Preview: Lady Wildflower presents ‘The Frou Frou Club’
By Anuli Changa
Lady Wildflower studied dance and drama at university and began helping out with the burlesque show the ‘Cats’ Pyjamas’ in her home town of Grimsby. She explained to me that over ten years of her burlesque career, she has tried many styles of burlesque and enjoys the diversity from “fierce, sexy striptease influences” to “strong character based acts” such as “mythological” routines and even a “Bob Fosse” inspired musical theatre act.
I had to ask the age old question about burlesque and criticisms surrounding objectification and sexualisation of women. Lady Wildflower’s answer was simple: “my body, my choice”. She has been asked this question “so many times over the years” and recounted a struggle to secure council venues for the Hebden Bridge Burlesque Festival, the council refused to let them use council venues because burlesque was seen as “demeaning to women”. With community support, this hurdle was eventually overcome. Lady Wildflower stated matter-of-factly that burlesque for her is “reclaiming [her] body from the male gaze, reclaiming [her] sexuality” and “celebrating all bodies, all sexualities”.
Lady Wildflower’s life is full time burlesque: performing, producing and teacher in Manchester, Leeds and around the world.
Lady Wildflower’s ‘The Frou Frou Club’ is a burlesque and cabaret show which will be performed at 53two. The show is particularly “exciting” as the show is accompanied by “a live band “. The band, ‘Cabaret against the machine’ creates a “completely different energy”, an “electrifying” atmosphere.
As well as Lady Wildflower, the show will include Lolita Va Voom, who has travelled from Berlin to perform and Snookie Mono, an international swordswallower and fire eater. And performing with the band Drag Queen, Donna Trump will be singing live!
‘The Frou Frou Club’ brings “a different flavour” to the burlesque scene and marries the “classic” with the “comedic” in an unforgettable night of entertainment.