Nudity and off colour jokes go down well at Club Cremorne
The series is called QPAC Unlocked but after seeing this sexy cabaret show maybe they should call it QPAC Undressed - there’s plenty of striptease and a plethora of d*ck jokes from the host with the most comedian Damien Power.
Entertainment
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You don‘t expect them to take their clothes off at QPAC. Well not on stage at least. But last night at the premiere of the sassy Club Cremorne in the Cremorne Theatre, part of the QPAC Unlocked series, there was quite a bit of bare flesh.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that, as Jerry Seinfeld would say.
They call it burlesque and there were a few moments when you could have been forgiven for thinking you were at a night spot in King’s Cross, Sydney.
If this is QPAC’s idea of coming back from the dead of a pandemic shutdown I kind of like it and so did the audience last night. And I would recommend that you go and see it if it weren’t for the fact that this show, one of a series of shows and concerts during the QPAC Unlocked series, is sold out. Pretty well everything is now at QPAC and Brisbane Festival is, what with reduced audience capacity and high demand from desperados who haven’t been out for months.
And with COVID safe regulations most of the shows are short and that can only be a good thing. You want to be left wanting more. And last night’s hour long show left me desiring just that and promising myself to try and catch MC Damien power’s stand-up act when next he is on somewhere in Brisbane.
Man is he funny. I knew he was good but last night he killed it. I haven’t laughed out loud like that for ages, if that is even allowed. I will check with Dr Young, Maybe I should have stifled my guffaws but I just couldn’t.
He’s irreverent and profane (this is an adults show by the way) and I love that and his d--k jokes were plentiful. He broke us up when he suggested it was ironic that after centuries of technological advances and now that everyone has a super computer in their pocket all some people can think of to do with that super computer is to talk photos of their penis and send it to people. Go figure.
With cabaret seating I tried to imagine I was at the Kit Kit Club from Cabaret with Power as our very own Joel Grey - sans the make-up.
After Power had warmed us up (I didn’t stop laughing for some minutes after he had vacated the stage) we had a series of short acts and my favourite would have to be Jacqueline Furey (from Emerald of all places) whose glamorous eroticism is capped off by a rather dazzling bit of sword swallowing.
A few people averted their gaze as the sword was plunged deep into her throat. Yikes! Pearl Thompson was the other burlesque dancer in the show and let me tell you we saw more of both of them than their mothers would probably approve of. But it was, as comic Kenny Everett used to say, all done in the best possible taste.
Circus performer Danik Abishev wowed us with feats of strength and that guy has a six pack that is more like an eight pack really. Acrobat Chelsea McGuffin was another standout. She will be familiar to audiences and I remember her from Circa. She’s terrific and her tightrope capers were graceful and amazing.
Drag Queen Chocolate Box was a hoot. She’s a whole lotta woman and boy can she shake it.
Everyone was good, delivered in short doses and they kept the best for last - beatboxer Tom Thum, an international superstar who has been trapped at home in Brisbane these past months and is now starting to perform in public. The sounds this guy can create with his mouth, a keyboard and a microphone are amazing and he is usually travelling the world wowing them but we had him all to ourselves at home last night.
Tom is amazing and he really took us out on a high. I’m just sad for you all that if you don‘t have a ticket already you won’t get to see this show. Well, actually, I’m not that sad, I’m just saying that to make you feel better.
But hey, keep an eye out because sometimes, due to popular demand, they add a show here or there. Fingers crossed.
qpac.com.au