COMICS! A Nerdy Burlesque Show
COMICS! A Nerdy Burlesque Show
Skill Focus: Burlesque
Blank Space (David Charles)
201 E. Central Blvd
Orlando, FL
July 8, 2011</strong>
It was a hot muggy walk from on-street parking to that odd little corner space on Magnolia and Central, but not as hot and muggy as it was inside. With 45 minutes to show time Blank Space was shoulder to shoulder in sweating hipsters hoping to get a beer or a decent view of the action. Fire codes be damned, this was going to be a party. Decisions, decisions – try to grab a little prime real estate, or get some badly needed fluids? I saw a friend at the bar, much closer than I would ever get and I winged him a sawbuck and a request for a Sprecher Triple Abbey Ale. If you’re drinking top drawer craft brews without a price list, you might as well go for the longest label.
“A money maker being shaken.”
Skill Focus brings back old school burlesque to Orlando – this is the stuff MY dad used to watch on the way to basic training. It’s all about the entrance, and the half dozen performers worked that angle as hard as possible. We’re all comix fans here, or at least can act like we are, and the girls all came on dressed in the latest hot trending super costumes of sweaty spandex and unlimited marketing potential. The Green Lantern, Spiderman, Tony Stark and a few I’ll Google later hid behind a cheap Chinese screen while out front MC Sterling worked the crowd. I was ready, we were all ready, and its miracle no one passed out.
“The front desk – the guy in green is the least convincing bounce”
There’s no program and everyone is under stage name, but if you’re around the local scene you’ll recognize these burly-q girls and boys from Fringe and Theater Downtown and all the other little semi-legit venues. The crowd stamped and hooted, dollar bills were inserted into underwear or picked up by the least convincing bouncer I’m ever met, and the crowd loved it. Since this is an open minded group, we even had Peter Parker strip nearly down to his pecker, and assault some guy in the front row.
About an hour of this heat is all a normal Floridian can handle, as the show let out I was chilled by the midnight 90 degree humidity. I felt like I’d just changed my oil, mowed the lawn, and cleaned the gutters, except with better memories. I’m not sure I’m ready for my mother to see this, but dear old dad would be perfectly happy, even if he wouldn’t recognize any of the beers.
Skill Focus: Burlesque offers more dates and fun events at Skill Focus: Burlesque offers more dates and fun events at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_209726552379235#!/pages/Skill-Focus-Burlesque/195803080454912
