• Make a contribution
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Saturday, July 19, 2025
  • Login
Reading Today Online
  • HOME
  • YOUR AREA
    • All
    • Caversham
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Katesgrove
    • Reading
    • Southcote & Coley
    • Tilehurst & Norcot
    • Whitley

    Reading conference showcases waste and recycling best practice

    Fire Service taking applications for new cadets for new academic year

    Reading Festival 2025: Indie artists worth catching when the festival returns this summer

    Only The Poets herald a new era with free show in Reading

    Thames Hospice announces Katherine Horler OBE as new chair of the board of trustees

    South East ranks second best region for proximity to public toilets

    Sue Ryder Starlight Hike returns this October

    Sue Ryder Starlight Hike returns this October

    Masked men armed with weapons rob store in Reading

    Reading ranks 12th best in dropping carbon emissions after 57% reduction in nearly twenty years

  • COMMUNITY
  • READING FC
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Basketball
    • Football
    • Rugby

    Reading FC in advanced talks to sign Nottingham Forest winger Josh Bowler

    Reading FC will find it tough to replicate ‘sensational’ season according to EFL pundit

    ‘We have a special season upon us’: Reading FC fans enjoy open day at Bearwood Park

    Yakou Meite teases fans over possible Reading FC return with latest social media post

    Racing star Bobby extends his championship lead with another race win

    Trialists revealed, including Wales international, as potential signings feature in Reading FC pre-season friendly

    Former Reading FC favourite to sign for Championship team

    Reading FC forward given ultimatum over future at the club

    Former Reading FC striker Andy Carroll joins new club in England after leaving France

  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Reading Today Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Entertainment Arts

Purple and Scarlet: Burlesque troupe celebrates 10 years at the Turtle

Jake Clothier by Jake Clothier
Wednesday, January 24, 2024 7:51 am
in Arts, Entertainment, Featured, Reading
A A
The Scarlet Vixens. Picture: Iota Events, courtesy of Reading Pride

The Scarlet Vixens. Picture: Iota Events, courtesy of Reading Pride

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

ONE OF Reading’s most enduring entertainment troupes is celebrating ten years of tantalising performances at a much-loved venues this year.

The Scarlet Vixens have been dazzling audiences with burlesque and cabaret for a decade, bringing diverse talent to some of the town’s most celebrated hotspots and events.

With regular residencies at The Purple Turtle since 2014 and appearances at annual favourites such as Here Comes The Sun Festival and Reading Pride’s Love Unites Festival.

They have also performed further afield with shows all over Europe under their belts, ranging from burlesque to cabaret.

The troupe has fourteen members currently, managed by Tootsie Rocques, who said that hard work and a love for the art form are what has kept the group going for so long.

“Dedication, drive and a desire to never give up; we’ve had a lot of love in the local community over the years and we’re proud to be one of Reading’s longest running alternative arts collective.

Related posts

47-year-old woman arrested after two pedestrians die in road traffic collision in Caversham

Boy, 15, left with broken jaw after being attacked by three teenagers in Reading

Police release CCTV of man in relation to assault in Reading

Man and woman jailed for GBH, fraud and robbery in Reading, including assault on a man in his 80s

“We have a great deal of passion for what we do– we’re fiercely protective of our outstanding reputation, and we just love entertaining.

“You’d have to try really, really hard to bring the Vixens down.”

As for what draws people to the art from, she explained: “It’s mainly the humour and shenanigans we get up to at our shows– we focus on making people laugh as much as possible.

“Whilst some of our burlesque acts might be intense and straight-faced, it doesn’t mean our hosts can’t make you belly laugh between acts.

“We like to think there’s something for everyone at a Scarlet Vixens show as we’re so eclectic and diverse in our range of performance styles.”

She explained also that burlesque’s ability to empower both performers and audiences was a vital aspect of the troupe’s shows.

“We represent a range of different body shapes and sizes within the troupe and size never gets in the way of anything we do at the Vixens.

“Everyone is treated equally no matter their size and our audience love the fact we showcase a wide range of different body types– why shouldn’t everyone be given the same platform regardless of what they look like?

“Every person is beautiful in their own way and performing burlesque is a great way to demonstrate that.”

They have continued to innovate and experiment with burlesque, with memorable performances including one member of the troupe performing as a Dalek.

“Like everything in life, we are constantly evolving as people and therefore our performances are constantly evolving.

“We have the beauty of being able to reinvent ourselves whenever we feel our brand needs a refresh, and the innovation to create new material derives from this.

“We still get super excited before any performance but we are experts on handling our nerves now after all these years.”

Despite this, there are still some challenges faced by performers and audiences alike.

“We tend to keep ourselves in a bit of a bubble from the outer burlesque world, but we believe that the future of burlesque lies in the accessibility of shows from venues.

“If venues decide not to showcase us then we don’t have a show.

“So–making sure no more of our burlesque and cabaret venues aren’t shut down and people still want to buy tickets–we’ll be performing into our 60’s and beyond!

The Purple Peepshow returns to The Purple Turtle on from 7pm on Saturday, featuring performances from Miss Sugar Rush, Lady Intrepid, Dutch-S, and Tootsie Rocques.

It returns on the last Saturday of each month.

Full details and tickets via: thescarletvixens.com

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Tags: berkslocal newsnewspurple turtlerdg newsrdgukrdguk berkshirerdguk newsreadingreading berkshirereading newsScarlet VixensUK News
Previous Post

Football round-up: Reading YMCA defeated, Binfield break winless run

Next Post

Rams RFC complete remarkable comeback to snatch last gasp win

FOLLOW US

POPULAR STORIES

  • 47-year-old woman arrested after two pedestrians die in road traffic collision in Caversham

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC striker Andy Carroll joins new club in England after leaving France

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC forward given ultimatum over future at the club

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Championship club close in on signing Reading FC defender Amadou Mbengue

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Masked men armed with weapons rob store in Reading

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free, independent news coverage.

If you are able, please support our work

Click Here to Support RDG.Today

ABOUT US

Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Reading Today Logo

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Bracknell
    • Calcot
    • Caversham
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
  • COMMUNITY
  • SPORT
    • Reading FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • Basketball
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
  • SUPPORT US
  • SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION

© 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.