I did it all for the Wookie…
“I did it all for the wookie, the wookie and you can take that cookie and stick it up your….”
The familiar strains of Limp Bizkit fill the theatre except it isn’t the inimitable Fred Durst who appears. Enter Hans Solo with a boombox on his shoulder, and Chewy in tow head-banging like TED’s bigger brother going through his angry adolescence.
Wookie Bromance
The entire audience erupts into rock concert mode as this infectious duo take us on a 90s hip hop/rock journey down memory lane. With their killer boy band hip hop moves one can’t help but bob your head along in unison. I don’t remember this from any of the Star Wars movies I’ve watched, but now that I think about it Hans and Chewy always had a special kind of closeness that was never clearly defined by Lucas. What kind of bromance was going on there exactly?
Enter the Princess
Princess Leiah does not fail to disappoint in her sweet duet with R2DT, whilst Inoccent at first, then it then turns into a raunchy, steamy butt twerking affair. Move over Miley Cyrus, us nerds are crushing so hard on Leiah we ain’t even blinking lest we miss a beat.
Princess Leia doing her thing {Source: http://www.theaureview.com}
Talking about Miley Cyrus, most noteworthy the Dark Lord does his own rendition of “Wrecking Ball”. Seated on a mirrored ball in the buff! Whoa who knew he had such a big…shoe size 😉
Baby’s on fire
But the highlights for me were definitely:
1. The Imperial guards gyrating away to our very own South African zef-rap duo Die Antwoord’s “Baby’s on fire” ; and
2. without a doubt the saucy Storm Troopers.
“Scantily clad storm troopers who indulge audiences on a Sci-Fi journey of intergalactic proportions – it sounds like a Star Wars fans’ ultimate fantasy” – Daily Mercury
The epic choreography and authentic costumes were en pointe! I think I may have found my Halloween costume, mom. 😉
Ending in Master Yoda ripping up the drums to AC/DCs “Thunder” with sexy Darth Vader in head to toe black latex…..phwoar!
Wookieerotica
After the show, you’re able to grab some awesome merchandise, such as T-shirts, posters etc. My generous cousin loaded me up with not 1 but 2 babelicious Storm Trooper prints, which I had autographed hell yeah! you can also buy the ultimate coffee table must-have book based on the 70s Penthouse mags, “Wookieerotica”).
My inner nerd got the better of me, and my usual quiet demeanor took a backseat…ok whom I kidding? what quiet demeanor? hahaha! I had to have a photo taken with Hans, Chewy and Yoda. So I did!
Meeting Hans Solo, Chewbacca and Master Yoda at The Empire Strips Back
The Empire Strips Back
Kudos to creator Russall Beattie for satiating my inner nerd sex goddess. A great combination of two of my favourite worlds: Burlesque and Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Just the right amount of Wookie sensuality paired with a phenomenal soundtrack. Add comedy, clever tongue in cheek suggestiveness with fantastical costumes and killer dance choreography in this parody, had me feeling out of this world!
Now I don’t know about you, but I totally did it all for the Wookie and would do it again!
May the force be with you!
For more information you can find them here:
Youtube: The Empire Strips Back
Facebook: The Empire Strips Back
Twitter: empirestrips
Instagram: theempirestripsback
Sadly this show is only on tour in Australia, with new dates in 2017. There is talk of a tour to Europe, but alas none to South Africa. If you have enjoyed the trailer or any of what I’ve described, please leave your name in the comments below. Perhaps we should start a petition to bring this AMAZING AUSSIE ACT to South Africa.
Disclaimer: This production is not affiliated with the Star Wars franchise
