The night started with a little schoolgirl gone wild action. On Saturday, Harry Dickson – a cross-dressing sailor with a lollipop – was the MC. From the moment the members of the troupe took the stage, the girls really pushed the envelope covering topics ranging from politics to religion to pop culture with a smattering of social commentary.
Their political acts made fun of the likes of Bush, Dick Cheney and of course Sarah Palin. Two of most shock-inducing segments were a reenactment of the Kennedy assassination, with Jackie O covered in JFK’s blood and a piece in which Palin attacked a moose by ripping out its innards. All of this was combined with radical sexiness and the ability to leave the crowd stunned, satisfied and wanting more.
The religious act dealt with the Catholic Church and how some priests deal with alter boys. The girl behind me was dumbfounded and screamed, “Oh my god!” The girls of Effie’s get that reaction a lot.
I consider myself a burlesque aficionado of sorts. I have seen several other troops, including the famous Pontani sisters from my hometown of NYC. However, the Effie’s girls bring a sense of social responsibility and wit to burlesque, in a way no other act I have ever seen does. The next gig for the girls of Effie’s takes place at the Georgia Theater in Athens on November 20. For more information on Effie’s Club Follies check out the troupe’s MySpace page.
– Brent Berman
