Just before Christmas we attended the del-fflur production’s Festive Frolics (which you can read about at https://rhysreviews.com/2023/12/10/festive-frolics-production-review/) which was hosted by the fabulous Venus Flytrap (who we interviewed on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/0FTZ-HlEdcQ?si=ffFtf_Ss5ZiKmGL7) This time however Del-lightful Debuts Three was hosted by the fantastic Lili Del Fflur (who we actually intervened for our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/oLe5eRTd7vs?si=_MguZwWYhVkxwyFl) who helped to not only introduce every single act and helped to to get the audience hyped. The beginning of the show saw Lili introduce the fundamental rules of going to a burlesque show which is especially important for those who have not attended one of these events before. She made sure to explain that the performers are not to be touched without consent, the importance of cheering every single performer and introduce the raffle/Del dollars. As well as being a host, Lili took on the role of mentor for the group of newbie performers known as the Del Fflurs. This is a group that Lili had taught the art form of burlesque and many of them had not performed live before. The performers themselves were absolutely amazing and it was clear that Lili was insanely proud of the group as she watched every person! The first performer to take to the stage is the other half of Del-fflur productions, the amazing Lana Del Red. They took to the stage in a gorgeous feathered robe to deliver a very bedroom-infused routine. This was then revealed to showcase a vibrant underwear set which looked wonderful against the series of mesmerising tattoos. The top half was then revealed to showcase wonderful pasties underneath which made for a very exciting routine. At one point in the routine Lana conjoined a light-up ice buck complete with a bottle and a series of ice cubes that were run across their body and then thrown into the audience. This was obviously a reference to the more sensual and steamy things that may occur in the bedroom which also worked perfectly with the burlesque influences of the routine. They used every inch of the stage and the audience area to create a truly captivating performance which helped to get to audience hyped for the rest of the evening!
Prior to my first-ever experience of a Del Fflur event (which you can read about at https://rhysreviews.com/2023/11/19/del-lightful-debuts-performance-review/), I had a very narrow view of the art form known as burlesque. Until about six months ago my knowledge of the dance style was limited to the movie Burlesque (which I have since learnt is a terrible reference point) and since going to these events I have come to realise what exactly burlesque can be. One of my favourite performances of the evening came from the fabulous Anna Toxin who graced the stage in a brilliant Cow onesie. They delivered a cohesive storyline of a line a cow facing the devastating moment they are so longer producing milk and so need to earn their keep in an alternative way. It is very clear that Anna had thought about every single detail of this routine to keep in the bovine world to create a totally cohesive and easy-to-understand story for the audience. The routine began with Anna brilliantly rolling out a patch of grass that was wrapped around her body and underneath her cow onesie, Anna revealed a brilliant udder-centric bra and cow print chaps. Onto of the cow-related theatrics, Anna decided to select cow-related songs to accompany her performance which again shows a very carefully throughout routine. Throughout the performances, we had renditions of “Milkshake” by Kelis, “Moo” by Doja Kat and “M.I.L.F” by Fergie (which talks about having milk money) all with a burlesque-inspired twist which made for a highly entertaining performer.
Next up was the amazing Reiner whose first performance of the event was a spoken word piece about a sexual encounter with ended with the narrator becoming anxious about being judged by their partner due to their obsession with clown dolls. We all have that one guilty pleasure that we would be ashamed of if anyone (never mind a potential date) and so this routine was equal parts hilarious and equal part relatable with the audience hanging on every single word. The routine ended at the door of their bedroom and the reveal of the “dirty” secret collection which meant that the audience was on the edge of their seat for the rest of the show waiting for part two. Every single minute of wait was totally worth it when their second performance of the evening finally rolled around. They danced around the stage in an over-the-top vibrant clown costume complete with a classic red curly wigs as if they themselves were the clowns they didn’t want their partner to see. One of the highlights of the routine saw the performer peel off two patches on the outfit to reveal clown-related pasties underneath which was something I totally did not see coming which made this act even more exciting!
It has become sort of a running joke with my social circles that it is not a proper Rhys Reviews post unless I mention Chae with a C (who we actually interviewed on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/84KfWuZ8YMU?si=2daZYqAiASqiFxBG) and that’s because they seem to be taking over the Cardiff drag scene with their unique brand of high camp, high energy entertainment. She has now it is time she takes over the burlesque sphere! Chae opened her set with a remix of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie that instantly electrified the audience and got them excited for the rest of the night. Opening a set with such an iconic song meant that the audience was instantly on her side as it was a song they reconsidered and wanted to sing/dance along to. Chae then decided to showcase their unique rendition of “Don’t You Want Me” by Human League where the lyrics are simply “working as a waitress in a cocktail bar”. Having seen this routine a few times (most recently at Frock n Roll which you can read about at https://rhysreviews.com/2024/04/23/frock-n-roll-production-review/) it never fails to get every single person singing along due to the very simple lyrics. Even if you have never heard this song or specifically Chae’s version before it only takes a few minutes to pick up on the repetitive lyrics and by the end you will be singing along.
One of the other preconceptions I had before attending the aforementioned first Del-Fflur show, was that it was an artist only for women. The next performer not only showed that not only can men do burlesque but it can also contain a very masculine energy throughout. Another one of my favourite performances from Del-lightful Debuts 3 came from the amazing Lex Appeal who also gave a very storyline-heavy routine. What was particularly clever about this routine was the fact that it came just after myself and two other people had attempted our best burlesque-inspired glove reveal and so the stage was scattered with gloves making it look very messy. Lex graced the stage in a wonderful high-vis jacket, cargo trousers, bobble hat and boots as he channelled his inner bin man while literally cleaning the stage. In classic burlesque style, these items of clothing were sensually removed to reveal a gorgeous fishnet outfit. They used every of the stage with a series of sensual dance moves which the audience went absolutely wild for! Out of the accompanying bin bag, Lex pulled out a boa that appeared to be made out of black bin bags which again showed incredible attention to detail.
The headliner of this event was none other than the incredible Sugar Rush who showcased a much more classic perspective of burlesque. They started their routine by walking through the audience which instantly got everyone’s eyes on them from the first moment the music started. They graced the stage in a gorgeous rainbow dress with a fantastic boa as they delivered a captivating performance and hit every single beat of the accompanying track. Their second performance was equally stunning as she showcased a gorgeous black fringe outfit with a powerful routine. The music and choreography of the routine were built perfectly with the reveals being perfect times to the musical that had the audience screaming with excitement with each and every movement.
Overall, Del-lightful Debuts Three made a conscious effort to create a to be a safe space for new/established performers to showcase their talents. This event in particular made a conscious effort to shine a light on the many different forms burlesque can take including the classic showgirl style, more comedic influences, storytelling and a more masculine perspective which means that there is something for everyone to enjoy while also educating those who are not as familiar with the art form. I would rate this event 4.5 out of 5 stars!
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