August Burlesque at Heldeke!

With nearly every seat taken, the crowd for a Thursday evening was impressive as Heldeke! presented another installment of their monthly burlesque show. A popular cornerstone of the theater-bar’s repertoire, their August performance did not disappoint, helping to usher in the start of the 2025 Fringe season with some glitter and feathery flourishes.

On the door this time is Titi de Sweetie, as glamourous as always, helping to assist the show with the aid of d’Argento, another regular performer, dressed in golden Roman regalia. Katarina von Schatz, the longtime host of Heldeke!’s monthly burlesque, is poised and engaging in a form fitting black lace gown. Standing on stage, she feels more like a friend than an MC, easily joking with the crowd in between walking the newcomers through the process and welcoming the next acts.

The headliner this time, Ruby La Rouge of Finland, kicks off the show with an exotic bird act. Done in the classical style, but with an innovative twist, La Rouge’s act is part nature mockumentary, part comedy, and wholly entertaining. Her costume consists of an impossibly ruffled can-can-esque skirt and metal-feathered bodice that glints under the stage lights. Her props—a pinecone, a log, and some googly eyes—add to the playful nature of the act as she strips away her feathers in a mock mating dance.

This week’s lineup includes some familiar faces as well, welcoming back the Estonian fairy godmother of burlesque, Foxy Suzy, and fellow Burlesque Estonia member, Thornback Rosie, with a brand new two-part double act. Under the name of Foxy Rosie, the two take part in a chair-dance duel to the tune of Seinabo Sey’s sultry “Pistols at Dawn.” Their act features long black trench coats and even longer braids. They finish with a mini second act, a tassel-twirl off, featuring a fun surprise cameo by d’Argento.

Rounding out the first part of the show, Will Hung, “The Dashing Dandy of Tartu,” graces the stage with a Victorian-era inspired drag performance. Clad in a top hat, tailcoat, and one massive, sparkling codpiece, Will Hung dances and strips to Jace Everett’s “Bad Things.” First goes the ruffled collar before the trousers follow suit for the finale, revealing glittery heart boxers to the cheers of the crowd.

After an intermission where audience members can mingle and enjoy both the bar and the pasties that are for sale by the door, the show continues with the final two acts. Welcomed back to the stage, Thornback Rosie performs an entirely inventive Lego-inspired act. Decked out in primary colors and massive blocky appendages, Rosie’s Lego hands and head are soon removed to reveal bright yellow lingerie complete with Lego-block pasties—and later, a Lego censor bar—in a truly creative performance.

To finish off the night, headliner Ruby La Rouge returns in a playful sauna act that translates well to the mostly Estonian audience. Featuring two floggers made of sauna leaves and one giant sparkly can of Longero, La Rouge switches back and forth between dainty and daring, primly posing before losing herself and going wild. Complete with a sauna bench, towel, and birch leaf pasties, La Rouge finishes off the act by drenching herself in glitter straight from her Longero can, to the roars of the audience. All in all, another successful end to the first show of the monthly Burlesque.

If you’d like to catch the next performances, Heldeke! has showings on both Friday, August 22nd and Saturday, August 23rd from 19:00-20:40. If you happen to miss this month’s offering, fear not! The burlesque show will return in late September for another round of performances, this time featuring Delfi Oraakel, Titi de Sweetie, and other fabulous artists. Bring your friends, your date, or just bring yourself to enjoy the show.

The Tallinn Fringe Festival runs until 18 September, you can find to full program of shows here.

Author: Lily Strider