Not Your Daddy's Cabaret -- Unless, You Know, He's That Kind Of Daddy
Friday evenings, Columbia City Cabaret takes over the Columbia City Theatre for some adult-oriented hijinks. Emceed by Tamara the Trapeze Lady (who also performs), the program changes from week to week, so its performance history already includes various singers and bands, burlesque artists, drag queens, aerialists, and probably a juggler of something.
For the Cabaret, doors open at 8pm, the show starts at 9pm. Tickets are $15 at the door. The Columbia City Theatre sits right next to Tutta Bella, at 4916 Rainier Ave. S., which is handy because besides cocktails from the bar, the speedy waitstaff can also deliver you fresh, delicious pizza. The jewelbox vaudeville theater has been fully restored, with a gilded proscenium arch that somehow gives off a disreputable air, and plenty of red velvet. Tables and folding chairs mix it up on the main floor (call 206-723-0088 for reservations), and a back and side balcony area holds SRO overflow.
The night we went, the audience consisted of straight and gay couples looking for a spicy evening, a few groups of people who seemed to advocate adventuresome sexual mores, and burlesque fans (as well as three other men wearing Hawaiian shirts). The vibe is good-humoredly supportive, with a good deal of hooting, catcalls, and other verbal input -- it's more about exposure than nudity, more about playfulness than T&A scrutiny. Talent-wise, as a variety show, it runs the gamut.
Our night's highlights included refreshingly candid banter from Tamara the Trapeze Lady about her trouble keeping her nipple-tassels on; the camped-out, winking stripteases of Trixie Lane -- shameless! -- the synchronized hoopwork of a duo from the Aerialistas, and the more-than-we-bargained-for sincerity of Verotica143, the erotic mime.
She'd greeted us when we entered, and as she was a mime, we never made eye contact again. But her performances were erotic, stylish pieces of theater that had something to say about identity, sexual power, and being trapped in an erotic glass box. The music, bass-heavy German techno, took full advantage of the theater's extensive sound system.
Last but not least, we applaud the all-female house band Femme Brulee, who provided a torch 'n' twang soundtrack to the evening. It's not the most polished night of entertainment ever, the emcee still says "um" a bit too much, and a little modern burlesque can go a long way, but it's certainly unique -- and some of the more limber performers are positively inspiring.
