Performing in the Q Loft, the always entertaining Lilly Loca’s Vaudeville Cabaret once again pulled in the crowds. The Q’s smaller space, packed with an audience happily buzzing in anticipation, provided an effective black box space, set for this show with a pair of Japanese style screens and parasols.

The floor show followed the expected format of a Lilly Loca show, each artist performing twice in strict order, every piece bookended by MC Lilly’s introductions. These interjections are the weakest part of the show, breaking the flow rather than framing the each performance. The show, shorter than normal, with four artists and no interval, was the perfect length to satisfy without overwhelming. It is unfortunate that more attention had not been paid to the layout of the space, as with the house full, siight lines were compromised. This was especially noticeable when performers moved to the front of the stage or worked on the floor.

We were welcomed by hostess Lilly Loca, in stunning blue, who, introducing each of the performers in turn, produced a neatly choreographed chorus-line style which was repeated at the end of the show. They appear in the same order when through the show: Miss Phloss, Leda Petit, William Cooper Barling as Billy Helyett and The Magenta Diamond. As always the iconic stage hand Patty Haag comically interrupted the introductions, and indeed the whole show.

Each performer evokes a distinct mood, creating a rollercoaster feel throughout the evening. Miss Phloss presents two fluffy and almost textbook stripteases, with costume changes and a teasing, slightly mimetic style. She looks like she’s having fun but stops short of fulfilling her movements. Contrasting her is Leda Petit, an earthy and sensual starlet. Her first piece combines the jungle and jazzercise in a largely floor based and animalistic routine. Later, dressed in black that accents the grace of her shoulders and arms she gives us classic burlesque and a fan dance that could easily have been continued for longer.

William Cooper Barling provides a masculine accent to the evening as Billy Helyett. He combines an dramatic atmosphere with a style that blends burlesque and contemporary dance in his first appearance, his constant, liquid movement interrupted only by his costume changes. He reappears as a vocalist, with the angst levels turned to full. It is a shame that his voice is lost in the epic rock-opera-esque music.

Rounding out the evening’s entertainment is The Magenta Diamond. With intricate costuming and a strongly contrived stage presence she commands attention. She performs a highly polished routine that incorporates whips and then, later, a smoothly presented aerial chain routine. Her stage presence is occasionally lost in the mise-en-scene, but is always re-established by her expressive face.

Despite some odd lighting choices and the poor sight-lines, the Va-Va-Voom Burlesque delivers all the fun and enjoyment for which Lilly Loca is renowned. 

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