Mirror Mirror: A Naughty Villains' Cabaret

A fun way to spend a Friday evening. A great cast delivering just the bawdy sort of humour expected from a burlesque cabaret. Lots of laughs and just enough moments to make us blush, just a little.

Good job folks. Keep it up. Edmonton needs this type of humour to add to the mix.

Mirror Mirror may not be the strongest burlesque I’ve ever seen technically, but it is easily one of the funniest. The villain theme is wonderfully playful, and the performers throw themselves into the characters with terrific energy, confidence and a sense that they are having just as much fun as the audience. The mix of burlesque, cabaret, music and audience interaction keeps the show unpredictable and delightfully over-the-top. If you like your Fringe silly, sexy, campy and packed with laughs, this is an enormously fun experience.

What a WICKEDLY fun time this was!!

To be in the front row of a 1:45pm show that showcased the sexy side of queer Disney Villain icons!...

AH! Who could ask for more!

Upon first entering I was expecting this show to be a fun niche cabaret that I wouldn't have much to share about after.

But walking out of the venue I found myself discussing the show with total strangers and my first reaction was "I was so impressed by this..."

I really loved that each Cabaret piece in this show wasn't just a highlight of each performer's individual talents, the Disney Villains embodied by each performer works as an archetype or channel for the style of performance given in the show.

This hit me at the third number of the show, with Yzma's stylish and classy teasing fan performance. From this point my brain started to notice how each showcase allowed each of the c%+testants (vying for the crown of naughtiest villain - love it) to showcase being uniquely and proudly sexy and queer!

And if there is one thing I love more than queer artists having a safe and creative space to be themselves (Particularly if it is their very first time performing in this manner) it is a show that turns what could be a gimmick into a vehicle to elevate the performances.

My vote for naughtiest (and the one that made me laugh tremendously as well) was Cruella's number. The audienced love the horror show of the Queen of Hearts, and the Queen of Snow White took my breath away for a reason I won't spoil here.

If there is but one small thing I could add to this show to make me go from being a loving fan to a gushing fringer that would recommend this show to any and everyone, it would be the desire to see more of the majesty and power of these iconic characters come through the performers.

Scar to be more animal, Maleficent to have that cold and confident regalness, and Frollo to have that Cruel, Closeted, Weighted Power that drives us into a REALLY AWESOME piano performance and equally sexy dance!

Elements like that, more than clever puns associated with the properties, I feel would add more to service the show as a whole.

But, as it stands, these performers are serving plenty on their own! And with a final call at the end to support queer youths and peoples in our city, this show was for than an entertaining afternoon outing, it was a show worth cheering for and celebrating!! 🙌💖

I thought this had a really great premise, but unfortunately it felt a little underpolished overall. There was clearly a lot of effort from the individual acts, and some genuinely good ideas, but a bit more rehearsal and tightening would have helped everything land. The host also seemed a little underprepared at times, which made some of the transitions feel less confident than they could have been. The final commentary felt somewhat heavy-handed and disconnected from the acts themselves. I think it either needed to be woven more naturally throughout the show or given an act of its own to really make the message land.

Sexy Disney characters (some unexpected), cabaret show with various talents (dance, opera, burlesque, singing, piano), each character getting sexy in their own way, and true stories about some of the performers. They open with a nice dance and sing number, and during the solo showcases some of them join in as background performers. Some very talented acts and very funny throughout.

Would like to see the emcees/hosts with more lines memorized and less use of the cue cards.

Charming, funny, and endearing! If you are looking to enjoy a fun and sexy and colorful and musical production, Mirror Mirror should be at the top of your list. The cast is engaging, the costumes are great, and the singing and dancing are very well choreographed. One day, Ursula might rule the world! And Cruella must pay for all those poor puppies... Under the guise of movie bad guys, these Villains want to entertain, and be the center of attention, and want to showcase themselves outside of their comfort zones This isn't a 'World Class' troupe of 'Professional Performers', but a lovingly selected group of real People, each with his/her own story to tell. Come and laugh and have fun and cheer for your favorite Disney Villain!

Had an absolute blast watching this. Costumes, choreography, and banter were top notch. A welcoming and playful tone was set off the hop, which set the show up to deliver.

Go if you want a slight dash of nostalgia, some sexy humour, and lighthearted moments as well.

Bravo cast and crew

Good fun, good cast, great voices, lovely bodies, lovely message, lovely venue. 100% Fringe and Fringe worthy. Everyone (over 18, tee hee!) should see this show. I LOVED it!

I came to this show on a first date and we had so much fun! It was wonderful and empowering to see beautiful bodies in all shapes and forms perform what they clearly love to do.

Maleficent and Scar were a hilarious pairing. Snow White’s evil queen gives a salacious new meaning to “how do you like them apples”. And I’ll be immediately converting my religion to naughty - the priest was giving SIN and I don’t mind if I do.

Beautiful message, clever theme, gorgeous skin, and a whole lot of fun.

Mirror Mirror, Who’s The Naughtiest of Them All?

Ever felt like the classic Disney villains made you feel some sort of way? Laren Steppler’s new burlesque-inspired spectacle, “Mirror Mirror: A Naughty Villain’s Cabaret, has this vision come to life with scandalous performances from your favourite evil characters. It features playful costumes, lots of horny puns and references to the Disney source material, and a good amount of sexy dancing (props to choreographer Julie Kiraly). The cabaret acts were varied, ranging from classic song & dance numbers, old-fashioned fan dancing, and an anti-gay piano ballad. There was even an audience interaction moment with Katelyn Cabalo’s Dr. Facilier bringing up someone for a card reading!

While fun and campy, the show teeters the line between humorous and sexy instead of fully committing to one. However, it’s not necessarily a negative, as the audience would roar just as loudly for both the Rule 34 fanart playing in the background, and the clothes coming off the iconic evildoers. What does stand out as incongruous with the rest of the performance is the small pause made to talk about the true meaning of the piece. The intention seems to be to subvert how queer people are perceived, as they are often seen as villains. Though emotional, and an important message after all, it comes at an awkward time in the show just before the end; and feels more like an interruption to the saucy action. If this message could have been better incorporated into the story itself, it would have been fabulous.

Nevertheless, “Mirror Mirror” is definitely a Fringe show you will not forget. Whether you loved it or hated it, there is no denying that this cabaret knows how to put on a wickedly entertaining show, leaving audiences with plenty to laugh about, gasp at, and maybe even question after the lights dim out.

I have seen many good Burlesque shows. This was not one of them. Dancing was poor, it was not titilating, it was not bawdy, it was not burlesque. The "narrators" were using cue cards and kept forgetting their lines. Using gaps in the performance as an opportunity to preach about the injustice of the treatment of the non-straight community was off putting. Not because they were wrong but they are preaching to the wrong audience.