir handles the burlesque which, on balance, is probably the right combination; Pete’s sarcastically cynical songs during Belle’s costume changes provide a humorous counterpoint to the upbeat dance numbers. Along with the duo’s own material, the show features a radical reworking of the Dexy’s hit, Gino and a rather beautiful version of Blondie’s Heart Of Glass which sounds like Deborah Harry after spending a weekend in Twin Peaks. This year’s show has a somewhat surreal finale.  I won’t spoil the surprise but you could say it’s a Fay Wray tail ending.

John Scott