Lifestyle – The Galway Burlesque Festival has attracted acts from Australia, Japan, Norway, France and the UK. And, as Judy Murphy finds out, the majority of audiences will be women
Being a burlesque performer sounds like mighty fun – even before you get near a stage. To be involved in this unique art form where the emphasis is on being sexy or comic, or both, you first need a stage name – which generally contains a pun.
For Shir Madness, choosing a stage name was relatively easy. The performer and hula-hooper, who’s organising this weekend’s Galway Burlesque Festival, was born in Israel where her ‘hippy’ Argentinian mother gave her the name Shir – meaning ‘song’ in Hebrew. Shir’s parents met in Israel – her French-born father was there trying to discover more about his Eastern European Jewish roots.
Raised in France, Shir came to Galway 10 years ago on an Erasmus student programme, with the intention of completing her studies and returning home to teach. The linguistics student did go home, but kept returning to Galway, and taught here for a while before discovering burlesque. That was in 2012, at a Galway Fringe Festival show – and it changed her life.
“I saw Les Hot Culottes in Kelly’s which is now Seven,” she recalls. “They were fabulous. The show was so empowering for women. The dancers didn’t conform to what we’re taught to look at as beautiful. They were funny and body-positive.”
For Shir, “it was enjoyable watching a show that didn’t make you feel bad about yourself”.
That was one reason she was drawn to burlesque, where performances can range from the erotic to the comic and everything in between.
The other was that “it gives me an excuse for my extravagant dresses”. A talented seamstress, who studied fashion design at the Galway Technical Institute, she also makes costumes, both for herself and other performers.
“My mother taught me to sew when I was 14 because she didn’t want to make my clothes anymore,” says Shir with a laugh. Her English is perfect, with just the slightest hint of a French accent and her daytime attire of top and trousers gives no hint of her burlesque career.
But onstage, she transforms into a variety of different characters arrayed in sparkling costumes.
“Anything that catches the light: sequins, rhinestones and glitter. However, it also depends on the act and there’s one about a cookie monster where I wear blue fur.”
Burlesque is for everybody, according to this bubbly, warm woman. “Even if you think you’re a prude, give it a go!” is her exhortation to punters who might be apprehensive about attending this weekend’s festival.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
