The Empire Strips Back Burlesque Review

Princess Leia twerking on R2D2, a gyrating Han Solo, and a rendition of Michael Jackson’s Ben starring Obi-Wan Kenobi — all featured in last week’s performance of The Empire Strips Back: A Star Wars Burlesque Parody, which returned to the Canberra Theatre after two years with a new version of the hilarious burlesque show.

Paying tribute to characters from the original Star Wars trilogy and incorporating some recent and some not-so-recent pop-culture references, The Empire Strips Back strikes a clever balance between temptation and reward. Although there was plenty to see throughout the burlesque parody, creative director Russall S. Beattie is not afraid to leave some things to the imagination, making the stage show even more amusing.

Highlights included C-3PO being gradually undressed by two scavenging Jawas, eight highly trained Storm Troopers, and a number featuring the Emperor that proves the dark side of the Force can put Miley Cyrus to shame. Each performance was brought together by the charmingly incompetent Master of Ceremonies who wonderfully set the tone for the entire show.

With the exception of the spectacular Storm Trooper number, the choreography was not always in time — though the delighted audience never seemed to mind. Overall, the performances were energetic and extremely entertaining, filled with just the right amount of ham and sensuality. Fans of Star Wars will love the re-imagining of the much loved story and the fantastic costumes, but there is enough humour and energy in the show to appeal to those less familiar with the films.

Evelyn Lawrence

Check out the cheeky trailer for The Empire Strips Back.