Fiona Brewer
Laura Mackey
Simon McGarr
Fergal Crehan
Gary Malone
Mattie Lennon
Sarah Byam
Anita Kiely
Fred Roe
Keisha Poiro
Emma Pearson
Fluffy Dutton
Donal O'Driscoll

Red Hot At Rouge

Ponies! Prizes! Tassels! Burlesque! Bush!

Ladyboys and Gentlegirls, trannies and kings, grates and strays, you are all
most welcome at Rouge, the new night of fun and mayhem, which started off at Sundays at The Hub,
Temple Bar. Due to the Venue still being rebuilt after our first outing, future nights will be at a secret location, as yet unknown. But fear not, Fluffy Fans, you will be the first in the Know.

We popped our Rouge cherry on Sunday 1st May. A fitting date for the kind of shenanigans we had in mind, although we couldn't actually fit a maypole into The Hub. Believe me, we tried!

Despite a shaky start to the night (the venue was double-booked with an East European Pop / Folk combo, an astonishing experience in its own right), we got into costume and mingled with the crowd, encouraging our poor confused burlesque fans to wait the night out despite the soundwall of Europop / accordion music which beset their ears. Indeed, after a few too many continental promotional beers, some were seen to begin stamping along to the Europop and generally having a good time.

By the time we got onto the stage at 11.30, we'd even won over some of the Lithuanian crowd and they stayed along for the rest of the night. One chap looked particularly pleased (if a little astonished) to be handed Fluffy's crop to hold before she sashayed onto stage. Yes, she needed both hands free for an, ahem, variety of reasons.

The show was hosted by the inimitable Gringo O'Hara, dressed in his giant Cock costume (no, really) with his cohort of leather-clad Pony Girls, who rocked onto stage for the opening act with an Evil little Elvis number, and continued to amuse with their prancing antics throughout the night. Aaah, Ponygirls - part pony, part girl, all blonde (even the brunettes).

Fans of Idle Mae Lawless were in for a treat with a double bill of her particular brand of madness. In her solo number, 'The Bride', grand guignol horror meets unrequited torture on a Maria Callas scale. We had to confiscate her axe afterwards to save some poor chap getting his nuts cut off when he foolishly tried to cop a feel. Boys, be afraid of Idle Mae, be very afraid.

She also performed her crowd-pleasing military number with a cohort of camouflage-clad beauties, which combines the potent cocktail of sex, guns and -mmmmmm-eeeugh- George Bush. Explosive.

Other top acts included the inimitable Cheryl Summers, a songstrel lush with a big heart and an even bigger voice, who's seen one too many Vegas nights, and usually about 15 too many Martinis by the time she staggers off stage.

Sade O'Sapphic wowed with her Lezzie Minellie number and a cheeky little performance involving an umbrella, some nipple tassels and, well, not much else really.

Backstage drama was running high, with lost tights, tassels and tempers - the Divas were having histrionics, and that was just the men. But the minute we got back in the footlights, it was air kisses all round because whatever happens, luvvie, the show must go on!

For details of our next gig mail fluffy@tuppenceworth.ie

More from the world of burlesque soon,

Tassels and titillation!

Fluffy Dutton
24th May 2005

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