Isle of Tease has become one of the most anticipated burlesque shows of the year. Event co-producer Cherry Cheeks says that Isle of Tease, which brings together performers from local and afar, means a lot for the island burlesque community.
“I’m always excited for the local performers… [They] get to be on a theatre stage and get to connect with the bigger community outside Victoria,” says Cheeks.
Cheeks says that the idea to produce a large-scale show came from the talents, devotion, and love from three locals who knew that Victoria needed a chance to be on the burlesque map.
“[Starting] in 2019, Gala Vega, Champagne Sparkles, and Misty Moss were the producers,” says Cheeks. “Victoria had been having this really cool gradual and fast growth in the burlesque community.”
In 2023, Cheeks was invited to co-produce Isle of Tease. With her passion in creating and decolonizing spaces for POC individuals to thrive and be uplifted, she says they are curating a festival that showcases performers from diverse experiences and identities.
“[We include] accessible workshops, and a quiet area for people to decompress,” they say. “Intersectionality is something that I am personally very passionate about.”
The headlining performer this year is San Francisco’s Frankie Fictitious, who will be taking the stage in Victoria following her Australian tour. Other performers include local talent such as Vancouver Island’s daddy of drag Eddi Licious, New York’s Brooklyn-bred bombshell Queerly Femmetastic, and Vancouver’s sapphic angst La Dame Derriere. Cheeks says that the small change from three headliners to one is a decision that benefits all.
“This year we shifted to have one main headliner and some feature spots that are for some new up-and-coming performers starting to get their name out there,” they say.
This year there are 42 performers, including 11 locals and MCs; Scarlet Delirium, Missy Ink, Winter Sinclair, and Tomboy Selleck are a few others performing. Aside from the performances, there are opportunities to learn from the performers at workshops. Mx. Pucks A’Plenty, Obscura Fox, Misty Moss, Khushi, and others will be sharing inspiration and knowledge.
There’s also a community that steps up to help every year. Last year there was a total of 40 volunteers involved with the fest, and that number is set to be around the same for 2025.
“This year it is really awesome because so many people started reaching out to us offering support, looking to fill positions to help with planning the festival,” says Cheeks. “I am excited and keen for this year to see the turnout with the audience and how many people are excited to continue to support us.”
While building safe spaces is a priority for Cheeks, there are other driving forces behind the fest.
“You will see a very unique energy throughout the week,” they say. “It’s really important to emphasize the importance of diversity and highlighting diverse experiences, whether POC, people with disabilities, [or] queer identifying.”
Isle of Tease
7 pm Friday, February 21 and 7 pm Saturday, February 22
Victoria Conference Centre
isleoftease.com