Kittie Klaw - British Burlesque Specialist

Performer

“Totally Hilarious”
Ben Elton

As “the doyenne of feline femininity” (The List) Kittie is celebrated internationally for her invigorating performance style - a fusion of physicality, dance and whimsical satire. Upholding the sentiments of traditional British burlesque theatre* (rather like bawdy pantomime) Kittie lovingly awakens with vital spark, this almost forgotten tradition. A comedienne with prowess she offers an original, charming repertoire where each act is a burlesque (a send up) of female archetypes, gender stereotypes and ideals. Being both thought-provoking and aesthetically alluring, her eccentric spectacles are truly provocative.

With doll-like femininity, ‘historical chic’ and a feline sense of mischief she has earned enthusiastic praise from comedy luminaries such as Ben Elton, Al Murray, Matt Berry and Tony Roper. As a figurehead of the modern burlesque industry, she can be engaged to make a thorough spectacle of herself for discerning patrons.

A selection of candid images and videos are found, beneath the repertoire.

REPERTOIRE

britanniab1 Rude Britannia – Red, White and Thoroughly Blue

A burlesque of Britannia herself. What is Britain’s proud image worth today? Has our Britannia been reduced to the fodder of Tabloid titillation – or is she still an Imperialist fantasy? See the once proud, Commander of the Seas and Conqueror of Nations stripped down to the attire of a Las Vegas showgirl in this ‘infamous’ (Marie Claire) act.

victorianb1 The Solitary Vice

A burlesque of our notion of Victorian female prudery. Fictional Kitty De Winter-Fairbotham, an unmarried young lady engages in the perilous activity of reading alone. A dangerous liaison between one woman and a book, she succumbs to the most titillating diversions found in the passions of Mr Burton’s new release – a most brazen exotic tome.

Lola Montez – Spanish Chancer

A burlesque of a blag-artiste supreme. An imagining of the naughty ‘spider dance’ once rumoured to have been performed by Lola Montez, the famous Victorian faux-Spanish dancer of dubious repute (she was neither Spanish nor a dancer) who seduced the King of Bavaria and achieved nobility (but caused a minor revolution too). After all, whatever Lola wants, Lola gets… (she inspired this very phrase).

Seaman Thompson

A burlesque of the classic Sailor’s hornpipe. Inspired by Lydia Thompson’s ‘Sailor Boy’ routine – famous in 19th century Europe for being danced by a women in trousers by gad – this is an update of the gender-bending sea-faring favourite of our forebears. Kittie pairs classic hornpipe archetype with modern super-gay stereotype for some unexpected nautical fun (and techno shapes).

egyptianc1 An Ancient Egyptian Beauty Ritual

A burlesque of feminine vanity. Kittie questions the old adage ‘pain is beauty’. Here our devotee addresses the goddess of beauty and sends up a well known ritual which challenges the notion that the temple of hair removal is in any way, an elegant practice of ‘goddess’ worship – ancient or modern.

Seance and Sensibility

A burlesque of Victorian Spiritualism. Inspired by the enterprising ingenue Florence Cook, a 19th century Spiritualist medium who enthralled her audiences by ‘performing’ in the guise of ghostly pirate wench ‘Katie King’. Wonder as the mysterious cloaked figure glides like a ghost (secretly on rollerboots) then disappears in to the spirit cabinet only for something else entirely, something scanty and scandalous to comes out of the closet… An extended version of ten minutes is available as 3 person-troupe sketch presented by The Parlour Tricks. It is also available as a full 90 minute ghostly revue.

kittie-klaw-spy

Agent Klaw in… Eye Spy

A burlesque of the ‘femme fatale’. Drawing comic inspiration from the legendary pin-up queen, Bettie Page. Here a mysterious spy is double crossed in a tale of secrets and suspenders. Agent Klaw must think quickly when her cover is blown and she needs all her wit to ‘inconspicuously’ lose her disguise. A burlesque-striptease in the comedic style of golden-era American burlesque, complete with tassel-twirling.

Theodora – Girl Power

IN DEVELOPMENT. A burlesque of an ancient burlesquer-turned-super heroine. From temple dancer to Saint, Theodora was a 5th century burlesque comedienne who paved the way for Feminism when she became Empress of the Byzantine Empire and decreed a change of patriarchy… This is her biography in under 4 minutes…

showgirl1 The Dream Dance

Not a burlesque. Nope, instead, this is simply a dance sequence which combines the softness of showgirl ostrich feather fans and the hypnotic movement of oriental Isis wings set to soporific waltzing music. This sequence is dreamy offering a ‘visual lullaby’ drawing influence from the Victorian serpentine dance. The Dream Dance was devised for High Tease and is performed in either red and white to an original early recording from the ‘Moulin Rouge’ or in fascinating blue tones in the theme of ‘time’.

DOUBLE ACTS – Toff & Tales: An Audacious Duo Kittie also performs with Mr. Jim Devereuax as an audacious duo, ‘Toff & Tales’. Their assortment of acts combine Kittie’s vivacious burlesque style with Jim’s phenomenal vocal and character talents. They are an uproarious medley of variety and Brit Wit. See the pippin pair in:

toff-and-tales1 The Piccadilly Prowler Think 19th Century Music Hall with 21st Century attitude! This is a splendid (and their most famous) sketch in which uranian (that’s ‘homosexual’) intrigue, intrigues a young woman. Alas! It is but 1890 and homosexuality is just but a new fangled idea and so poor Kitty de Winter-Fairbotham just cannot comprehend her failed attempts at seducing her new beau.. All is explained of course, in a song and dance way of things.

minnie Minnie The Moocher Here Kittie and Jim perform a tribute to our cousins across the Pond. A very entertaining take on Cab Calloway’s classic sing-along anthem, this routine includes an invigorating dose of vintage American striptease – just to illustrate the point, of course, that Minnie was indeed a ‘low-down hootchy kootcher ‘. Can you guess who strips off? Hi-de-hi-de-hi…ho-de-ho-de-ho….