Creatures of the Underworld takes viewers back to the cobbled streets of Montmartre, France. During the day, it may showcase a thriving artistic community, but it's at night when the ladies come out to play. This is a show that celebrates sex work in a debaucherously unapologetic way. Not for the faint-hearted, it's probably the raunchiest show you'll see at the Adelaide Fringe.

The Madam and MC of the night's affairs (pun intended) is the vivacious Jamie Bucirde. This resplendent, raspy-voiced singer introduces us to our characters for the evening, tells us the story through words and songs, and ensures the sold-out Nineteen Ten crowd is entertained throughout the sixty-minute performance. And what a performance it is! With echoes of Tone & Cheek's - Club D'amour: Back Door, it follows a young man named Sammy, drunk on absinthe, wandering from room to room in Madam Jamie's bordello and discovering the many erotic pleasures offered by the women (and men) in her keep. From a sultry burlesque display by the voluptuous Skylar to a sensual duet routine by Petit Miam and Amelie Astra, little is left to the imagination. And if that isn't enough to get your heart racing, Ember Rose ignites the evening with a dominant display of woman empowerment, while Saint Eve finishes off the show (and Sammy) with a lesson in obedience.

Creatures of the Underworld is a highly ambitious Adelaide Fringe show. Highly sexually charged and unflinching, it offers a glimpse into a red-light world that some audiences may not know about. And, although the story does seem to fall into the background during the show's second half, the choreography, costuming, and performances will be imprinted on your mind long after the show is over.

****1/2 Four and a half stars.