Holiday cheer, anyone?

This past weekend, Red Hots Burlesque teamed with Burlesque Moulin and Rubenesque Burlesque to deliver seasons greetings — and plenty more — in their Winter show, “High Holidaze.” Though a rainy Saturday night kept some folks away from the Shattuck Down Low, those who made it got plenty of nog for their egg.

What’s especially cool about Red Hots Burlesque is its interpretation of burlesque: somewhere in-between tasteful and tawdry, and both titillating and thought-provoking. Yes, “High Holidaze” was both naughty and nice.

First, the naughty:

• The show opened with retro-blues duo Keep Sweet, performing bawdy risqué blues from the 30s, which set the tone for what was to, uh, come. The singer later apologized for her (apparently visible) pubic hair.
• Mistress of Ceremonies Polly Purebred, dressed in a Santa suit, asked the crowd if they wanted to see her underwear, and wondered why she didn’t discover her G-spot until she was in her 30s.
• Attendees were treated to sexy Christmas elves, a routine involving marijuana and a menorah, another routine featuring a tree, an appearance by Rubenesque Burlesque dressed as wrapped gifts, fan dancing and a burglar with a decapitated Santa Claus head who undressed to become a bunny. Later, Rubenesque Burlesque returned to jiggle like Jello to Khia’s “My Neck, My Back” – possibly the most gender-balancing, risque song in rap history.
• There were numerous references to oral, anal, vaginal and lesbian sex, as well as spankings and getting “finger-banged” whilst sitting in Santa’s chair. Tinsel played a large role.

Now the nice:

• Not only were there all sorts of body shapes and sizes onstage, but the performers ranged in age from 20-something to 60-something. Too often, sexually-explicit content overlooks BBWs and older women. Yet "High Holidaze" showed that the notion of what is sexy shouldn’t be viewed through such a narrow scope.
• Purebred’s stage patter was spot-on. A good improviser, she ad-libbed well, showed a deft comic touch, kept the audience interested in-between sets — and even showcased a Cabaret-worthy version of Patsy Cline’s “Crazy." And even after crashing into a stage prop (an antique wooden mirror), Purebread never lost her cool.
• The club prepared some “Winter Warmer” specialty cocktails for the occasion, including the “Starry Night” - a tasty mix of Belvedere vodka, Cointreau, simple syrup and lemon juice, served up - which did indeed set the holiday mood for many. Though ribald at times, the show never veered into straight-up sleaziness ... well, rarely veered. The finale (set to the aforementioned “My Neck, My Back”) might have been a little over the top. But for the most part, the vibe was light, cheery and sex-positive.

Big shout-out to all the dancers: Ruby Vixen, Isis Starr, Delilah, Honey Lawless, Rubenesque Burlesque, Bunny Pistol & Dottie Lux, as well as Polly Purebred.