★★★1/2
Adelaide Fringe. Nineteen Ten. 4 Mar 2023
007-Licence to Thrill is a sixty minute high energy show of burlesque cabaret performers strutting their stuff to iconic sound tracks from James Bond movies. It’s not a drag show – there is no lip syncing for your life – although some members of the enthusiastic and capacity audience clearly knew most of the songs and mouthed along anyway.
Presented by Skye High Burlesque, a Perth based production company and burlesque school, the antics of the performers have almost nothing to do with James Bond, except that the chosen songs provide a framework around which to choreograph their strip tease routines and for the MC to keep us plied with interesting Bond trivia. Occasionally there is considerable effort to ‘match’ the song to the dance. For example, in their performance of No Time to Die, two dancers – a guy and a girl – are engaged in an erotic and sexy fight that leads to his watery death (yes, there’s a swimming pool!), as a sort of nod to James Bond meeting his end on an old WWII island.
No Time to Die was the only routine that included a male burlesque performer. All the others featured exotically and scantily clad women who celebrated their curves and teased, thrilled, and titillated the mixed audience as they tastefully undressed.
Diamonds are Forever, sung by Shirley Bassey, was performed in a shimmering winged cape that glistened with LED lights and shimmered in sync with Bassey’s powerful tremolo. Writing’s on the Wall was performed as a high-energy fan dance with the performer dancing on the tables amongst the audience. A titanic rendition of You Know My Name from Casino Royale, was belted out live by Adelaide performer Lady Cara.
Skye High Burlesque’s owner and director Delza Skye performed You Only Live Twice and to the theme music from On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
With the benefit of a water curtain, the The World is Not Enough was given an exciting wet treatment, and Goldfinger culminated in the performer pouring a gold coloured syrup all over her glistening body but stopping short of inviting audience members to lick her clean (though some clearly wanted to)!
The show finished with a fiery performance of Another Way To Die from Quantum of Solace. Dressed in bondage style leathers and sporting multiple body piercings and tattoos, the performer kept the audience on the edge of their seats as they were treated to a spirited dance routine that featured fire eating and breathing, and transferring flame over her body. Impressive. Exciting, and all close enough so that you could feel the heat in your loins, literally!
Great fun. Thrilling!
Kym Clayton
When: 4 to 5 Mar
Where: Nineteen Ten
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
