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Miss Behave’s Variety Nighty

Published Friday 8 August 2008 at 13:45 by Paul Vale

Sword swallower extraordinaire Miss Behave plays genial host to a number of specialist variety acts in an evening designed to entertain. Miss Behave and her ensemble achieve this in spades in a glorious venue, perfectly suited to the entertainments, which consist of a various mix of popular circus-style acts mixed with a spicy melee of burlesque and cabaret specialities. Kalki strips down to her scanties while keeping up to five illuminated hula-hoops on the go, Matt Hennem performs Liquid Crystal, a mixture of mime, juggling and sleight of hand that convinces the audience his crystal ball is in fact, floating in the air, and Lyndall Merry is the trapeze artist, soaring through the air high above the audience, with a cheeky grin and a twinkle in his eye.

Each act is introduced by the voluptuous Miss Behave, happily carousing with her audience in a skin-tight, latex dress and doing her bit by swallowing the occasional sword, or at one point the leg of her drinks table. Frank Sanazi gives his tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes via the Third Reich in what has to be one of the more bizarre acts on the circuit today and cabaret favourite Dusty Limits is in fine voice, bringing a touch of dark, politic humour to the proceedings. Lady Carol takes over from Dusty Limits from August 21-24.

Spymonkey gives a taste of real burlesque with a hilarious take on the death of Saint Joan that has to be seen to be believed.

There is something about this evening that gives it the element of an audition - a showcase, if you like, to give audiences a taste of the diversity of acts available in the UK. To this end, it lacked a grand finale of sorts and the audience had to be told the show is over, which is never a good state of affairs.

Otherwise, what Miss Behave has achieved here is admirable. She has put together a colourful, old-style variety night with an edge as sharp as the blades she swallows.

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