PIONEER PRESS
The Underpants Show...A rare case of truth in advertising, this show offers a bona-fide, old time burlesque show — complete with novelty acts, singers, ribald comedians and — of course — lovely ladies wearing next to nothing. Because the venue is in Nordeast Minneapolis, it starts out with a polka — "The Strip Polka," of course — but the three-piece onstage band goes gleefully downhill from there. You may never listen to "I Fall to Pieces" in exactly the same way again, and you'll be amazed — amazed, I say! — to discover who man's best friend actually is.-Dominic P. Papatola
STAR TRIBUNE
The Underpants Show - You will come for the titillation, but stay for the smiles in this affectionate homage to the slightly naughty side of vaudeville. Lili's Burlesque presents tangy tunes, smart jokes and strippers who are more humorous than salacious. The singers are great, the band bumps and grinds with the beat and the dancers have just the right tongue-in-cheek attitude. You'll want to tip your bowler hat and light up a cigar after watching this tart slice of yesteryear. Not for the kids, but if you're adult, you can handle it.-Graydon Royce
MNARTISTS.ORG
The Underpants Show is a misnomer. I saw panties, scanties, g-strings, hip-frills, thigh-highs, and garter belts galore, but nothing I would really identify as "underpants". Of course, "underpants" is really a nod to the show's Midwestern setting, and the Lili's Burlesque Revue gang (that's what this show is called when it's not Fringe) milk the tension between Midwest and (nearly) bare breast for all it's worth. There's a lot of "Oh, gee!" innocence to the peel-down patter, which plays surprisingly well, especially in a blinkingly blue monologue delivered by "Funny Bunny," in which (let's just say) one word gets substituted for another with hilarious results. Our hostess, Nadine Dubois, also has a girl-next-door charm, exclaiming "Did you know that was me?" after she's done a striptease in a wig (and while she's still wearing her silver pasties).
But the Underpants people are no amateurs. Starting from the dancehall swing of their band, the Gilded Lilies, and an Andrews Sisters-type rendition of the "Strip Polka," Lili's Burlesque Revue rolls out the talent, and it keeps coming: in the form of Ophelia Flame, she of the glittery shoes and amazing legs; Sweetpea, with her breathtaking hourglass figure and her equally breathtaking motor booty; more lovely singing (including a version of "I Fall to Pieces" featuring, yes, a tear-away dress), more stripping, and a few sweet novelty acts.
This is a tight, fun show, and I suggest seeing it as a post-cocktail reward after putting yourself through whatever grueling theater experience your Fringe-frenzied friends have insisted you just can't miss.
Postmodern burlesque does call forth a confusion that will surely be studied in some cultural studies Ph.D. dissertation. I have to say that, no matter how many odd little lingerie items these women toss off in the course of a routine, I'm never really prepared for the pasties. Why? There's something so vulnerable, so unscripted about real breasts. And make no mistake, these are the real thing--cage-free and free-range; they don't have the pumped and plastic pec look of HBO or Hollywood breasts. When they're unveiled, the whole male gaze/self-objectification/girl power/femininity mess goes into overdrive. (I understand some viewers have no such reaction. To them, I can only say, "Keep hooting, guys.") This isn't a complaint. Instead, it's a tension that I hope the postmodern burlesquers will find some way to address.-Lightsey Darst
TWO AUDIENCE REVIEWS from the FRINGE FESTIVAL WEBSITE:
This show's got legs!This fun burlesque/variety show has something for everyone (as long as you're over 18). The ladies put on a fine show, as do the "supporting cast" of men, and the band's got chops. Nice integration of live music and recorded music. Go see this show, and bring your friends with you!-Random Audience Member
My favorite Fringe show everSo much fun that I will be going a second time. It was hilarious, high energy, and hot as hell.-Melissa Beukema
