Local troupe, Young Blood Burlesque, return to FRINGE WORLD for a third year running with brand new show, Rise and Shine. After the last two seasons focussing on Young Blood’s core roster, in 2023 the team invite some of their favourite up-and-comers across the Perth scene to join.

A packed audience for a steamy Sunday session at the Rosemount, not to mention the heatwave conditions outside. MC Amelia Kisses arrives, advising the crew love getting into full stage make up for matinees on scorchers such as these.

Bertie Goes Bang is announced, and the crowd erupts, before even the lights come up or the music starts. A vision in green, all boas, frills, and lace, strutting imperiously across the stage. The constant percussive bass at the climax, timed to perfection with the costume reveal.

Portia Sweet next, with a relentless nightmare of menace and insomnia, to inspired song choice, Counting Bodies Like Sheep, by A Perfect Circle. Think Daryl Hannah from the original Blade Runner, all jerky animatronics, as if in a heavy industrial music video. Simply glorious.

Amelia on hosting duties is boisterous, bubbly, and has the audience eating out of her hand. But she needs to ready for her own act, so cue the Ceremonial Changing of the Talking Stick. Handing the microphone over to Minxy Milva in slow motion, both humming Chariots of Fire. Seamless transition, flawless victory.

In Amelia’s own act, she has time for a picnic basket, hummus, carrot sticks, and two glasses of bubbles. Astonishing. All to jaunty big band swing. Minxy in awe afterward, so excited she spat some of said carrot, stating next year’s act should be a sit-down feast at an actual table.

Soda Licious, magnetic on stage, as divine right regal as Versailles. The Jalapeno Honeys, all innocent smiles to a routine with raunch. Brad Titt, so much glitter, sparkles, and sass. Minxy, doing 1960s classic art of the tease, with a backing track less Nina Simone, more Dropkick Murphys.

As Minxy pleads, “support your local artists, we’re starving, and we crave attention.” Easy enough to do when our locals are this talented, this enjoyable, this polished. Whatever Young Blood bring forward for 2024, it’s going to be spectacular.