If you are a lover of Star Wars and a burlesque enthusiast, you are in luck. This show is for you and it’s not a trap.. keep reading!
The empire strips back started in Australia in 2011 in a small bar with a capacity of 120 people under the title “ A NUDE HOPE”. Since then, the creative team have not stopped developing the concept through the performances, costumes and props.
May The Fourth Be With You - The Empire Strips Back from Kobayashi Inc. on Vimeo.
For the past 4 years it's been touring Australian theatres playing to massive sold out (80,000 tickets being sold) audience.
Whilst 'The Empire Strips Back' isn't the only Star Wars Burlesque Themed show, the producers have tried to separate themselves from other productions by playing it big. Currently the show has close to 70 characters from the original trilogy that appear on stage. It also has life sized replicas of landspeeders tauntauns, jabbas and R2D2 to name a few. To go as far as to employ a lot of crafts people who had worked on the actual Star Wars films.
Photo by Leslie Liu
“We found out during the second run of the show that there were a few other groups doing the same concept, which is great. The shows are all so different. Fans doing their own interpretation of the subject matter” – Russall Beattie
“Our R2D2 was built by the guys who build the remote ones for the prequels and our new chewie suit is made by Oscar winning effects guys” – Russall Beattie
The show has even created their own star wars version of a playboy magazine called Wookieerotica and release burlesque short films that capture the sprit of the show.
TESB just keeps growing and very soon it is leaving Australia for good to travel and bring its unique take on a galaxy far far away to theatres around the globe.
wookieerotica link - https://giantpandaking.com/products/wookieerotica?variant=35019502608
