A strange gathering of toys and burlesque playthings took place in the city this week. Putting me in mind of Beauchamp, holding his soiree for the Bunyip boheme, when colour graced the antipodean stage with such vintage poise around the Leviathan belly. Many dressmakers and many happy snappers attended this week.

The glad crowd and mezopaparazzi are such fickle flibbertigibbets, not known for their dedication to anything other than bright light novelty, but here we have an example, my dear student of the low church, of timewarp seamstresses, flairful couturiers, flashing harrys and snapping henriettas coming together to pay tribute to the toyland of the cabaret psyche.

The acts lined up by Sugartime, now established and flourishing as the producers of shows with themed sartorial flair, were strong. Evenings put on at 34b are getting ever stronger and more ripping each time. Tonight it was the Dollhouse show, an island of misfit toys, a Pandora’s Box of burlesque. And everybody came to the party. The night is the last big theme night by Sugartime, before the sweet troupers of Oxford Street fly out for the New York Burlesque Festival to make the nature of Australian Burlesque known in those parts. They will do us proud when given their head.

Plush Panda as MC for the evening, was replete with Spweech Impweddiment, Mr Panda prepared us for pandemonium making good with the mic whilst the ladies made good with the magic.