A NIGHT of the beautiful art of burlesque is to take place this Saturday, hosted by Lady Blue Phoenix, in a "one night only" show.

Titled Burlesque Equinox - Spring Awakening, it promises to give the audience an "introduction to the brash and bawdy world of Burlesque in all its wild and wondrous forms" and will include "slick skits, hilarious parody and truly fabulous outfits".

Lady Blue Phoenix (the alter ego of local Burlesque tutor and performer Tanyisha) trained as a Burlesque performer for the past eight years and is hoping to bring a new audience to the Burlesque fold with this "eclectic mix of home grown and international performers, each with their own unique style, quick wit and daring displays of audacity".

Joining her are Miss Oopsie Ooohh; Trixi Tassels; Miss Strawberry Moon; L’Amour le Monde; Vanity Dare; Rubenesque Azure; Baby Boo; and Coco Nobel.

Burlesque performance became popular in Europe, the US, and Canada in the late 1840s. It quickly become popular amongst the wealthy within Europe, and took hold as a comic alternative to the overtly serious dramas of the traditional playhouses, offering an often searing indictment of society with a quirky, comic, and of course, scantily clad twist.

The show starts at 8pm, on Saturday April 14, at the Clifftown Theatre on the corner of Nelson Mews and Nelson Street, Southend.

Call the box office on 01702 328335 or visit clifftowntheatre.co.uk for tickets.