Woah… I did not realize what I was getting into when I volunteered to write about the highlights for the final night of the VIBF… Round of applause to the board of the VIBF for casting such a strong show and showing Vancouver what they’ve been missing out on!

But how about I start at the very beginning… I was handing out programs to excited audience members and a woman had asked me for a program for her and her mother. She told me that she was taking her mother out for her birthday and had no IDEA what she was about to witness. The mother nervously looked at me and I explained, “You are going to see something glamourous, something inspiring, something fun, something cheeky, something creative, something empowering.” I handed her the program and opened to the page featuring the gorgeous photo of Roxi DLite. Stunned (with either glee or terror, I’m not sure) she turned to her daughter as I continued, “You are going to see a burlesque show!”

Well was I right or was I right? So how the hell do I talk about the highlights when the whole show was so fucking solid? The hours of rehearsing, the details on the costumes, the LOVE was very evident in each performance.  But I’ve been assigned a task and I don’t like to let down so here ye be: Highlights from the VIBF Saturday Night Gala at the Vogue:

The Purrfessor vs Bernie Bombay
Two of our favourite hosts battled off in front of a full house serenading the audience. Seeing the Purrfessor and Bernie challenging each other with classical songs (to which I dont know the names cuz I am a renown pop princess) and then slipping in some Britney and Hanson (yay pop music!) was very effective and really set the tone of what this crowd was about to expect. Funny and fun! Way to open a show gentlemen!!

April O’Peel
Being a guest blogger has its benefits, I can review April O’Peel’s performance and she will have to sit there and like it! There was no doubt in my mind that she was a highlight in the first act for sure!  April O’Peel embodies innovative performance and her hair dance brought the audience to their feet. She brought full body choreography (whip that hair baby!), utilized levels and worked stage use in one hot and fluid number and I could not be more proud of her. You were in your prime O’Peel and I know I am not the only one who thought that! Who’s fierce? YOU ARE!

Andorra Alibi
SHE TOOK HER COSTUME OFF WHILE BALANCING A HULA HOOP THE WHOLE TIME!!!! YOU CAN DO THAT??? Seriously how has she not been featured more in this city? How did I not know she existed? Well honey welcome to Vancouver, you and your pasties are more than welcome here! I would keep an eye out for this one, she’s pretty fantastic!

Madame Mae I
I am at a loss of words (shocking right?) to how to explain how touched I was by Madame Mae I. I remember when she first told me about this number, I knew it would be moving but then I was lucky enough to witness the impact she made in the theatre. You would think you are in a vulnerable position revealing your body to a group of strangers but she took it to a whole other lever by revealing something far more personal; names she had been called by others in the past, “Fat”, “Ugly”, “Broken”, “Whore” written all over her body which she washed off in the end. The most powerful transformation in the night and a standing ovation. Simply beautiful!

Porcelain Promenade
This concept is just brilliant. Here are two performers who don’t give a shit about taking a shit on stage. Ok a little vulgar as that is not what this number is about… well it was… OK You have to really see this to know… Belle Cozette and Evilyn Sin Claire were the perfect pair with their super synced choreography. The powder puff, the glove peel to line the toilet seats, the toilet paper ribbon dance, the final pose on the can while looking dazzling. Every move in this number had intention and it was fucking genius. Amazing ladies, simply amazing!

Melody Mangler and Lola Frost
Wooooowwwwwwwww……… well what else can I say about the union of Lola Frost and Melody Mangler? The aesthetic of seeing them together should be a blog post on its own! They were seductive and fucking sexy together and it was obvious that there was chemistry between the 2 of them cuz you cannot fake the intimacy we saw on stage. I HAVE to mention how hot it was to watch them remove their stockings off of each other… It blew my mind. They were truly exquisite!

Scotty the Blue Bunny
Walking down the centre of the orchestra level of the Vogue theatre at the top of the 3rd act was a 6′ blue bunny in high heel shoes singing “Wild Thing” to the crowd. Scotty the Blue Bunny is a personality that blends charisma and crass in one tight, blue lycra-spandex blend package and kept it real for the entire 3rd act! Keeping up the energy for a whole 3rd act is no easy task and he did this effortlessly with his over-the-top “Fuck you I am awesome so pay attention” attitude. Not anyone can show up and earn the respect from an audience immediately by entering a venue but this bunny isn’t anybody, which is why there is only one-y!

Judith Stein
Thank you Judith Stein, I am sure you have been listening to endless love and serious ass-kissing but I am just going to keep that train going cuz YOU ARE A FUCKING STAR, AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL HERE!  As soon as she walked out on stage with the biggest pair of pants I have seen and an even bigger attitude I knew everyone in the Vogue was going to get a serious lesson on how burlesque is done! She effortlessly balanced humour and sheer sexuality while captivating whole damn theatre throughout her whole performance. Her striptease was unlike all the performances in the night, she took her time, milked all 3 songs she had. The audience was THANKING her for removing a piece of her costume, she made us work for her reveal and it was worth it, the whole theatre was on their feet by the very end!!! And um I have to mention this one teeeny detail which is her body??? DAAAMNNNN! I dont want to sound like an uncultured juice-head but lets be real here, SHE LOOKS AMAZING!!

Roxi DLite
What a beautiful woman Miss Roxi DLite is! Her costumes alone deserve a standing ovation. I am a sucker for a glamourous costumes and Roxi had it down to a science! My highlight from her first number was from when she removed her dress exposing the prettiest panel skirt and then the twirling happened! Oh how she twirled and twirled, oh how I love being a girl!!! She did not let a single portion of her costume go to waste as she incorporated all of it in both her numbers. Basically Roxi doesn’t NOT skimp on details!! Her final number had her adorned in a full-length wild, tiger print gown which was just stunning! But the real show-stopper were her fans in that number- simply magnificent. I have not seen feathers like them, they must have been from some majestic dinosaur bird that only Roxi can tame, which explains why they were so unique. Enough on the costumes (even though they were the greatest costumes in the night hands down, no argument, she wins forever in costumes), there is a reason why she won the crown title at the BHoF Weekend last year. She owns that stage when she is on it, we are watching her and nothing else matters at that moment. Her performances were dynamite and the applause from the audience was explosive. Vancouver loves you Roxi DLite, come back and dazzle us any time!

The stars were shining Saturday night and they were all in the Vogue theatre. Another standing ovation to the entire cast of the Saturday Night Gala show, you were all brilliant!

xoxo Sparkle