Powerstrip Boylesque

Fancy Feast and Lucky Charming

It's hard to believe that in a city the size of New York, there was only one monthly burlesque show featuring primarily male performers.  Now Matt Knife's monthly boylesque revue, Homo Erectus, has been joined by Powerstrip, a monthly revue at The C.O.W. on the Lower East Side, produced by Homo Erectus regular Lucky Charming, and featuring many of the same performers (Matt Knife himself performed at April's Powerstrip).

The April Fool's Day Powerstrip started with Matt Knife in a honey badger inspired strip (the costume was fantastic), Lewd Alfred Douglas in a strip that reminded me of some German expressionistic films, the amazing Fem Appeal from Kitty Nights Burlesque, Lucky Charming as a sad Cupid in a medley of love songs, Hard Corey's ode to beer set to the tune of "Ain't No Sunshine," magician Nelson Lugo's string tricks (I could watch Lugo's magic act for hours… excellent magic and a great sense of humor), and Alfie Bunz's sideshow-inspired strip, which involved him inserting spoons into his nostrils.  Norse Horsely was the show's gogo dancer and stage kitten (the man who collects the flotsam and jetsam after each act).

Powerstrip is still in its awkward formative stages - the stage patter could use a little tightening and the transitions between acts could be smoother, but that will come in time.  What it has in spades is talented performers and enthusiasm.

What Powerstrip really needs at this point is an audience.  Burlesque can be good with a small audience, but burlesque performers will put in more when they are getting good feedback from a large, vocal and appreciative house.  The audience at April's show was vocal and appreciative, but small.  Pack the house, and this will be an amazing show.

The next Powerstrip will be Wednesday, May 7th at 8 PM (doors open at 7:30) at The Celebration of Whimsy (The C.O.W.) located at 21-A Clinton Street on the Lower East Side.  The theme is "I Love the '90s" and performers include hosts Lucky Charming and Fancy Feast, Teddy Turnaround, Iris Explosion, Brooklyn Irons and Johnny Panic.  Tickets are $15.