caburlesque on britains got talent...

tessie_2025 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 08:19 PM

i have just sat and watched them perform on the semi finals of britains got talent and i really wanted to support them but there was something that didnt feel right to me and i just didnt enjoy it as much as i had hoped.

i was wondering if anyone else had seen this performance and if so what they thought.

below is a thread of them in the open audition. i think they lost some of their fun in the semi's

YouTube - Britains Got Talent 2008 -- Caburlesque -- Episode 5

Midnight Blue · #2 (**permalink**) 05-31-2008, 09:11 AM

I've just posted elsewhere on this; What I saw last night was a (very polished) standard dance routine with a bunch of girls in corsets. It didn't have what originally made it stand out from the others, the real burly element. I would have loved to have seen them do their full on can can, and I think this would have gone with the variety element too. They went with what they thought the judges wanted though, can't blame them for that

Beatrix Von Bourbon · #3 (**permalink**) 05-31-2008, 10:06 AM

Ah! My Mum sent me a text message about this, but I don't have a TV and was unable to watch the performance... Were they described as burlesque, or as a cabaret dance troupe?? x

Midnight Blue · #4 (**permalink**) 05-31-2008, 10:18 AM

Here you go my lovely :-)

YouTube - LQ Britain's Got Talent - Semi Final 5 - Caburlesque

Miss Annie · #5 (**permalink**) 05-31-2008, 11:42 AM

Hmmmm, I have mixed views on this - I was disappointed with the act as I really wanted it to be great, however, I know how it all works behind the scenes . I was in the X Factor last year and made it through to boot camp - the whole experience was horrendous - (I do believe Britain's Got Talent is produced by the same company as X Factor) You are built up and up and told what to do and how to do it - your original act is basically manipulated into "their" creation - then when you perform it they tear you to shreds - this is what they call good T.V.!!! My heart really went out to the two lads who got buzzed - how humiliating!!!

I ended up arguing with one of the producers over the way they treated people, particularly the youngsters, we had a group of 16 old girls with us when we were "built up" to then be told we hadn't got through - they were absolutely gutted and cried their little hearts out, I took one of them to one side as a camerman was chasing her with his camera right in her face - that was the final straw for me, I couldn't stand it any longer and told him this was child abuse - making kids (under 18) cry just so they could film them to show on TV - Sick!!!!!

Sorry, i've gone off on one now - once you get me started on this subject I can't stop - it just makes me so mad!!!!!

Cherry Bomb Rock · #6 (**permalink**) 05-31-2008, 11:51 AM

For once I agree agree with Simon Cowell - it wasn't funny and they didn't go far enough! Surely burlesque is more about having an element of storytelling and tongue-in-cheek? I'm not saying that performers having to take everything off though (for example Cherry DeVille who's acts go down to beautiful ornate bra and pants!). I think this was just overly choreographed dance routine that happened to be in corsets!

Angel LaVey · #7 (**permalink**) 05-31-2008, 12:03 PM

Thanks for the link Midnight. I did not see this as I don't watch this type of programme. It was a polished routine and the ladies in question can dance.

For me this was not burlesque - sorry if your reading this ladies but, for something to be a burlesque it needs to contain humour, a story or a parody of something.

However that could just be me. I think your more of a variety type act - which there is plenty of room for in burlesque but they are not the same thing.

Beatrix Von Bourbon · #8 (**permalink**) 05-31-2008, 12:03 PM

My word! They must have put HOURS of rehearsal in to that. For such a large group, their choreography was pretty tight - no costume glitches or anything!

It certainly reminds me of Vegas show girl routines... and I imagine their reference to burlesque is of that vein - burlesque at one or two removes from its roots - hence them claiming to be their own unique blend of cabaret-dance-burlesque and not out-and-out traditional burlesque.

And Annie's absolutely right. I can only imagine how much contradictory advice was offered about the direction of the act. Even in the judges remarks we hear Piers comment on 'too much gratuitous flesh' and Simon state that they didn't go far enough. Amanda wants them to be sexy, while Simon wants them to be humourous. Ultimately, perhaps it is the pitching toward the Royal Variety show that lead to a show that was quite removed from burlesque as we (forum users) know it.

http://www.caburlesque.co.uk/caburlesque-home.html

Shirley Bassey's cover version of Get the Party Started always makes me giggle. I can't help but pick up on the 'thinly veiled drug reference to ecstasy' (Censorship In Music : Should acts like Eminem and Marilyn Manson be Censored? - Review - Censor Direction). I cannot help but think about all the decisions that must have been made before that cover was released