FRINGE 2016: Bedrock Burlesque

Revisiting nostalgia at its finest with an all-grown-up lens 

By Danilo Bulatovic

Although The Flintstones were admittedly well before my time, there was something intangible about the “first animated prime time television series in America” that resonated with me since childhood. As a show concept it’s so wacky, that it could only be conceived with no predecessors. 

A recap: Stone-age cavemen are imagined as the wholesome 50’s all-American, wholesome blue-collar nuclear family. Long - extinct animals are resurrected to assume their role as props for household chores in an endless orgy of animal cruelty. The shameless promotion of consumer goods exist symbiotically in a world of grey rough stone, in an absolutely preposterous pre-historic take on a 50’s Capitalist utopia.

Seeing Bedrock Burlesque in the listing of this years’ Fringe, I knew I owed it to my seven-year-old self to revisit Hanna Barbara Studio’s absurdly wondrous universe of Bedrock. Dan Derkson’s creation is an extremely enjoyable, erotic homage to perhaps the most question-raising family in popular culture, the Flintstones. 

The cabaret show complete with a musical numbers, “Rodney Dangerfield-esque” stand up, and Burlesque striptease, opened with the series’ credits projected onto red velvet curtains. Upon hearing the jingle, etched into my cerebrum since infancy, I immediately assumed a giddiness I recalled so clearly as a child awaiting their favourite cartoon. An unmistakable sense of positivity and playfulness immediately filled the intimate opening night show. 

Both performer and spectator participate in the fun of revisiting the shared cultural knowledge of this beloved cartoon, in clever dialogue that affirms our childhood suspicions of the obvious sexual tension between Fred and Barney. Cheesy “pre-history” puns, “commercial breaks”, slapstick, and ample sexual innuendo accompany titillating Burlesque performances, in a narrative that follows the Hunters’ (Fred and Barney) and Gatherers’ (Wilma and Betty) journey to perform alongside Bedrock heartthrob “Dita Rock Teese”. 
 
What distinguishes Bedrock Burlesque as a parody, is the dialogue very often easily passes as the original. Like the series, its’ just ambiguous enough to imply a salacious adult subtext. Hanna Barbara’s naive vision of archetypical gender roles and the nuclear family in his prehistoric utopia is left intact in Bedrock Burlesque but is laced with a celebratory body positive and sex positive message. 

After the show, I overheard some of the audience discussing childhood memories of the series. Perhaps admitting to crushes they’ve had on characters as children (we’ve all had them) or remembering how the Quebec-dubbed version of Fred was always a syllable away from swearing. “Bedrock Burlesque” is a complete success.

My nostalgia for the show since childhood came full circle, abeit 16 years later, in a highly enjoyable performance of gyrating tassels, and leopard print underwear. Come to the show and be sure to order a few Pterodactyl lemonades from Pebbles.

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With a burlesque so enjoyable, you'll have a grand 'ol time!

By Erica Bridgeman

Yabba Dabba Boobs! Bedrock Burlesque was everything I could have hoped for and more in a 60s cartoon-themed burlesque show. It was fun, silly, absolutely riddled with puns and cheap gags, and it had beautiful women removing their clothing. What more could you want?

Have you ever seen a really cheesy porn parody of a favourite TV show you haven't seen in years, and the pre-sex banter ends up being a walk down memory lane? That's what this was, and it was amazing.

The show was very well cast, with Divine Danny D as Fred, Elle Diabole as his lovely wife Wilma, Fifi Fantome as Barney and Aria Delanoche playing Betty. All of the characters stayed true to the original series, with the exception of Betty who was a bit more sex-crazed than she probably was on a children's cartoon. Details like Betty's giggle and Fred's clumsy and inconsiderate nature were not forgotten in this fun, fabulous fantasy, and Fifi Fantome had Barny's voice nailed down to a tee.

Like the classic cartoon, this show carried the same plot that so many episodes had: Wilma and Betty were expecting something from their husbands and Fred and Barney blew off their wives to do their own thing, then spent the rest of the time plotting to get themselves out of the dog house that they just put themselves in. 

Also true to the show, there was a bit of casual sexism and misogyny that was prevalent in the 60s, but unlike the cartoon, beautiful women danced their clothes away.

Let's talk about that for a while: the burlesque numbers were all interesting and creative and all of the performers were skilled, captivating and shameless. Each number was varied and imaginative, sometimes even experimental – I never thought I'd see a burlesque number involving a laundry machine (Honeysuckle Pussywillow)! The 60s roller-skate diner feel and comically large food was even carried through an equally awesome number (Fairy Floss).

Seasoned burlesque dancer Elle Diabole convincingly portrayed being awkward and unskilled as Wilma nervously got into the spirit of dancing – it takes particular talent to make something look like you're bad at it on purpose. I don't want to spoil too much of the fun for you, so the only thing I'll say about Magenta Haze is that her face is as expressive and hilarious as always. Her ability to bridge the gap between comedy and sexiness is impressive.

But it wasn't just burlesque, either. There was singing, swing dancing, slapstick, and even stand-up by the infamous Karl Knox, one of CJLO's very own. You can catch his weekly radio show, New Media & Politics 2.0, every Monday from 8-10 am.

I highly recommend this show to everyone from the burlesque fanatics to the first-timers and from the Flintstone fiends to the...less enthusiastic. 

But get your tickets soon, they've been having sold out shows. You can catch them at The Wiggle Room this Thursday through Saturday night. See you there!

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Bedrock Burlesque, Dan Derkson’s tribute to our favourite Stone-Age neighbours, plays at Montreal’s world-famous cabaret, The Wiggle Room, between June 15th to 19th - all at the following times: 

- Thursday June 16 from 21:30
- Friday June 17 from 22:00
- Saturday June 18 from 22:00
- Sunday June 19 from 21:00

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Danilo Bulatovic and Erica Bridgeman are both part of CJLO’s Official Fringe Team covering the sights and sounds from the 2016 St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival.

Danilo hosts Computer Sourire every Tuesday afternoon from 4pm – 5pm, and you can follow his Mixcloud for more of his amazing curations; while Erica hosts The F Hole every Monday afternoon from Noon – 2pm ET, only on 1690AM in Montreal and online at CJLO.com.