One Fringe World show that stands out from the crowd is ‘Herstory’.
Described as “one hour, one woman, and fourteen historical hystericals!”, the show sees Australia’s Queen of Burlesque – Imogen Kelly take the audience on a time travel experience to visit some of history’s most judged and damned famous women.
It’s history from a woman’s perspective, titled ‘Herstory’.
The show drops in on Lady Diana and Lindy Chamberlain looks into the rivalry between Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy, plus a visit to Catherine the Great.
Imogen has become one of Australia’s hardest working and awarded burlesque entertainers.
Not even her double mastectomy in 2013 could slow the acclaimed writer, director, producer and passionate breast cancer campaigner down.
Imogen promises that her show is an hour of raunch, narrative, dance, aerials, magic, interactive projections, puppetry and even short films.
OUTinPerth chatted to Imogen about her show which is opening at Fringe World next week.
How did you first get into performing burlesque?
I started performing burlesque in the strip clubs on The Golden Mile, Kings Cross, in the late eighties/ early nineties.
The dressing room was a cavalcade of extraordinary characters and every one had a gimmick- there was the snake girl Coffee, the ex- Les Girls star Vonnie, the bondage mistress Sacha Du Chaine, the strong woman Joy Dobson, the duo Pussy Galore and Mia Mortal- well it seemed every gimmick was taken.
If you wanted to be paid properly you needed a gimmick, so I chose old school strip tease. I had never really seen an old school strip-tease, I just had an image of feathers fans and bullet bras, so I went with that.
It wasn’t until I did my first world tour at the age of 19 that an American feature dancer came up and said “Girl, where did you learn to do burlesque?” That’s when I realised what I did had a history.
She taught me how to fan dance and how to use a boa and after that I was hooked! No-one was doing it then. In the hard core nineties burlesque was seen as a bit lame, but it worked for me.
Within a year I was the highest paid dancer in the Cross.
What’s the biggest challenge in developing a burlesque show?
There are many challenges. For a start it has to be interesting which issomething that I think a lot of current burlesque lacks. Burlesque shouldbe engaging, clever and tongue in cheek. It’s not just about showing offyour hot ladyness, it’s about doing it with that knowing twinkle in youreye.
HerStory is a very challenging show- it is all out parody and satire. It’s incredibly tongue in cheek and joyfully pushes the audience to laugh at the shocking stories of some of our most notorious historical figures.
It’s burlesque in it’s truest form, ribald, wicked and 100% pure parody.
You play a lot of famous women in your show, is there any common qualities between Princess Diana, Lindy Chamberlain and Marilyn Monroe?
The common thread is how extreme our responses have been to these women.We, the masses, have hungrily bought tabloids that smeared these individuals names, and then been lost in grief at their loss and tragedy.
We have been dumbfounded by their actions, questioned their intentions,sexual behavior and honour, and in the end socially judged them- for better or for worse. The question it leaves the audience asking is whether any of these women deserved the social verdict we have collectively handed them.
Do you think nowadays we’re better at including women in history?
I would hope so but of course we still love to sit back and condemn women in positions of power. I think the more women start to be involved in the recording of our history, the more that record will reflect the female voice and a different perspective.
At the moment I think we are so attached to humiliating famous women, and we are absorbed in making all the wrong women famous in the first place. Many of the true game changers in society still go unrecognised.
How has it been returning to the stage after your cancer treatment?
Oh gosh and golly, it’s been a journey. I had a bilateral mastectomy that was mainly preventative. It was successful. The cancer has not developed or matastacised. I managed to circumnavigate radiation treatment and chemotherapy.
I consider myself lucky and am often aware I would never want to complain as I know there are women out there who are really fighting right now.
All the same I am an awareness campaigner as I see preventative surgery asa logical choice for so many women, so I am honest and open about the aftermath.
I was fine for the first year and then I started having side effects from the surgery- chronic fatigue, pain, grief and depression. Noneof this is really surprising – you would surely expect anyone who has lost a body part to have these feelings.
I have chosen not to be quiet about my experiences as I feel that, although it saved my life, preventative surgery can be greatly improved.
Most people are hugely supportive. Some ignorant types have said negative or doubtful things to me, Pffft! The reality still stands.
I’ve watched all the women I love most in the world die long, slow, painful deaths. This iswhat drives me to be vocal. So I have to be resilient and keep saying whatI feel needs be said. I feel that every time I get onstage I am showing my audience that although the journey of cancer rehabilitation changes you, it can also make you stronger.
I hope it inspires other women in the position I was in to be strong in their decisions, and for those of us who are recovering, to speak constructively about their experiences and offer possible ways the treatments and recovery period can be improved.
Most of all I want those who are having treatment, who have lost loved ones or who are struggling with depression, vulnerability or loss of identity, our feelings are normal and are a part of your recovery.
‘Herstory’ is playing at Fringe World from January 27th, book tickets at Fringe World.
Graeme Watson, Princess Diana image by La Franchi
