Brad Puddin' seduces in High Society Cabaret's Portrait of a Scandal
31 Aug 2018

"It's appeal comes from the exploration of seduction along with balancing our desires and social decorum," says Brad Puddin' of High Society Cabaret's Portrait of a Scandal, a loose burlesque adaptation/explosion of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. "Society tells us we must do and what our specific roles within its fabric are, while our hearts, and our psyche, think differently. Although much has changed since 1780 in terms of what roles we must play, I think many can still identify with having to deal with obligations while trying to be their true selves. This can bring about the revenge, love, passion, tomfoolery, and discovery that is all tied up this dramatic package that we're presenting."

Puddin' plays Comte Von Gruner who he describes as "The catalyst to some of the drama that happens in the show. The Count is quite innocent while his sister, the Countess played by Rachelle Bain, is much less so. They cause a lot of commotion. His marriage to the Duke's daughter will strengthen the bonds between France and Austria. It's a pretty big deal that this arrangement goes well."

Puddin' is relishing playing his first "leading supporting role" for High Society Cabaret, previously he toiled joyfully in the ensemble. "My favourite moment is trying to seduce the Duke's daughter Mademoiselle Isabelle played by Genevieve Fullerton. We had such an instant love from the moment we met. The scene we have is so ridiculous and fun. It is very hard to not just break down into a fit of loving giggles. It's such a joy to work with her and to feel so comfortable with someone onstage."

Fortunately Portrait of a Scandal is not all heterosexual seduction. "My sexiest moment will have to be my duet with the Duke played by Adam Martino [Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Legally Blonde]," says Puddin' "We have quite different natural energies and it works extremely well. The characters are also quite different so that creates a sex appeal. Adam is a fantastic dancer and actor and is a great acting/dance partner to have on stage. With this duet, you're definitely gonna get some smouldering high drama. And lots of comedy."

Being burlesque, it is no surprise that the cast is "smouldering." "I think it's because we are all very different types of sexy," says Puddin'. "Bash is a chiseled ninja, Matt is petit, strong and muscular, Adam has his cool bro charm, Matteo Galindo Torres seems suave and elegant, at least from videos since I've yet to meet him, and then I'm this messy but delicious weirdo that I guess people find sexy. Everyone supports one another so strongly. As far as backstage dirt goes, if you see what we do onstage, you can only image the things we do offstage . . ."

One performer will be familiar to MyGayToronto.com and MGT readers from a steamy video profile. "Matt Eldracher, or Tucker as he is referred to in the burlesque community, is wickedly talented. He is such a sweetheart but also has this alluring presence. We clicked quite quickly back in High Society Cabaret's The Silent Goodbye and since then a lot of trust and care has been built. He is very professional, a complete joy, and obviously sexy. I would work with him again and again in a heartbeat. But I'd say that with Sebastian 'Bash' Hirtenstein in the picture, there is no contest in the sexy department. He is chiseled by the gods and in his ability too."

That all this male pulchritude will be stripping to the bare minimum or beyond in a literary context is quite enticing. "The one thing that stands out with High Society Cabaret is definitely the high level of technique in the dancing," says Puddin'. "A lot of rehearsal goes into our work and we work extremely hard. We don't play games. We show up to slay, and I'd like to think we do. Whether people have seen our work before or not, the audience seems absolutely enthralled with what we do. One of the most common things people say is, 'Wow, I didn't know burlesque could be like that.'"

And Puddin' knows his burlesque. Mentored by James and the Giant Pasty of BoylesqueTO and Knox Hunter of High Society Cabaret, Puddin' found himself doing quadruple duty "performing in the Toronto Burlesque Festival in four acts: High Society Cabaret's Portrait of a Scandal group act, my Mad Hatter solo act, BoylesqueTO, and the FierceTO group act." It is here that Puddin's not-so-secret identity should be revealed. Triple-threat Daniel Bowen, who churned up a sexy storm in Circus Shop of Horrors, is the talent behind the Puddin' juggernaut.

With burlesque's delightfully sordid connotations, one wonders how a classically trained thespian feels about stripping. "My career, to put it bluntly, is focused on me and what I want to do," says Bowen. "The biggest hurdle getting out of Sheridan College was being the weird one everywhere I went. It was quite discouraging to be rejected because of it. Burlesque brought my life back. All of a sudden my bizarre and odd impulses were not only allowed but also at times celebrated. I think my current focus on my burlesque career, which allows me to act and dance in both full scale productions and solo work, will bring about a much more rounded performer once I begin auditioning again. Burlesque is also the focus because it's what's giving me lots of performing work at the moment"

There is also a philosophical angle to Bowen's love of being Puddin'. "The appeal to queerness and the acceptance of my impulses and expression are huge factors," he says. "And it validates me as an artist. It takes all my musical theatre training and allows me to express and use it in however I see fit. When I first started burlesque, I said it's like musical theatre but with all the freedom. I get to be the characters I want to be, I get to create whatever I want, I get to make the costumes, to splice the music, to choreograph, to perform, etc. It allows me to own all my creative work from all aspects and also own who I am. You don't get that with most other performative art forms, save maybe drag. I think no matter what direction my career takes me, Burlesque will always be a place of home where I get to express myself in whichever way I choose. It constantly expands my creative boundaries."

Bowen and/or Puddin' has back-up danced for drag performers and has performed on the Pride burlesque stage. "I think burlesque appeals to a gay and queer audience because burlesque still exists, and maybe a part of it always will, in the taboo and the underground. There's freedom of expression, freedom of body, and freedom of voice without the boundaries of the gentrified queer/gay expression that you see in the village. Being sexual and having strong sexual expression has always seemed an important aspect of being queer and I think burlesque allows one to perform that in whatever way one pleases. It's an art form, a protest, a revolution, a discussion, expression, and entertainment all rolled into one giant package. And who doesn't like a giant package?"

And Puddin'/Bowen has already come out. "My parents flew down from Edmonton where I was born and raised and got to see me perform at the Toronto Burlesque Festival. It was really special to see how excited and proud they were of me finding my niche as a performer. I know at first the idea of stripping seemed iffy to them but any reservations they had seem to have disappeared." How could they resist the madcap mind who has created so many memorable and near naked characters. Up next, hopefully in time for Halloween, is a leather clown. Just one more undressing delight from Brad Puddin', "Canada's Pillsbury Ho' Boy, messy but delicious. He is a recipe of debauchery, foolery, sex, character, and body all mixed together to have you licking your lips and wanting more. Always remember: You can never stick it too deep into the Puddin'!"