Burlesque Comedy Inspired by Star Wars Coming to Quebec

After a successful presentation at the Rialto in Montreal in June, the burlesque comedy inspired by the Star Wars universe is set to arrive in Quebec in the coming weeks. Tickets will be available for purchase on Thursday through the Fever platform, where individuals can already register for the waiting list.

The show, titled The Empire Strips Back, is a playful nod to the original English title of the second film in the Star Wars trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back. Created by Australian Russall S. Beattie, this production is crafted for an adult audience and is not endorsed or affiliated with Lucasfilm or Disney, the owners of the Star Wars franchise.

Since its debut in 2011, The Empire Strips Back has sold nearly half a million tickets worldwide, consistently filling venues during its recent North American tour. The Canadian and Australian legal frameworks permit fair use of a work for parody or satire, allowing such productions to flourish without infringing copyright, following revisions to the Copyright Act a decade ago.

In a notable twist, many of the predominantly male characters from the Star Wars series, including Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo, have been reimagined as female for this burlesque revue, which features elements of music, dance, seduction, and eroticism.

Manon Boissinot, the manager of the 597-seat venue, refrained from commenting on the upcoming show during an afternoon discussion. Furthermore, attempts to reach Marc-André Séguin, the general director of Collège Saint-Charles-Garnier, to discuss the event’s arrival in the performance space adjacent to the private educational institution were unsuccessful, particularly as the college prepares to celebrate its 90th anniversary in a few months.

Ian Bussières, now the coordinator for the Arts and Spectacles section of Le Soleil, has over 30 years of experience in the media field, having worked in press agencies, radio, and weekly publications. He has been with Le Soleil since 1992, previously covering general news and sports.