Moira Finucane is gathering the coven for Burlesque Hour – Legends, including the newly shorn Paul Capsis, reports Andrew Shaw.

Paul Capsis has no problem being the token male legend in Burlesque Hour – Legends. After all, burlesque is where his career in cabaret started out, working on Barry Kosky’s Burlesque Tour. In fact, the outfit he’s wearing on this week’s MCV cover is from that show.

“I was doing a rock medley,” he says. “But I don’t have that costume any more. It was with an ex-manager and it apparently got rained on. But I’ll be reprising one of the outfits from that show for this season.”

Apart from the costume, something else is missing – the much-flaunted Capsisian coiffure.

“No, I don’t have the long hair any more, I chopped that off. Is it going to affect my voice? No! I just throw myself around in a different way now. Instead of using my hair I use my entire body. I could hide behind it too, if I thought there wasn’t a vibe happening – just throw my head forward and that would be it.”

The Burlesque hour defines itself as “the legendary, indefinable, genre busting, burlesque-eats-its-young salon that has critics raving and festival audiences around the world in raptures.” As well as Capsis, the new show, Legends, features the naughty hanky antics of London cabaret star Ursula Martinez, Melbourne queen of gothic arts, Moira Finucane, Maude Davey, Yumi Umiumare Azaria Universe, Kitten K.O. – and last but not least, the truly legendary Toni Lamond.

“I’m so excited to be working with Toni Lamond! She’s our equivalent to Judy Garland, I think. In the history of Australia, in terms of showbusiness divas, she’s it. I haven’t worked with Moira Finucane, but I’ve been a big fan of hers for years.

It’s possible that as well as his hair, Capsis’s voice had a little to do with his success. How did he “discover” it?

“Other people told me about it. I would just muck around like I was always doing, just making sounds. It wasn’t until I was at a youth theatre group and one of the directors pulled me aside and said, ‘You’re a singer.’ And I said, ‘No...’ And she said, ‘I think you are.’ And I was confronted by that, I thought, ‘I’m not singing in anything that’s for bloody sure.’ But the next thing we did she made me sing.”

Although he says there’s no such thing as a “burlesque” voice, Capsis names three women whose voices he would like to possess. He can’t just decide on one: Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin. "Mahalia’s power, her gospel, her connection to God, Aretha for her technique – and Janis for soul. Oh, and Billy Holiday, of course.”

What about his career? Now that he’s a nationally recognised name, has Paul Capsis got what he wants?

“I think what I want is what I’m having. I want a career, I want to keep working. That’s all I want.”

Burlesque Hour – Legends at fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane Melbourne, June 25 to August 2 (Thursday to Sunday). Bookings: www.fortyfivedownstairs.com or (03) 9662 9966.

Photo 1. Newly shorn: Paul Capsis.
Photo 2. Bad girls: Moira Finucane, Maude Davey, Azaria Universe and Yumi Umiumare

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