After a sold-out San Francisco performance in June, Big Burlesque's Fat-Bottom Revue returns for two all-new shows in the Bay Area, on Thursday, October 17, at Berkeley's Cafe Ashkenaz, and Friday, October 18, at Cafe du Nord in San Francisco. Doors open at 7:30 and the curtain goes up at 8. Tickets for either show are $10-$15 sliding scale. (And remember some folding money for tips!).

Big Burlesque founder Heather MacAllister relocated her revue to San Francisco just this month, believing that the Bay Area is the most logical place for fat burlesque to thrive. "It's the epicenter of fat liberation, and also a place where people really appreciate sexually-charged yet accessible performance," says MacAllister. The sold-out June 8th show at 848 Community Space proved her point, with a mixed-gender crowd grabbing seats all the way to the edge of the spotlight to get the best possible view.

The Fat-Bottom Revue offers both old-school burlesque and numbers with more contemporary twists (and bumps, and grinds). Solos, duets, and rousing ensemble pieces showcase the revue cast whose combined attitude and experience guarantee a good time for all. Also appearing are the Phat Fly Girls--the Bay Area's own size-inclusive hip hop company--and the incomparable Diva as emcee.

The two venues are uniquely suited to the Fat-Bottom Revue's intimate staging. Cafe Ashkenaz offers wheelchair access in a performance space that is known for its grassroots entertainment, while Cafe du Nord's lush decor echoes the opulence and abundance that is exclusive to the type of voluptuaries that grace the Fat-Bottom Revue.

Big Burlesque's Fat-Bottom Revue is co-produced by Big Moves, the only service organization in the world dedicated to promoting size diversity in dance. Big Moves was named "Best Place for Big Girls to Shake It" in the San Francisco Bay Guardian's 2002 Best of the Bay issue.