Bastille Day at the Triple Door: L’Edition Francaise
Exactly two hundred and twenty one years ago today, hundreds of Parisians, brewing with freedom-loving fervor and revolution, stormed the Bastille prison and military fortress—France’s symbol of monarchical tyranny and oppression. The fall of the Bastille marks the advent of the French Revolution, secularism, citizenship, inalienable rights, and the “modern era”. Nowadays the French celebrate their freedom with fireworks, feasting, parades and parties, and the party continues 5,000 miles away.
Today is Bastille Day, and while Seattle’s official festivities concluded Sunday at Seattle Center, there are a few French-themed fetes about town. Naturally, two of Seattle’s most celebrated old-school style burlesquers, Lily Verlaine and Kitten LaRue are on the Triple Door’s marquee today for their latest creation: L’Edition Francaise, featuring an impressive collaboration with Artistic Director and Choreographer of Whim W’Him, Olivier Wevers. Together, they will pay tribute to various French revolutionaries, from the glorious capture of the Bastille, to the glamorous likes of Serge Gainsbourg, Francoise Hardy and Brigitte Bardot. Your Seattlest was lucky enough to get a few words with the wonderful Lily Verlaine in advance of this evenings' celebration.
The show tonight celebrates your favorite French things in honor of Bastille Day... Can you tell us what some of your favorite French things are?
The French kiss, Pinot Noir, Serge Gainsbourg, uninhibited lovemaking in the street and Dior.
What does Bastille Day mean to you, to Lily Verlaine, to the burlesque community? What inspired you to pay homage to the great French Republic?
I love a good jailbreak. (kidding.) I think that our culture as a whole has a fascination with the French, whether we admire or dislike the culture. I don’t think that I’ve met an American who is indifferent to the French. This is just me tapping into one piece of what makes France so alluring to me: Serge!
Tell us about your collaboration with the acclaimed PNB dancer and choreographer Olivier Wevers?
Olivier has been nothing but gracious and charming, just like his work. I love that I got to find out that there is nothing about his work dance creation is inauthentic to himself as a human being.
Who else will be performing in L’Edition Francaise?
Kitten LaRue, Kylie Shea (Kylie Llwellan of Spectrum Dance Theater) Indigo Blue, Bunny Monroe, Sassy DeLure, Paris and Trojan Original, The Luminous Pariah, Chandra La-La, Jeffrey (that’s actually a stage name!)
Can you give us any "teasers"? What acts are you most excited about?
Well, I am thrilled that Olivier will be experimenting in this form. I am also excited to see Kitten laRue’s awesome explosion of femininity. In my own piece, I am excited to execute dance in this really raw way. I have a nostalgia in preserving the free spirit of dances from the late 60s/early 70s. I drew a lot of inspiration from the film that Serge Gainsbourg made of “Histoire de Melody Nelson.” The dancing had this raw, slightly awkward, hypnotically repetitive quality that has since been appropriated by producers and a little bit sanitized for MTV audiences. I long for a time when girls got hair in their faces after a hair flip.
July 14, 2010 // 7pm (17+) and 10pm (21+) // $20 // The Triple Door
