Too coy to be erotic

The West End has been accused of lacking many things recently, but nipple tassels have not been one of them.

Nonetheless, for those who have been feeling short-changed in the mammary-adorning department, this bizarre Burlesque offers three sequined pairs.

Their wearer, the eponymous Miss Blaize, lists the contra-rotation of said items as one of her particular skills. It's not often that one gets all this from a night in Theatreland.

The awkward conclusion is that this attempted throwback to the glory days of bawdy burlesque is hamstrung by its own public-entertainment licence. Thus the titles of the various acts - My Bare Lady, Private Dick, Crazy Miss Blaize 'n' Saddles') are continual teases, promising far more than they could ever hope to fulfil on a mainstream stage.

Some of the set pieces are mildly erotic, but once you have seen the same two performers take their clothes off a couple of times, a certain amount of ennui does start to set in.

Away from the sexual content, or lack thereof, nothing much else is stirring in Jane Gibson's unconvincing production.

The suppose comedy interludes, courtesy of the balloon-bearing Spike Loons, provide little amusement, as do the performers miming along to selected pop songs.

It's slightly Scissor Sisters, slightly Duckie's Barbican cabaret and not a whole lot else. Blaize, a Forties-style pin-up with a sumptuous hourglass figure, is the evening's undoubted success story.

Her disappointing co-host, Walter, a besuited figure with a penchant for suspender belts and his own set of tassels in the most unlikely place, would benefit from some of her commanding stage presence.

As it is, this feels like a late-night Edinburgh show that has got carried away with its costumes. But at £37.50 for a top-price ticket, that's not entertainment.

Booking to 16 July. Information: 020 7836 3334.

Immodesty Blaize & Walter's Burlesque!