In my continuing search to findg and almost always enjoy the off off- Broadway theatre in this great big city of ours, and my constant championing of anything that even smells of the naughty, kinky or overall ribald, I happened down to the Kabayitos Theatre at the CSV Cultural & Educational Center (107 Suffolk Street) to see the NYC premier of Chlamydia Dell’ Arte: A Sex Ed Burlesque. Created by its two stars, Gigi Naglak and Meghann Williams, this show, light on burlesque but heavy on short snappy fun skits runs the gambit for all one ever needs to know about sex.
Gigi and Meghann are nothing if not enthusiastic and never overstay a joke, are bubbly sexy with their unconventional good looks and style and with a video screen behind them playing interviews with a grouping of laides interspersed between skirts with names like “Call Me But Love†(a great take on The Bard and masturbation) “Cooking With Wine†(oral sex never tasted this good!), the fun and actually hummable “Your Granny Is A Tranny,†Gigi’s fine feathered fan dance to “What’s Love Got To Do With It,†and what might have been the truly most unique piece of the night, featuring a talking vagina “Ribbed Is Not for My Pleasure†this pair give their all, never leave you bored, usually leave you laughing and a time or two actually even make you think.
Written and performed as it is by two very talented women, you’re going to find the hour-long performance a bit woman-centric, but it is still fun. As Gigi said about this point: ‘We felt that, as women, we could not accurately represent a male’s perspective on sexuality. We also received most of funding from the Leeway Foundation, which specifically funds women and transgender artists.’
The last piece “What You Don’t Know Can Kill You†might be a little heavy, but then again this show does have the word Chlamydia in its title and STD’s are no joking matter…and it helps that Gigi and Meghann provide a striptease during their video running facts about the various dangerous nasties we could acquire if we’re not safe when we do the deed.
I’m going to give a nod also to lighting designer Evan Roby, dealing with a small space and that video screen things could have gotten dicey here seeing Megann and Gigi at times, but they were clearly lit, quite often perfectly so through a strip tease or a dance (and Gigi with her heavy dance background executed most of these).
Chlamydia Dell’ Arte: A Sex Ed Burlesque runs only until until 5/2o so make sure you get your tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/234445.
