Bad Flower Burlesque Brings Nerdlesque, Naughty Nostalgia and Glorious Geekery to Derby

From X-Men and Star Wars to Super Mario, Wicked and a rather unexpected appearance from Morrissey, Bad Flower Burlesque returned to Derby on Saturday 12 September 2026 with an evening of nerdlesque, outrageous costumes, spectacular performances and enough geeky references to keep even the most dedicated nerd entertained.

I’ve always been a bit of a nerd. Comic books, video games, science fiction, fantasy, cult films, you name it. So when I heard that the latest Bad Flower Burlesque Revue was going to be a special nerdlesque-themed cabaret show, I was particularly excited to see what the performers had planned.

For anyone unfamiliar with nerdlesque, it’s essentially burlesque with a gloriously geeky twist. Think traditional striptease, elaborate costumes, comedy, theatrical performances and a healthy dose of pop culture. Characters from films, comics, video games and television are reimagined in ways their original creators probably never anticipated.

And knowing what Bad Flower Burlesque is capable of, I had a feeling we were in for something rather special.

Hosted by the fabulous Fleur du Mal, the evening featured performances from Talia Tease, Bella’s Bombshells, Ebony Silk, Loki Lavender, Coffin Goblin and, of course, Fleur herself.

What followed was three acts of spectacular entertainment, combining comedy, dance, music, striptease and some wonderfully ridiculous interpretations of familiar characters.

Fleur du Mal: Welcome to the Nerdlesque Revue

There was really only one way to kick off a nerdlesque show, and that was with Fleur du Mal appearing in full spandex, dressed as Rogue from the X-Men.

With the unmistakable green and yellow costume, Fleur immediately established the evening’s theme before launching into a rendition of ‘I Touch Myself’ by Divinyls.

Naturally, this being Fleur, the song came with a few cheeky alterations.

Apparently, she touches herself because nobody else is doing it, and if you want a job doing properly, sometimes you’ve just got to do it yourself.

You get the idea.

It was a typically hilarious opening from a performer who has a wonderful ability to combine glamour, comedy and just the right amount of filth.

With the audience suitably warmed up, Fleur moved on to the house rules. We’d heard them at previous Bad Flower shows, but they were worth repeating.

Essentially, don’t be a dick.

Respect the performers, respect the people around you and remember that everyone is there to have a good time.

Fleur also gave everyone a quick refresher on the rules of pantomime. Audience participation is actively encouraged at Bad Flower Burlesque, and the louder the cheers, boos and general enthusiasm, the better.

After all, as Fleur explained, this is essentially adult pantomime.

And with that, we were off.

Coffin Goblin: Darth Vader Has Never Looked Quite Like This

Our first performer of the evening was Coffin Goblin, who took us to a galaxy far, far away.

The unmistakable Imperial March from Star Wars filled the room as a rather sexy Darth Vader appeared, complete with lightsaber.

I’m fairly certain this wasn’t the version of Darth Vader that George Lucas had in mind.

The familiar Star Wars soundtrack soon gave way to Depeche Mode’s ‘Personal Jesus’, and what followed was a wonderfully dark, gothic striptease.

Coffin Goblin gradually discarded the Sith Lord’s imposing costume, revealing red and black lingerie beneath. The performance retained that unmistakable gothic aesthetic we’ve come to expect from Coffin Goblin, eventually culminating in a rather unconventional use of duct tape to preserve a little modesty.

It was dark, seductive and brilliantly theatrical.

There was something wonderfully absurd about watching one of cinema’s most recognisable villains transformed into a gothic burlesque performer, but that’s precisely what makes nerdlesque so entertaining.

And if Darth Vader wasn’t already intimidating enough, apparently he’s been hiding quite the lingerie collection underneath that armour.

Bella’s Bombshells: Somebody Stop Me!

After a brief return from Fleur, who informed us that we’d just travelled to a galaxy far, far away and were now heading back to the roaring forties, it was time for something completely different.

Making their Bad Flower debut were Bella’s Bombshells, a dance troupe who brought an enormous amount of energy to the stage.

Their inspiration was Jim Carrey’s 1994 film The Mask, specifically its wonderfully chaotic dance sequences.

Dressed in matching bright yellow costumes and trilby hats, the troupe delivered a fantastic high-energy routine packed with synchronised choreography, theatrical expressions and plenty of attitude.

Anyone familiar with The Mask will remember its exaggerated cartoon-like movements, infectious music and larger-than-life performances. Bella’s Bombshells captured that spirit beautifully, while naturally adding their own considerably more risqué interpretation.

There was certainly a little more flesh on display by the end of this version.

The choreography was excellent, the costumes looked fantastic and the entire performance was bursting with personality.

For a debut appearance at Bad Flower Burlesque, they certainly made an impression.

Ebony Silk: Storm Brings the Thunder

With the stage cleared of discarded costumes, Fleur returned to introduce our next performer.

There was also time for a brief X-Men nerd-off with a member of the audience, because apparently even a burlesque show isn’t safe from people debating their comic book knowledge.

Then came our first performance from the evening’s headline artist, Ebony Silk, who had travelled down from Darlington.

Before the performance began, Fleur warned anyone sensitive to flashing lights that the next act would feature some dramatic lighting effects.

And dramatic they certainly were.

Ebony Silk appeared as Storm from the X-Men, one of Marvel’s most powerful mutants and a character whose ability to control the weather provided the perfect inspiration for an elaborate burlesque routine.

Dancing to Beyoncé’s ‘Freedom’, Ebony Silk emerged surrounded by enormous flowing white fabric, which moved around her like a giant cape.

The lighting created flashes of simulated lightning, giving the performance an almost supernatural atmosphere.

As the music built, the fabric twisted, floated and wrapped itself around her body, alternately concealing and revealing her silhouette.

It was a stunning combination of movement, costume and lighting.

Rather than relying entirely on traditional striptease, Ebony Silk used the flowing material as an extension of her choreography, creating beautiful shapes as she spun, stretched and moved across the stage.

Eventually, the cape gave way to reveal considerably more of Storm than we’re accustomed to seeing in the comics.

It was sensual, elegant and beautifully executed.

A fantastic way to bring the first section of the evening to a close.

The Riddler Returns: Fleur du Mal Opens Act Two

After the interval, Fleur returned with another comic book-inspired performance.

This time she’d swapped the X-Men for Gotham City, appearing as the Riddler in a fabulous sparkling green suit and matching bowler hat.

Set to U2’s ‘Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me’, famously associated with Batman Forever, the routine was a wonderful combination of theatrical villainy and traditional burlesque.

The costume was fantastic, with Fleur gradually stripping away the Riddler’s smart green exterior to reveal some considerably more revealing undergarments.

Strategically placed green question marks ensured that the character’s iconic theme remained intact, even when most of the costume had disappeared.

It was cheeky, clever and another reminder of just how much effort goes into creating these routines.

Fleur doesn’t simply dress up as a character and remove a few items of clothing. There’s always a performance behind it, with humour, choreography and carefully chosen music bringing everything together.

And this was no exception.

Loki Lavender: Video Games, Singalongs and a Rather Unexpected Cake

Next up was another Bad Flower debut, this time from Loki Lavender.

Where much of the evening had focused on dance and striptease, Loki brought something a little different to the proceedings, combining live singing, comedy and video game nostalgia.

Beginning with a song from the Dragon Age video game series, Loki quickly demonstrated an impressive voice and an obvious affection for gaming culture.

What followed was a musical journey through video games past and present, with the audience encouraged to sing along, clap and stamp their feet.

There was even a song from Super Mario Odyssey, which went down particularly well.

It was great to see something a little different incorporated into the revue, and Loki’s enthusiasm was infectious.

Of course, this was still Bad Flower Burlesque, so things were never going to remain entirely wholesome.

After briefly leaving the stage, Loki returned wearing a white suit and announced that there would be cake.

Anyone familiar with the video game Portal probably knew where this was heading.

For those who don’t know, ‘the cake is a lie’ has become one of gaming’s most recognisable phrases.

And sure enough, as Loki began stripping away the white suit, the words appeared across the back of his underwear.

The cake was indeed a lie.

Or was it?

Because in one final flourish, Loki removed the remaining garment and revealed the cake.

And by cake, I mean we got a very clear view of absolutely everything from behind.

I’ll never look at Portal quite the same way again.

A hilarious performance that combined genuine musical talent with wonderfully nerdy humour.

Coffin Goblin: Morrissey, Joan of Arc and Bill & Ted

Now, this next performance might have been one of the most gloriously ridiculous things I’ve seen at a burlesque show.

And I mean that as the highest possible compliment.

Fleur introduced the next act by explaining that we needed a little more camp, a little more kitsch and perhaps a touch of history.

She asked whether there were any history nerds in the audience before announcing that the next performer had heard the word of the Lord.

Enter Coffin Goblin.

Dressed as Morrissey.

Yes, Morrissey.

Swinging a bunch of flowers around the stage to The Smiths’ ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’, Coffin Goblin delivered a wonderfully exaggerated interpretation of the former Smiths frontman.

Already, it was hilarious.

But then things got considerably stranger.

As the song reached its famous reference to Joan of Arc, the performance began incorporating clips from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

Anyone familiar with the film will remember Joan of Arc’s rather unexpected enthusiasm for aerobics.

And suddenly, the entire routine began to make a strange sort of sense.

Off came the Morrissey shirt, revealing a chainmail-inspired bikini beneath.

A large sword appeared, and before we knew it, Morrissey had transformed into Joan of Arc.

Then Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Physical’ kicked in.

Of course it did.

What followed was a brilliantly chaotic mixture of historical references, eighties pop culture, alternative music and striptease.

The routine eventually returned to The Smiths for its final flourish.

It was camp, completely ridiculous and absolutely brilliant.

The kind of performance that rewards anyone who understands all the references, but remains hilarious even if you don’t.

This is exactly what nerdlesque should be about.

Talia Tease: Harley Quinn Causes Trouble

Following another entertaining bit of audience interaction, this time involving favourite villains and a discussion about which Disney villains are quite obviously gay, Fleur introduced Talia Tease.

There was particular attention paid to Ursula from The Little Mermaid, with Fleur pointing out the character’s unmistakable drag queen influences.

Then it was time for a visit to the DC Universe.

Talia Tease appeared as Harley Quinn, complete with black and yellow costume and the character’s signature baseball bat.

Performing to Kehlani’s ‘Gangsta’ from the Suicide Squad soundtrack, Talia delivered a wonderfully sultry interpretation of Gotham’s favourite troublemaker.

The choreography featured plenty of floor work, seductive movements and just enough menace to remind everyone that Harley Quinn isn’t exactly someone you’d want to upset.

It was a more sensual performance than some of the evening’s deliberately comedic routines, but the characterisation was excellent.

Harley Quinn has always occupied that strange space between dangerous villain and irresistible antihero, and Talia captured that perfectly.

A little bit bad, a little bit dangerous and very, very desirable.

It was a fantastic way to conclude the second part of the show.

Fleur du Mal: Stranger Things Are Happening Again

The final section of the evening began with a familiar favourite.

Fleur returned with her Stranger Things-inspired routine, which we’d previously seen at last year’s Bad Flower Burlesque show.

And somehow, I think it might have been even better this time.

Beginning in a beautiful white dress, Fleur delivered an incredibly graceful performance incorporating flowing ribbons and some stunning choreography.

As the routine progressed, the costume gradually became more revealing, with the ribbon work adding another dimension to the performance.

There was something almost hypnotic about the movement, with Fleur using the fabric to create shapes and dramatic moments throughout the dance.

It was a genuinely beautiful routine.

One of the things I particularly enjoy about Bad Flower Burlesque is the variety of performance styles. One minute you’re laughing at a ridiculous pop culture reference, the next you’re watching a beautifully choreographed dance that wouldn’t look out of place in a much larger theatrical production.

Fleur’s Stranger Things routine demonstrated that perfectly.

Bella’s Bombshells: Six Merry Murderesses

As Fleur chatted with the audience, various props began appearing on the stage.

Something rather elaborate was clearly being prepared.

Fleur explained that behind every woman is a story.

And this time, we had six.

Six women. Six stories. Zero regrets.

Anyone familiar with musical theatre might have already worked out what was coming.

But before the performance began, Fleur gave the audience a quick warning that the next routine would feature simulated violence and implied danger.

Then came another wonderfully nerdy discussion, this time about Dungeons & Dragons.

And finally, Bella’s Bombshells returned to the stage.

This time, their inspiration was the iconic ‘Cell Block Tango’ from the musical Chicago.

And what a performance it was.

Joined by guest performers Bella’s Beefcakes, the troupe delivered a spectacularly raunchy interpretation of one of musical theatre’s most recognisable numbers.

The original song tells the stories of six women accused of murdering their partners, each offering their own rather questionable justification.

Bella’s Bombshells embraced the theatricality of the original while adding their own burlesque twist.

The choreography was fantastic, the characterisation was excellent and the entire performance was packed with attitude.

There was drama, comedy, seduction and enough sass to fill an entire theatre.

The audience absolutely loved it.

In fact, the reaction was one of the loudest of the evening.

And deservedly so.

For a troupe making its Bad Flower debut, Bella’s Bombshells delivered two completely different routines, both of which were among the evening’s highlights.

Talia Tease: Princess Peach Gets a Little Naughty

Before the next performance, Fleur returned for another conversation with the audience, including a discussion about favourite Tim Curry characters.

With his unmistakable performances across film, television and theatre, Curry has provided plenty of inspiration for generations of geeks, goths and lovers of cult cinema.

But it was time to return to the world of video games.

And this time, we were heading to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Talia Tease returned as Princess Peach.

Although this particular version of Nintendo’s famous princess was considerably more mischievous than the one we’re used to seeing.

Gone was the innocent royal waiting patiently for Mario to rescue her.

Instead, Talia delivered a cheeky, seductive interpretation of the character, giving Princess Peach a rather more adult makeover.

It was another enjoyable performance from Talia, who had already impressed earlier in the evening with her Harley Quinn routine.

Apparently, even the Mushroom Kingdom isn’t safe from the Bad Flower treatment.

Ebony Silk: Something Wicked This Way Comes

With the evening drawing to a close, Fleur returned to deliver some terrible news.

We’d reached the final act.

But there was a silver lining.

Our headline performer, Ebony Silk, was returning for one last performance.

Fleur also took the opportunity to highlight something particularly important about Bad Flower Burlesque.

The revue is committed to championing performers from Derby and the wider East Midlands, providing a platform for the incredible talent that exists across the region.

While Ebony Silk had travelled down from Darlington, the rest of the evening’s performers represented the East Midlands.

It’s something worth celebrating.

The region has an incredibly diverse creative scene, and independent productions like Bad Flower Burlesque play an important role in giving performers opportunities to showcase their work.

Fleur explained that the final routine was dedicated to anyone who had ever felt like an outcast.

And with that, the lights dimmed.

Ebony Silk appeared wearing an enormous witch’s hat, illuminated by eerie green lighting.

We were heading to Oz.

But this certainly wasn’t the version of Oz that Judy Garland visited.

Inspired by Wicked and the wider world of The Wizard of Oz, Ebony Silk delivered a dark, mysterious and wonderfully seductive performance set to drum and bass.

The green lighting created a striking atmosphere, while the costume and choreography gave the routine an almost otherworldly quality.

There was something particularly effective about combining the familiar imagery of the Wicked Witch with contemporary electronic music and burlesque.

It shouldn’t necessarily work.

But it absolutely did.

Ebony Silk commanded the stage, delivering another visually impressive performance that contrasted beautifully with her earlier Storm routine.

Where Storm had been flowing, elegant and almost ethereal, this was darker, more mysterious and considerably more sinister.

A fantastic headline performance and a fitting conclusion to the evening’s nerdlesque entertainment.

One Final Song and a Well-Deserved Bow

Of course, Fleur wasn’t quite finished.

Returning to the stage one final time, she treated the audience to a rendition of Chris Cornell’s ‘You Know My Name’, the theme from the James Bond film Casino Royale.

And what a song to finish on.

It’s an epic track, with plenty of dramatic moments, and Fleur gave it the theatrical treatment it deserved.

Afterwards, she invited all the performers back onto the stage for their final bows.

The audience responded with enthusiastic applause, bringing another fantastic Bad Flower Burlesque Revue to a close.

Bad Flower Burlesque Continues to Champion Alternative Cabaret in Derby

I’ve been fortunate enough to attend previous Bad Flower Burlesque shows, and what continues to impress me is just how much creativity goes into these productions.

Burlesque is often misunderstood by people who have never experienced it.

Yes, there’s striptease. Yes, there’s plenty of flesh on display. And yes, things can get rather naughty.

But there’s so much more to it than that.

It’s theatre, dance, comedy, music, costume design and storytelling, often all wrapped up in a single performance.

The nerdlesque theme provided the perfect opportunity for the performers to explore characters and stories that audiences already know and love, while adding their own personalities and wonderfully twisted interpretations.

From Coffin Goblin’s gothic Darth Vader to Loki Lavender’s gaming-inspired comedy, Bella’s Bombshells’ spectacular group routines and Ebony Silk’s stunning headline performances, the evening offered an enormous amount of variety.

Talia Tease brought plenty of seductive character work, while Fleur du Mal once again demonstrated why she’s such an entertaining host and performer.

But perhaps most importantly, there was a real sense of community throughout the evening.

Fleur’s encouragement of audience participation, her celebration of local performers and her insistence that everyone should feel welcome helped create an atmosphere where people could simply relax and enjoy themselves.

And that’s something the alternative arts scene does particularly well.

It provides a space for people who might not necessarily feel at home in more conventional entertainment environments.

The geeks, the goths, the theatre kids, the gamers, the comic book collectors and everyone else who has ever felt a little different.

At Bad Flower Burlesque, those differences aren’t just accepted.

They’re celebrated.

Saturday 12 September 2026 was another fantastic night of independent cabaret in Derby, packed with creativity, humour, impressive performances and a healthy amount of glorious geekery.

Bad Flower Burlesque continues to prove that the East Midlands has an incredibly talented and diverse alternative performance scene, and it’s brilliant to see productions like this providing a platform for it.

Another class act from Fleur du Mal and the entire Bad Flower team.

And if the next show is anything like this one, we’ll certainly be looking forward to it.

After all, where else are you going to see Darth Vader stripping to Depeche Mode, Morrissey transforming into Joan of Arc and Princess Peach showing considerably more than Nintendo ever intended?

Only at Bad Flower Burlesque.

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