“WTF was that?” was the simultaneous reaction from my theatre buddy and I as soon as the lights came on.

As someone who’s seen a heap of burlesque cabaret theatre over the years I can tell you that I’m no prude in any shape or form.

However Glitta Supernova strutting her ‘stuff’ on stage from the get-go was not only outright tasteless and vulgar – it fell far below the standard of what is expected from an international show. [More]

________________________
For more production details, click on the title above. Go to Home page to see other Reviews, recent Comments and Forum postings (under Chat Back), and News.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

The Glitta Supernova Experience: Lets get METAphysical is a spectacular explosion of outrageous costumes, feminism, striptease, parodies of pop culture and porn, and obviously, glitter. It’s like a drag show meets the Vagina Monologues.

Glitta Supernova goes through many incarnations in this show. We start, as all of us do, with the vagina. She has, hands down, the best vagina costume I have ever seen. It has layers. And frills. And sequins. And a lovely little velvet hood.

50s polka dots come next, green sparkly underwear, librarian skirt and blouse, highlighter eighties spandex, a glow in the dark outfit, finishing with a trashy beauty queen dress and sash. Not to forget the side splittingly funny steak g-string.

In between all of these costumes (and more) there is a copious amount of only glitter and tattoo wearing. It is also interesting that while much more of Glitta Supernova was on display than many people bargain for her, make-up and wigs prevent the audience’s gaze from owning all of her.

The costumes represent our journey through a mishmash of experiences and impressions that make up the path of Glitta Supernova’s life so far.

Glitta Supernova describes herself as a sex clown. This is the most apt label you could stick on this show. The image of her stripping with a gigantic Hulk memorabilia fist is not one that will fade quickly. In fact all of her dances are belly-wobblingly hilarious. This is the show you bring your boorish friend who claims that women are genetically unfunny to. At the very least they will like the cameo appearances from Smurfette and Miss Piggy.

Her comfort in her own skin allows for some fantastic physical comedy. There are many knowing giggles from the female members of the audience and some startled laughs from the males as Glitta Supernova lets everything hang out that we are all trained to hide. This is valuable scrutiny of the set of values that have put us all in this situation.  

Glitta Supernova will take your sense of propriety and flash her vulva at it. Her massive energy fills the stage and her additional charm makes the audience adore her. A lot of shame is levelled at women. Glitta Supernova will stare anyone who dares to have this kind of attitude around her right in the eye and wobble an older-than-the-media-prefers piece of flesh at you. It is quite challenging to judge someone who quite clearly does not care in the slightest about what you think.

There are a few transitional glitches, either because the tech crew is just being trained up tonight, or they are just so entranced by the performance that they kept missing their cues. If you would like to come to a show that captivates the techies so much that they forget they are running the show temporarily, then The Glitta Supernova Experience is on for just one more night. It is quite an experience.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

The clue is in the name: Glitta Supernova. This performer has all the energy and sparkly light of a celestial event!  

Glitta has a chronic condition called HN: Hereditary Nudism. She does spend a fair amount of this show in the nude, which seems fairly natural after the initial moment of surprise, and she does sport some impressive body ink.   

This show is part autobiography, part commentary and satire on the sex industry. It’s definitely physical – Glitta is not one for standing still – and there’s plenty of meta as well.   

The child of typical Byron Bay hippie nudist parents, Glitta spent her youth mortified by her mother doing nude yoga on the front porch, and couldn’t wait to get to Sydney. There, she made a snap decision to take a job at a strip club where she worked for a decade. Which goes to show that our formative years have a stronger influence on our values than we always care to admit!

Not covered in the narrative of the evening is the next chapter of her life as co-founder of Gurlesque, an inclusive burlesque club that has been a foundation for the growth and direction of Burlesque in Australia and New Zealand.   

The hour unfolds through a series of character pieces, interspersed with stories of her life, often told while changing costume and re-enacting events at the same time. More complex changes off stage are covered by projections to a back screen. These are just as much a part of the action as the live stuff.

Two stand-out mime movies are porn parodies of Miss Piggy, being directed by a misogynist sock Kermit to do more and more ridiculous moves, and Smurfette bemoaning being the only girl in the clan while stripping for leering blue Smurfs.

This show is unapologetically adult, not through being sultry – but by being authentic. The nudity on stage is more than skin deep. And therefore it is the ultimate feminist statement. Most of the satire is aimed at the patriarchal view of women’s sexuality as something to exploit for power and money. Glitta demonstrates in a highly entertaining way what it is to have total autonomy over one’s own body and sexuality. 

As a member of the cabaret and burlesque performers community in Wellington, I have seen a lot. This show busts through even my unconscious parameters, and I embrace it with all the enthusiasm of Kirsty Allsop attacking an internal wall with a sledge hammer. Open up that living space, let the light in!  

While on at 7pm this week, which seems a little early for such a show, it’s a great chance to see it and not have to stay up late. Next week it will be on at the more predictable 10pm. So there’s something to suit everyone. That’s my way of saying, get in there and get the Glitta Supernova Experience!

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer