I've been thinking about cabaret and burlesque since the performance on Saturday. I found a very insightful critique by Dan Savage. Burlesque creates a strong dividing line between people who are "for" and "against". I think Savage is right when he says we need to critique the neo-burlesque pieces as theater and/or (I would add) performance art and the bottom line he says is that the work needs to engage your crotch and your brain. I enjoy pieces that are brainy and titillating, like the work we saw by Chicava Honeychild. So first of all, is it a well-constructed, well-rehearsed piece with high production values? Is it well-executed? And finally, is it a museum piece? Does it just produce a re-iteration of the heteronormative tradition, or is it a fresh, edgy take with a political edge?
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