Every great show has a backstory.
The history of stripping is a history of the stage, and we are proud of it. For more than 150 years, striptease has drawn crowds with music, costume, confidence and the thrill of a performer who knows exactly how much to reveal, and when. It is an art form. It takes skill, nerve and serious stagecraft, and the best performers have always been stars.
Here is how that tradition grew from the burlesque houses of the 1800s to the stages of today, and why there has never been a better time to see it live.
Where striptease began
Striptease did not arrive fully formed. Its roots sit in the popular theatre of the 19th century, when variety entertainment was one of the biggest nights out in town.
In Victorian Britain, burlesque was light entertainment with music: comic shows whose plots playfully sent up history, literature and classical mythology. In 1868, the English performer Lydia Thompson brought her troupe, the British Blondes, to New York. With saucy costumes and Thompson herself playing a male lead, the shows played to packed houses and then toured the country.
At the same time, America was falling for variety. Vaudeville, popular from the mid-1890s to the early 1930s, offered 10 to 15 unrelated acts a night, from singers and dancers to comedians and acrobats. American burlesque used a similar mix of variety acts, but aimed it at a more grown-up crowd.
Over in Paris, cabaret was doing something similar. The Moulin Rouge opened in 1889 as a dance hall with a cabaret show, and it became famous around the world for the cancan, with its high kicks and flashes of petticoat. Cabaret proved that sensuality, costume and spectacle could sit happily together on one stage.
A short history of burlesque
By the early 20th century, American burlesque was thriving, with national touring circuits and resident companies in New York City, including the famous Minsky's. Many of the era's great comedians learnt their craft in front of burlesque audiences.
Then striptease became the headline act, and audiences loved it. Stars such as Gypsy Rose Lee turned the slow reveal into an art form. She made her burlesque debut in 1929, and within two years she was headlining at Billy Minsky's Republic Theater on Broadway. Britannica describes her as one of the first burlesque artists to bring grace and style to the striptease. Her autobiography later became the basis of the stage musical and film Gypsy.
Censorship and competition from the movies pushed burlesque off Broadway, but they could not kill the appetite for it. New York's burlesque houses were closed in 1937. By the 1970s, dancers were performing in bars and clubs instead, and classic American burlesque had all but disappeared. The art form simply moved, and in doing so it laid the path to the modern strip club.
The vintage style did not stay gone for long. From the mid-1990s, a neo-burlesque revival began in cities such as New York and Los Angeles. It brought back the costumes, fan dances and glamour of the golden era.
Strip clubs in Australia
Australia had its own golden age of variety. Burlesque, minstrel shows, vaudeville and revue were staged here from the mid-1800s, and the variety industry was at its peak between about 1915 and 1925.
The spirit of those shows lives on in today's clubs. Modern Australian clubs are professional, licensed venues with trained staff and clear house rules.
The Men's Gallery story
At 601 Lonsdale St, in the heart of the CBD, The Men's Gallery carries that tradition forward every night. Melbourne's longest-running and most awarded strip club, it is home to a roster of more than 200 dancers and shows seven nights a week.
What has not changed since the burlesque era is the craft. Every show is choreographed, every costume is chosen with intent and every performer knows how to own a stage. The tease, the timing and the confidence are all still there, and they still bring the room to a standstill. From nightly feature performances to major events such as the Showgirl World Championships and Miss Nude Victoria, this is striptease celebrated as it should be: proudly, glamorously and live.
Come and see it for yourself
History is best enjoyed in person. Grab your mates, book a night out or come along on your own, and see why striptease has held audiences for well over a century. Doors open at 6pm, seven nights a week.
See a taste of what is on stage on our Main Stage page, then check what is coming up on our What's On page. Your seat is waiting.
FAQs
What is the difference between burlesque and striptease?
Burlesque began as comic theatre with music in the 19th century. Striptease, the art of the slow reveal, became the headline act of American burlesque in the early 20th century.
Who was Gypsy Rose Lee?
An American striptease artist who headlined on Broadway in the 1930s. She is remembered for bringing grace and wit to the striptease.
Is burlesque still performed today?
Yes. A neo-burlesque revival since the mid-1990s has brought the vintage style back to stages around the world.
Is striptease really an art form?
Absolutely. From Gypsy Rose Lee to today's feature performers, the best striptease combines choreography, costume, character and timing.
Can I see a show at The Men's Gallery?
Yes, and we would love to have you. We are open seven nights a week from 6pm. See Main Stage for a taste of what is on stage. Entry is 18+ only, and photo ID is required.
Related guides
18+ only. Photo ID required.