by Samantha Tynes and Brian Stascavage
With it’s painted yellow stripes and light up sign, the Red Palace immediately sets the mood for a unique setting. Inside the brick building is no different, it’s quirky and cozy with red-velvet drapes, warm lights and old-timey sideshow art with a worn but polished wood bar that runs along the length of the narrow room. We arrived at what we thought was early for the Lord of the Pasties burlesque show and the room was already packed. A few more minutes and the first round of reasonably priced drinks later, the line for the show was snaking out the door and down the sidewalk. The excitement for the show was palpable as people waited for the call that it was beginning.
With it’s painted yellow stripes and light up sign, the Red Palace immediately sets the mood for a unique setting. Inside the brick building is no different, it’s quirky and cozy with red-velvet drapes, warm lights and old-timey sideshow art with a worn but polished wood bar that runs along the length of the narrow room. We arrived at what we thought was early for the Lord of the Pasties burlesque show and the room was already packed. A few more minutes and the first round of reasonably priced drinks later, the line for the show was snaking out the door and down the sidewalk. The excitement for the show was palpable as people waited for the call that it was beginning.
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| Red Palace's Bar (image via Red Palace's closed FB) |
It was finally showtime, time to go up the narrow stairs and through another red velvet curtain to the second floor stage. It’s an intimate setting; bare black walls, another warmly glowing bar, and a stage raised only a few feet from the ground. The room buzzed as people wandered from one group to the other, exchanging greetings and small talk with the people they knew.
The few lights in the room dimmed and the show began, as it should, with the finding of the Ring. We were treated to hungry hobbits and elegant elves, an uruk-hai on a suspended hoop, a dwarf that loved to show off her braids, and even an Entwife. The show was sexy and humorous, you could tell that each performer loved being there.
The Red Palace was originally two separate bars that merged together under united management. They have been hosting burlesque shows for almost six and a half years. During this time the club’s success and popularity grew in parallel to the DC burlesque scene, with most dancers finding it to be a perfect fit for the shows they wanted to perform. Being located in the center of H street, it was able to promote burlesque to those who were unfamiliar with the art. Mourna Handful, who spent the evening as an ethereal Galadriel, recalled how the Red Palace inspired her to dance, stating “On a whim I saw a show at the Red Palace...eventually I said ‘Hey, I want to do that!” She participated in Trixie Little’s Burlesque Bootcamp to learn how burlesque differed from the more traditional dancing she was familiar with, beginning her involvement with the community.
In the months leading up to its closing, a large following for geek-inspired burlesque started to form, and more nerd-focused shows were prominent. Performers were ecstatic after their Tolkien-inspired show, citing the quality of the costumes, the fun they had organizing it, and the packed room of fans sending the venue off. A month earlier the Evil League of Ecdysiasts, founded and co-produced by Cherie Sweetbottom, who played Smeagol for the Lord of the Pasties, and GiGi Holliday, brought their "Whedonism" show to The Windup Space in Baltimore. The show, inspired by Whedonverse, premiered at the Red Palace in June of 2012, and the entire cast returned for the Baltimore version, including Mourna Handful and her "Dark Willow" act. That show was Cherie’s favorite to date, with her describing it as a “total Whedon-nerd’s dream come true”. Such combinations provided the artists with a fun direction to funnel their creativity while allowing their geeky audience to witness their favorite characters and canon portrayed in a different light.
The Red Palace was originally two separate bars that merged together under united management. They have been hosting burlesque shows for almost six and a half years. During this time the club’s success and popularity grew in parallel to the DC burlesque scene, with most dancers finding it to be a perfect fit for the shows they wanted to perform. Being located in the center of H street, it was able to promote burlesque to those who were unfamiliar with the art. Mourna Handful, who spent the evening as an ethereal Galadriel, recalled how the Red Palace inspired her to dance, stating “On a whim I saw a show at the Red Palace...eventually I said ‘Hey, I want to do that!” She participated in Trixie Little’s Burlesque Bootcamp to learn how burlesque differed from the more traditional dancing she was familiar with, beginning her involvement with the community.
In the months leading up to its closing, a large following for geek-inspired burlesque started to form, and more nerd-focused shows were prominent. Performers were ecstatic after their Tolkien-inspired show, citing the quality of the costumes, the fun they had organizing it, and the packed room of fans sending the venue off. A month earlier the Evil League of Ecdysiasts, founded and co-produced by Cherie Sweetbottom, who played Smeagol for the Lord of the Pasties, and GiGi Holliday, brought their "Whedonism" show to The Windup Space in Baltimore. The show, inspired by Whedonverse, premiered at the Red Palace in June of 2012, and the entire cast returned for the Baltimore version, including Mourna Handful and her "Dark Willow" act. That show was Cherie’s favorite to date, with her describing it as a “total Whedon-nerd’s dream come true”. Such combinations provided the artists with a fun direction to funnel their creativity while allowing their geeky audience to witness their favorite characters and canon portrayed in a different light.
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| Cherie Sweetbottom (image via Cherie's website) |
The thing that struck us most about the Red Palace and the people involved was the incredible sense of community. When Mourna Handful put out the call for enthusiastic Middle Earth performers, people were excited to respond. None of the performers we spoke with knew why Red Palace was shutting down, but they all spoke highly of it. The burlesque community will keep going strong, but just without a place to call home. The closing of the palace has caused confusion amongst the community and created a void that needs to be filled. Consensus among those we spoke with is that the immediate future of burlesque is unknown but the community has a desire to quickly find a replacement.
“There is no other venue in DC that is like the Red Palace. The Palace is the home of burlesque in DC,” Cherie cheerily recalls, a sentiment her fellow performers agree with. While it will be difficult to replicate the charm and prime location that the Red Palace had to offer, a dedicated venue is needed to further promote the level of burlesque that it’s community expects. A few venues in the city, such as Black Cat and H Street Playhouse, still host shows, but lack the specialization or community that the Red Palace offered. While there are many factors to consider, such as location, crowd size, venue prices, and management, many dancers are confident that they will find a suitable replacement.
“There is no other venue in DC that is like the Red Palace. The Palace is the home of burlesque in DC,” Cherie cheerily recalls, a sentiment her fellow performers agree with. While it will be difficult to replicate the charm and prime location that the Red Palace had to offer, a dedicated venue is needed to further promote the level of burlesque that it’s community expects. A few venues in the city, such as Black Cat and H Street Playhouse, still host shows, but lack the specialization or community that the Red Palace offered. While there are many factors to consider, such as location, crowd size, venue prices, and management, many dancers are confident that they will find a suitable replacement.
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