Bavarian Burlesque Festival: four nights of variety in Munich's Silbersaal
From 15 to 18 October, the Bavarian Burlesque Festival in Munich presents international burlesque, with headliners from Britain and Italy.
Archive image · Photo: Fentriss / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
The Bavarian Burlesque Festival returns for another edition, with four evenings in Munich from 15 to 18 October. Three take place in the Silbersaal of the Deutsches Theater, a baroque hall from 1896 with chandeliers, stucco and mirrors; according to the festival website, the Friday show is held at Theater Drehleier. Each show has its own cast and programme.
The Deutsches Theater lists British performer Cleopantha, a professional dancer who ranked third in a 2022 list of the most influential burlesque artists, and Albadoro Gala from Italy as headliners. Opening night is hosted by Gisela Kloppke, a bearded performer from Berlin; the gala and the "Best of Festival" are hosted by Sandy Beach, known as the "La Mama" of German burlesque. The theatre describes burlesque as a stage art centred on suggestion, costume, music and storytelling rather than nudity. Each performance runs about two and a half hours including an interval.