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My Alter Ego

My Alter Ego: Episode 2: Eliza Vestris

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Eliza Vestris

Episode 2

Episode 2: Eliza Vestris

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Burlesque performer Kirsty Allan on Eliza Vestris, Britain's first burlesque star.

Burlesque performer Kirsty Allan on Eliza Vestris, the 19th-century theatrical performer and Britain's first burlesque star.

Can you imagine who you might have been if you'd lived at a different point in history? 

That's exactly what the presenters of My Alter Ego have been asked to do. Each programme in the series is presented by someone whose life, career, or mind-set shares some similarities with a character from history.

Programme two: Burlesque artiste, Kirsty Allan, chooses Eliza Vestris as her Alter Ego. Eliza was a trail-blazing theatrical performer who took many risks in 19th century theatre-land. Not only did she dare to reveal her lower legs, and just a little bit of thigh, but she became the first woman to run her own theatre. Eliza started off as an opera singer, but made her mark as one of the first stars of burlesque. 
As founder of the Ministry of Burlesque, and as a performer herself, Kirsty is keen to point out that burlesque isn't the kind of elaborate striptease made famous by Dita von Teese. True burlesque should involve sending-up, satirising, or making mockery of something. and you don't have to take your clothes off to do that (although you can!). Eliza Vestris's most successful performance was as Don Giovanni in 'Giovanni in London' a burlesque based on Mozart's opera. This daring breeches part helped make Eliza (and her shapely legs) one of the most famous performers in the country. Kirsty Allan tells Eliza's story and describes the many parallels between the life of a 21st century burlesquer and her 19th century Alter Ego.

Producer: Karen Gregor.

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