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Review Wed Dec 16 2009
Review: The Ripettes' A Nightmare Before XXX-mas @ Mary's Attic
It began the way a lot of Christmas plays do: several holiday-themed pajama clad performers running around the stage excitedly getting ready for Santa's visit. In The Ripettes' A Nightmare Before XXX-mas however, the ladies are wearing sequined pasties under their jammies and trying to kidnap Santa Claus to force him to listen to their wish lists.
Hosted by the fast-talking, charming Mickey LaRue the Christmas cabaret provided just as many laughs as it does skin. The show took place in the intimate setting of Mary's Attic (located above Hamburger Mary's, 5400 N Clark Street), a venue frequented by The Ripettes. The troupe, made up of several of Chicago's most beautiful burlesque dancers, compliment each other well. There's a refreshing feeling of camaraderie amongst them and you can't help but feel apart of their strange little Christmas family.
The individual acts are broken up by mini slapstick routines helmed proficiently by Mickey LaRue and the long suffering Santa (played by Jorge Sextaban). The solo acts are pure silly fun brought to a boil by the sexy Ripettes. Jeez Loueez, a dangerous looking broad dripping with attitude, has a talent for shtick. She performs here as a hapless burlesque dancer who, after a slight head injury, thinks she's a Christmas tree. Pale skinned, long limbed Dixie More strips, en pointe, to a rock opera version of 'Carol of Bells' complete with a fog machine. The biggest laughs of the night went to Trixie Darling and Sushi Martinez and their duet, a bawdy slapstick retelling of 'The Grinch who Stole Christmas'. Sushi's solo effort as a sultry angel (complete with wings and matching glittering pasties) hushed the appreciative audience. Trixie appeared again before the ensemble finale decked out in wrapping paper, gleefully unwrapping herself. Burlesque in the hands of the Ripettes is exactly what it should be: campy, throwback fun.
The Ripettes' A Nightmare Before XXX-mas ran one night only on December 13th at Mary's Attic. For upcoming shows and more information about the bawdy burlesque troupe, visit The Ripettes' website.
