The Sugar Blue Blog

SWING by Fremantle’s Fly by Night Musicians Club on September 10 to step back in time and be entertained by the ‘stars of yesteryear’, in a unique homage to wartime performers.   Sugar Blue Burlesque and the Oz Big Band have teamed up for a night of fun and frivolity entitled Hello Sweetheart, which will see a rare collaboration between the 18-piece big band, burlesque performers and swing dancers.   Sugar Blue production manager Mel Naumoff (Coco Poppin) said she and artistic director Elly Squire (Clara Cupcakes) had wanted to bring the idea to life for a long time.   “We all love this theme and I don’t know why it hasn’t happened yet but it comes down to timing, I suppose,” she said.   “Recently we were talking to some of the members of Oz Big Band and we started talking about a collaboration and they were excited about it. So we decided it was time.”  Naumoff said she had been involved in burlesque for about four years and the style was experiencing a resurgence in popularity.   “I like it because of the performance aspect. Sugar Blue Burlesque is very multifaceted and it’s definitely more comedic, vaudevillian and old school. There are lots of different types of burlesque.”   The Hello Sweetheart audience will see Miss Burlesque Perth 2011, Kitty Litteure, perform a special Bettie Page tribute.   “She’s doing Teaserama, which is a really famous Bettie Page act. She’s a cult pinup but she (was) a bad dancer and it will be hilarious.” Also starring will be recently-crowned Miss Burlesque Victoria, Kelly Ann Doll. Naumoff said the show was well worth seeing “because it’s probably never going to happen again”. “We’re one of the few troupes in the world that is this big and has access to and collaborations with a band of this size. Burlesque to live music is a bit of a rarity.” Audience members are encouraged to dress for the wartime theme – soldiers, sailors, pilots and nurses – with prizes on offer for best dressed. Hello Sweetheart is on at the Fly By Night, Fremantle, on September 10. Presale tickets are $40 plus booking fee from www.flybynight.org   or $50 at the door.