Review: A Sexy, Naughtie Evening From LE SCANDAL CABARET Heats Up The Laurie Beechman Theatre Every Saturday Night

Heigh-Ho, My Merry Rainbow Tribe! Bobby Patrick your RAINBOW Reviewer here. Putting the silent T in cabareT to bring you all the T...

So, my pets, we think we may drop the rainbow appellation (what? Bobby knows words!) for this review... Call us Burlesque Bobby! You may well ask, "Bobby, you went to ANOTHER Burlesque performance?" Yes, I did dear ones, my third since joining BWW and are we ever glad. What a treat it was to take in the sexy, fun, funny night of dancers, acrobats, comedy, and naughtiness that is LE SCANDAL CABARET at The Laurie Beechman Theatre on Saturday night. Since its founding in 2001 by Burlesque revivalist, Bonnie Dunn and over the last 2 decades, Le Scandal has remained a jewel in Gypsy Rose Lee's crown. Sadly, Bonnie (dubbed the Godmother of Burlesque) passed away early last year, but Kenny Bell and Michael Kirk Lane have kept LE SCANDAL CABARET's scandals popping pasties at NYC's longest-running cabaret in her honor. So what's the difference between Le Scandal's evening's entertainment and the previously reviewed House Of Noire and Members Only Boylesque? Le Scandal mixes it up with entertainment employing burlesque performance art by men and women as well as live musicians on stage throughout.

As part of an unofficial Burlesque network, LS books acts that also appear elsewhere in NYC such as Twinkie Boots (founder of Members Only Boylesque) and Spooky a popular MO regular. These two were the man candy on our night, mixed in with archery ecdysiast Minnie Da moocha, costume gimmick-est Tiger Bay (Miss Coney Island), and firey dancer Madame Rosebud all hosted by the big mama with the big voice, Shelly Watson who kept things hilarious with jokes, crowd work, impeccable belting, AND opera no less. Late in the program, Shelly revealed she's a Julliard graduate and proceed to bust out some O Mio Babbino Caro - not what one would expect, and darned if she didn't sound like OPERA REALNESS. More than performance art/strippin', the evening seemed to take on that of an old-timey burlesque feel with a comic at its center, musicians - including a drummer to make with the rim shots at Shelly's jokes, and performers with specialty acts. Each performer got 2 features in the evening, with well trained professional dancers, Twinkie and Rosebud, heating up the stage dancing some pulsatingly sexy Fosse-esque jazz (and a little ballet) with both the guy and the gal wearing spike heels, Minnie in CUPID drag shooting an arrow over audience heads through a heart-shaped target then surprisingly taking on her own vocals for her 9-5 Dolly Parton Salute, Spooky the resident mighty mite whose gift with acrobatics in both balancing on pedestals and working with his suspension ring proved he really is a spinner, finally good old fashioned stripper Tiger bay whose costumes; one reminiscent of the Garden Of Eden and one that was a light-up, fluffy weather cloud, proves the old adage of "You Gotta Get A Gimmick" and she certainly has.

You may ask, "Bobby was the evening sexy for any crowd, gender or persuasion?" - ABSOLUTELY! "Was the evening any fun?" A completely fun, enjoyable, really full night of entertainment and that's why Bobby gives LE SCANDAL CABARET 4 ½ Rainbows Out Of 5.

Le Scandal Cabaret Has A Webby: HERE

Keep Up With All Things Laurie Beechman Theatre: HERE

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