We are warned to “Prepare for a beating” at the BeatGirls’ BeatCamp. What we probably come off with is more of a light spanking, despite the first 15 minutes or so being devoted to S & M innuendo. 

The lights go up on the BeatGirls, wearing white 1940s style skirt suits similar to the one sported by Christina Aguilera in her ‘Candyman’ video (and surely enough this is performed a few tracks in).  Andrea Sanders is camp master Colonel Sanders, supported by Private Parts and Private Viewing (Kali Kopae and Ainslie Allen).

We are run through a drill – about five minutes of jokes that fall a bit flat with a sober Sunday matinee audience. Then the BeatGirls launch into what they are best at: high energy musical covers with synchronised dance moves. 

In the first half the framing devices are weak and not sustained.  We jump from the drill sergeant shtick to being on a flight to outer space with the ’Girls morphing from military instructors to scantily clad air hostesses. 

Going from the Andrews Sisters and salutes to cocktail hour with Harry Belafonte just feels a little random and leaves people scratching their heads at half time.  They either need to commit to the ‘entertaining the troops’ idea, or abandon the theme.

It’s something of a relief that any attempt at a unifying theme is cast off in the second half so we can just enjoy grooving along to well known numbers. 

They begin with a lament about the loose morals of pop stars of the modern age, leading into a send-up of the baddest of the bad, Amy Winehouse.  This is an excellent excuse for Kopae to show off her impressive voice (and talent at acting drunk) while she frequently stumbles into the audience. 

The Winehouse roast is followed by a Motown medley, which is definitely the best and most coherent part of the show and finally gets the audience as energised as the BeatGirls.

BeatCamp marks the fourth (possibly the fifth) time I have seen the BeatGirls perform, but the first time I’ve seen Kopae and Allen don the wigs and sparkly dresses.  They both have phenomenal singing voices and share far more of the lead singer duties with Sanders than past line ups. Allen in particular does a good job with the coquettish double entendres the show is laden with.  

I’ve seen BeatGirl performances that cohere better than BeatCamp, but it’s still reliable quality and good fun.
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