When an audience settles in to watch a live burlesque show, they are encouraged to cheer and shout as loud as they can. Watching Club Justice at Nexus Arts, I found it a challenge to even try to hold back my hollers. Based on the noise of the crowd around me, I wasn’t alone.
Photo credit: Castleforge Photography
The show opened with a monologue from producer Diana Divine, acknowledging that in recent times, the world could have used a few more superheroes. Despite the tongue-in-cheek nature of the comment, it was hard not to be hit by the sentiment. However, as the show kicked into gear, any seriousness was immediately forgotten.
As act after act took the stage, I kept thinking that I was about as hyped as I could possibly get, only to be proven wrong by each new number. All the performers shared the same theme, the same level of charm, and the same general atmosphere of fun, but each one was a highlight for a different reason. Scarlet Popinjay’s Raven captivated the crowd with an alluring sense of the mysterious. Delilah Del L’Amour’s skillful application of technique harkened back to classic cinema, remixed in a way that was lively and distinctive. The combined force of Moisty Magic’s Catwoman and Ignatius Blackthorne’s Batman was, to put it simply, painfully sexy.
Like all modern suites of superhero movies, Club Justice is an ensemble work, built from individual pieces that all have the quality to stand alone. Any fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will tell you that the biggest stars of DC Comics have yet to be gifted with the live adaptation they deserve. In response, I would ask those fans to book a ticket to this show, and make sure to warm up their vocal cords.
★★★★★
5 Stars
- Sarah Jane Justice