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Thoughts on Alice in Sexyland
Last night ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
my_daroga, friends and I went to see an Alice and Wonderland burlesque.
The burlesque was okay. It was set in Wonderland, at the Looking Glass club, which was hosted by the White Rabbit. Alice tumbled through the looking glass into the club, along with her reflection (so, two Alices, ripe for Alice-on-Alice action). The Alices watched performances introduced by the White Rabbit, which included numbers by the Caterpillar, the Queen's flamingos, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, Chesire Cat, and the Queen of Hearts.
The numbers themselves didn't have plots. Mostly it was just these characters dancing, sometimes in comedic, sometimes suggestive, usually both ways, and usually stripping down to underwear by the end. The Tweedles didn't strip. Chesire Cat was the only male performance (besides the Rabbit, who only sang), and instead of stripping, he leapt out from behind a couch wearing only scanty shiny underwear and a magnificent beard. Then he proceeded to scratch the furniture, hump the couch, and get himself dressed like a big pimp, complete with fabulous jewelry and a cheetah coat. I thought he was hottest but for the Alices. I can't tell because whether it was a guy and I'm mostly hetrosexual, whether it was because he was just so self-confident and flamboyant, or whether it was because it was so entirely ridiculous and funny, and maybe I was embarrassed. Perhaps all three?
Anyway, I had high hopes for the production. I thought that it was going to involve a little more story. It could have been a very flimsy story. Alice could have fallen into Wonderland, and then run into each of these characters, who then performed for her. But instead it was very, "This is a show. You are going to see this number. Now you will see this number." When I thought about it, I started coming up with (what I think are) very cool ideas. For instance, the Mad Hatter could be a woman in a tuxedo with a top hat. One of those, you know, sexy wrong girl tuxes. She could have been dominatrixy, which would have been interesting juxtaposed against a very quaint tea party--or it could have been a less juxtaposey cocktail party, where Alice could have gotten drunk and there could have been shenanigans.
But anyway, the Hatter could be this whole underworld of BDSM take-charge female lesbian power. Each scene could have been a new world of sex and squalor (but the good kind) to which Alice was exposed. Instead, the Hatter they had rushed around giving everyone tea, and then had to give everyone napkins, but started running out, until of course she had to give people pieces of clothing with which to wipe their mouths. Sure, this is entertaining, and plays for comedy, which I suppose burlesque should. And it fits somewhat with the tone of the original Alice, in which the Hatter attempts to control the tea party (iirc) rather than actually controls it, and comes off more as silly than anything else.
When I thought about it more, I thought the Red Queen should be the dominatrix. (But she would succumb to Alice, or all Alice has learned, in the end. That would be hot.)
Anyway, besides thoughts on how the show could've been better, now I have Alice meta, re: versions of Alice, Lewis Caroll, sex and the rabbit hole, and male agency in Wonderland, but my 15 minutes was actually over five minutes ago. So, I'll save it for another time, and instead turn it over to you.
What would you do, in an Alice burlesque show? ETA: I meant to ask with an Alice burlesque show. As in: how would you marry the idea of sexy times to this story? What would the songs be, the costumes, the sets, the dances? How would you tell the story? What would you think about it--would it ruin your Disney-laced or innocent childhood? Who would you cast if you could cast anyone?
But if you want to be *in* an Alice burlesque show, you can tell me what you'd do, too :o)
my_daroga, friends and I went to see an Alice and Wonderland burlesque. The burlesque was okay. It was set in Wonderland, at the Looking Glass club, which was hosted by the White Rabbit. Alice tumbled through the looking glass into the club, along with her reflection (so, two Alices, ripe for Alice-on-Alice action). The Alices watched performances introduced by the White Rabbit, which included numbers by the Caterpillar, the Queen's flamingos, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, Chesire Cat, and the Queen of Hearts.
The numbers themselves didn't have plots. Mostly it was just these characters dancing, sometimes in comedic, sometimes suggestive, usually both ways, and usually stripping down to underwear by the end. The Tweedles didn't strip. Chesire Cat was the only male performance (besides the Rabbit, who only sang), and instead of stripping, he leapt out from behind a couch wearing only scanty shiny underwear and a magnificent beard. Then he proceeded to scratch the furniture, hump the couch, and get himself dressed like a big pimp, complete with fabulous jewelry and a cheetah coat. I thought he was hottest but for the Alices. I can't tell because whether it was a guy and I'm mostly hetrosexual, whether it was because he was just so self-confident and flamboyant, or whether it was because it was so entirely ridiculous and funny, and maybe I was embarrassed. Perhaps all three?
Anyway, I had high hopes for the production. I thought that it was going to involve a little more story. It could have been a very flimsy story. Alice could have fallen into Wonderland, and then run into each of these characters, who then performed for her. But instead it was very, "This is a show. You are going to see this number. Now you will see this number." When I thought about it, I started coming up with (what I think are) very cool ideas. For instance, the Mad Hatter could be a woman in a tuxedo with a top hat. One of those, you know, sexy wrong girl tuxes. She could have been dominatrixy, which would have been interesting juxtaposed against a very quaint tea party--or it could have been a less juxtaposey cocktail party, where Alice could have gotten drunk and there could have been shenanigans.
But anyway, the Hatter could be this whole underworld of BDSM take-charge female lesbian power. Each scene could have been a new world of sex and squalor (but the good kind) to which Alice was exposed. Instead, the Hatter they had rushed around giving everyone tea, and then had to give everyone napkins, but started running out, until of course she had to give people pieces of clothing with which to wipe their mouths. Sure, this is entertaining, and plays for comedy, which I suppose burlesque should. And it fits somewhat with the tone of the original Alice, in which the Hatter attempts to control the tea party (iirc) rather than actually controls it, and comes off more as silly than anything else.
When I thought about it more, I thought the Red Queen should be the dominatrix. (But she would succumb to Alice, or all Alice has learned, in the end. That would be hot.)
Anyway, besides thoughts on how the show could've been better, now I have Alice meta, re: versions of Alice, Lewis Caroll, sex and the rabbit hole, and male agency in Wonderland, but my 15 minutes was actually over five minutes ago. So, I'll save it for another time, and instead turn it over to you.
What would you do, in an Alice burlesque show? ETA: I meant to ask with an Alice burlesque show. As in: how would you marry the idea of sexy times to this story? What would the songs be, the costumes, the sets, the dances? How would you tell the story? What would you think about it--would it ruin your Disney-laced or innocent childhood? Who would you cast if you could cast anyone?
But if you want to be *in* an Alice burlesque show, you can tell me what you'd do, too :o)
no subject
Sorry your burlesque show was a bummer. I have seen a couple of amazing shows, and I wish everyone on my FL could have shared them.
no subject
(Anonymous) 2009-03-28 10:44 am (UTC)(link)no subject
And I would definitely include a threesome with the (naked) Tweedles (
no subject
Well, that's just for you, but I am sad to report they were girls, and of rather traditional build.
I'm sure
no subject
Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Girls
I myself haven't read it (never wanted to) though I know my good friend Chatastic has. Can't remember what she had to say about it other than "Yikes." =P
no subject
no subject
Anyway, the idea re: the dominatrix thing is awesome. And I think it points to what this really needed, which was a journey. I don't even really care what it is. Alice, here, doesn't seem to learn anything. She behaves as though she is learning, but nothing changes (I guess one could interpret the shadow-Alice becoming blond, and the mirror-self breaking free of her at the end, but whatever). The routines here were held together by costumes suggesting the characters, and a few puns, rather than anything that really thematically related to Alice at all.
In short, it could have been SO much better. I think I would have been turned on by the increasing intensity of the scenarios, even if they weren't particularly things I was interest in. However, I wonder if that exits the realm of burlesque (with the emphasis on comedy) and enters porn or erotica or something like that.
no subject