From Ophidia Productions comes their latest offering “La Medicina del Amor”, a beautifully atmospheric and ethereal burlesque experience that seeks to break stereotypes and conventional concepts of beauty, strength and sexuality.
1910 is revamped from its classic jazz bar to a more meditative and somewhat occult atmosphere, complete with soft chanting and soft ambient lighting. Guests are invited to partake in a complimentary drink during the opening number, reminiscent of a welcoming ritual. It becomes an invitation to explore the potential of burlesque to open up more diverse means of self-expression. It's a deliberate and contemplative testament to the potential of the human body, no matter its form or function.
La Medicina boasts a cast of characters from marginalised groups including artists with plus-size bodies, physical disabilities and queer-identifying backgrounds (many among them amateur performers debuting their craft). There's an emphasis on authenticity, where each performer is permitted to unapologetically be themselves and move in accordance with their own physicality and range of motion. Sultry floorwork, striptease, an aerial act upon a sickle moon hoop, and even a breathtaking shibari demonstration are just some of the flavours La Medicina blends into a delightful concoction. It’s a deeply captivating show that is strictly for adults: many of the acts aren't afraid to push things into explicitly risque territory.
A fledgling production incorporating many amateur performers can naturally have limitations in translating ideas to the stage, and a few moments of unevenness hold back an otherwise solid production. Sometimes the performers seemed lost in concentration, and a few micromovements during the dance routines seemed a little heavy on their feet. This is not to say that the cast cannot hold a crowd, and every one of them puts their burlesque training to good use, arresting their crowd with classic acts of tease and temptation. The crowd favourite is easily Phoebe Ophidia herself, stunning her audience with a dual fire-wielding routine and adorned in glittering silver. Also of note is superstar Diana Devine, who brings a softly sensual floor act that forgoes any sense of limitation of her disability and instead shows off her raw and passionate side.
It's commendable that such a young producer has the creative drive to produce not one but two standout burlesque shows and Ophidia is always looking for ways to push her craft into new and exciting directions. And she's found a unique and immersive vehicle to test her ideas here in La Medicina. Darkly evocative and deeply sensual, this is just the right medicine for the open minded souls among us.
**** Four Stars.