Review: House of Thee Unholy #4 at the Triple Door
I just saw Paula the Swedish Housewife’s House of Thee Unholy #4 last night, and it’s a show you don’t want to miss. Paula has a long and wonderful record of producing and performing in Seattle Burlesque; shows like Everything but the Kitchen Sink and SinSation. House Of Thee Unholy tops them all in sheer spectacle; employing 13 dancers, 3 singers, and 5 live musicians. Did I mention they are all on stage at the same time?
Unholy’s sheer visual and auditory spectacle cannot be overemphasized. The show does start off a little slow, but that soon gets left behind as the burlesque acts synchronize with the music. In fact, House of Thee Unholy is as much a concert as a burlesque show. The musicians and singers stand on a raised platform above the stage and are present for the entire performance; at one point even doing a few songs on their own while the dancers prepared for the finale.
I mentioned in my preview a week ago that Paula’s goal with Unholy was to create a show unlike anything Seattle had ever seen, and the heavy focus on music is part of that. It doesn’t overshadow the burlesque by any means, but live singers and musicians are much more vibrant than any recording. Among the singers, Nick Garrison in particular had great energy that really complimented the dancers.
There’s plenty to write home about in the burlesque as well. The six-armed goddess dance by Lili Verlane, Polly Wood, and Heidi Von Haught deserves special recognition as one of the greatest burlesque numbers I have ever seen. I won’t spoil the grand finale, but it is breathtaking.
What really stands out about Unholy’s burlesque is that they are all ensemble pieces. The talents of each dancer enhance the others in a way that just doesn’t happen in solo pieces. Even with 13 performers dancing at once the stage never feels crowded or overbooked. As lead choreographer, Waxie Moon deserves a lot of credit, as does Paula for her creative vision.
Bottom line; House of the Unholy is a fine show that has run four years for a reason. It’s only around for two more days, so hurry up and see it! There are shows tonight (Friday, September 24th) and tomorrow at 7:30pm and 10:00pm at the Triple Door. Tickets are available here.
