This review is specific for the cabaret show hosted by Club Bahia. For the review on the club…read moreitself, check its dedicated business Yelp page.
I don't know if I went to the show with too high of an expectation, but the truth is, I didn't walk away being fully blown away. I was adequately entertained, but not at the level that I came to expect from cabaret or burlesque shows in general.
It's probably important to preface that I am more accustomed to seeing big production versions of shows in the same vein, such as Zumanity, in Las Vegas setting. And while I do realize entertainment of that caliber is in a different ballpark altogether, it's difficult not to compare.
Billed as a homage to Tarantino films, which I know just (barely) enough to appreciate the many reference of the show, Tarantina is still a very grounded cabaret show at heart, and only superficially dipped in the Tarantino universe icing.
If you're expecting it to be a movie celebration extravaganza, which I kinda did, you may be a little bit disappointed. If you're just there for a good time, to observe some talented ladies (and one token well-toned, constantly shirtless dude) perform, while you sit back and relax with a drink, this show delivers enough.
The ticket price was... eh. VIP was too expensive, I wouldn't recommend anyone getting it. The GA, at $39 or so per person, including fees and all that, was a bit on the high side still, imho.
I don't want to take anything away from the performers of the show, for I know all of them are disciplined artists that probably trained for their crafts with much time and dedication; nonetheless, I've just seen better, and some of them really failed to impress audience like me. Once you've seen the same tricks, but done arguably better, you'll probably feel the same.
Not to be a total Debbie Downer, I do want to emphasize, there were definitely moments that I much appreciated: the MC was positively well cast. She was entertaining, one of the best parts of the show, and all she did was talk into the microphone... *with undeniable charisma*. The way she introduced each subsequent act, with brief explanation of which Tarantino film it related to, JUST FANTASTIC. I could hear her talk on and on.
The one buff dude that was the token eye candy for the ladies and gay dudes, who doubled as prop master, who carried essential equipment on and off stage, was also a blessing.
Of the acts that I got to see, (sadly I had to leave early due to work the next day, the show's being shown on a Thursday night and all), some were really good. Some were not so good.
I do wanna list out some of the more memorable ones that I thought were worth your undivided attention.
There was someone who danced with a python, along with some fire stunts. That screamed prime Britney, and therefore I ate that sh*t up. In fact, any time special flame effects were used, those were quite awesome.
The ladies who exposed their perfect... uh... "female form", as the club called it, carried out a tasteful and sexy performance. Visually stunning, it was 1 of more memorable moments.
There's a pure dance number, accompanied by "California Dreamin'", that was choreography heaven. It provided glimpses of what a professional dance number should look like. The fan blowing was a nice touch. As some put it, it was like watching "Dancing with the Stars".
Finally, the Gogo Yubari number was also top-notched.
Side note: if you're looking to see some serious boobage, then please be aware, and I quote from the MC, "this is a cabaret, and not a burlesque show". Frontal nudity is only occasionally featured.
Of things that I didn't mention, some were still good. I just can't recall them off the top of my head right now. In contrast, remaining others were ok/mediocre, and a select few were sub-par.
Had the pricing been lower, or had every single act been consistently solid, the act would've merited at least 4 stars from me. But right now, I would rate it 3.5 stars, but closer to the rounded 3 stars mark.
I do, however, fully acknowledge that I might've missed some really great parts that were shown after my departure. The costume contest after the show, for instance, would've been wonderful to witness since some patrons were rocking some movie-grade wardrobes from the iconic films.
(And just quickly circling back to the theme: if the costumes for the show, the decorations, and the routines were more heavily inspired & influenced by the Tarantino films, it would probably have pushed the ratings higher also. But hey, they did get the music/soundtracks right.)
Overall, I see a show that has room for improvement, run by a group of individuals that could be showcased more properly with some better directions.
But who cares what I think? Plenty of people in the audience were clearly enjoying themselves immensely. So go see for yourself instead. As a fun Thursday night on the town in the greater city of LA, it might just be enough.
