The Upstage Interview, August 13, 2012

From a Very Fortunate Afternoon
Upstage Contributor Jana Van Geest spoke with Lady Josephine and Cherry Typhoon about  Bad Ladies and the Detective being presented August 18 at Theatre Ste-Catherine. 

UPSTAGE:   They asked me to read a little story to set the scene:

In the year 2XXX  art is forbidden by the world government and 
everyone is monitored on the KENSAKU system. Some artists escaped from KENSAKU and created a cabaret show that breaks people free from the government’s brainwashing. Thus are born The Bad Ladies.

Cherry tell us a bit more about the premise of the show.

CHERRY: It’s a neo-burlesque show featuring the best and most original burlesque performances in Montreal and Toronto. It’s a sexy science fiction cabaret including songs, sketch comedy and body painting.

Cherry Typhoon has years of experience and is highly respected; I was truly flattered.

UPSTAGE: Josephine, tell us how you came to work together on the show

JOSEPHINE: It was a very fortunate afternoon when Cherry asked me if I would like to help her produce a full length theatre burlesque show. Cherry Typhoon has years of experience and is highly respected; I was truly flattered.

UPSTAGE: Can you tell us about some of the other guests on the show?

JOSEPHINE: We  have a great cast, some of the best talent Montreal has to offer.  Miss Sugar Puss, Holly Gauthier-Frankel a well known theatre star and great burlesque performer.  We’re bringing in two artists from Toronto: St. Stella and James and the Giant Pasty who will be performing a duo as well as solo acts. 

UPSTAGE:  Cherry you were telling me a bit about James and the Giant Pasty. Could you tell our audience a bit more about James amd the Goamt Pasty.

CHERRY:  He is the founder of boylesque dance in Ontario. He’s a sexy, saucy boylesque dancer. 

JOSEPHINE: I should also mention that Bonbon Bombay will be performing one of her signature acts. It’s about a naughty barber stealing people’s beards. It’s a highly technical act that involves projection.

UPSTAGE: I  notice there’s a film by Stephen Portman credited on the flyer. What’s that about?

CHERRY: Since the theme for the show is KENSAKU, which means to search, this film helps the audience to jump into KENSAKU.

UPSTAGE: This is not your typical burlesque show by any means. 

JOSEPHINE: We’re using many different mediums, body painting and film projections to name a couple.  

UPSTAGE: I don’t think there’s been a lot of cross-over between theatre and burlesque in terms of shows and presentations in Montreal.  There are  people who do both burlesque and theatre like Holly for example, but not a lot of shows that have theatrical elements. I would love to see more collaborations of that sort.

CHERRY: I would like to create more theatre and burlesque combinations. This is the first step for us.

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