The Wau Wau Sisters // The Spiegeltent, NNF2012 - 17.05.12
"They only believe in sex outside marriage if you’re related - as they tell the audience before they launch into a song about having sex with Jesus!" - Smiley reviews the naughty Wau Wau Sisters.
When I was told I was going to review a burlesque act involving two sisters in schoolgirl outfits, a trapeze and a healthy amount of stripping, spanking and drinking, let’s just say I didn’t think it was going to be a difficult night to go to work. Ok, I lied. They’re actually half sisters if their web-blurb is to be believed, who were both conceived in the same threesome, and this statement alone should give you some idea of the delightfully perverse nature of things to come. This is not just a peep show aimed at cheap thrills, this is burlesque at its darkly humorous, cheekily rude best - made apparent by the church alter at the back of the stage, and the “schoolgirls” handing out communion wafers at the entrance.
The Spiegeltent was packed to capacity and provided the perfect faux-vaudeville setting for the cheeky duo, who were in amongst the crowd, greeting and expertly flirting with the audience and lucky critics alike. The house (tent) lights go down, and we’re off to a flying start as the two girls take on the stage and take off their clothes. Not knowing quite what to expect at first, the opening act (no pun intended) gives a pretty good account of what’s to come. Before they’ve even said a word, the girls show that their act is as flexible as they are by moving from frantic, Benny Hill style cheekiness, to trouser-stirring, girl-on-girl action, to jaw droppingly dark, satirical humour as one of the pig-tailed sisters ties the other to a crucifix with their school ties.
Taboo is the order of the night, as the two sassy lasses from New York introduce themselves to the audience and the audience to their hilarious reality. Don’t get me wrong, these girls have limits – they only believe in sex outside marriage if you’re related - as they tell the audience before they launch into a song about having sex with Jesus! The show mixes comedy, camp and striptease in just the right proportions throwing in cross-dressing audience participation, a daring and saucy trapeze act and culminating in a wine-covered full strip for the dessert at the end of their alternative last supper.
The show was innovative, original and funny. It was perfectly judged for the festival, and added something that felt wonderfully forbidden. I’m slightly concerned for the safety of my soul after laughing my ass off at a hitherto un-preceded amount of naked blasphemy, but if I do end up in hell I get the feeling that there will be a couple of bad girls there waiting and ready to party!
Smiley
When I was told I was going to review a burlesque act involving two sisters in schoolgirl outfits, a trapeze and a healthy amount of stripping, spanking and drinking, let’s just say I didn’t think it was going to be a difficult night to go to work. Ok, I lied. They’re actually half sisters if their web-blurb is to be believed, who were both conceived in the same threesome, and this statement alone should give you some idea of the delightfully perverse nature of things to come. This is not just a peep show aimed at cheap thrills, this is burlesque at its darkly humorous, cheekily rude best - made apparent by the church alter at the back of the stage, and the “schoolgirls” handing out communion wafers at the entrance.
The Spiegeltent was packed to capacity and provided the perfect faux-vaudeville setting for the cheeky duo, who were in amongst the crowd, greeting and expertly flirting with the audience and lucky critics alike. The house (tent) lights go down, and we’re off to a flying start as the two girls take on the stage and take off their clothes. Not knowing quite what to expect at first, the opening act (no pun intended) gives a pretty good account of what’s to come. Before they’ve even said a word, the girls show that their act is as flexible as they are by moving from frantic, Benny Hill style cheekiness, to trouser-stirring, girl-on-girl action, to jaw droppingly dark, satirical humour as one of the pig-tailed sisters ties the other to a crucifix with their school ties.
Taboo is the order of the night, as the two sassy lasses from New York introduce themselves to the audience and the audience to their hilarious reality. Don’t get me wrong, these girls have limits – they only believe in sex outside marriage if you’re related - as they tell the audience before they launch into a song about having sex with Jesus! The show mixes comedy, camp and striptease in just the right proportions throwing in cross-dressing audience participation, a daring and saucy trapeze act and culminating in a wine-covered full strip for the dessert at the end of their alternative last supper.
The show was innovative, original and funny. It was perfectly judged for the festival, and added something that felt wonderfully forbidden. I’m slightly concerned for the safety of my soul after laughing my ass off at a hitherto un-preceded amount of naked blasphemy, but if I do end up in hell I get the feeling that there will be a couple of bad girls there waiting and ready to party!
Smiley
