Fire-eating, fake chest hair and hula hooping were all things to be seen at the Mercury Flame Presents: Bumps in the Night burlesque show at the Jericho Tavern last night. The Halloween-themed burlesque night played host to a variety of acts from classic burlesque to sword swallowing, most of whose sets were engaging and titillating, all under the supervision of badass compère, Sadie Sinner.

To say the show was a shambles is to tarnish it with rather negative connotations. It was a shambles in the best sense of the word. Despite an hour's delay, various set malfunctions and a degree of unprofessionalism (a drunk nun…I'll say no more), the cobbled together feel made for a relaxed and personable environment. Sadie Sinner's quick wit and ‘no shit' attitude kept the audience engaged and the energy high throughout the various hiccups.

In typical British fashion, the audience took a while to warm up, attempting to give the most polite reaction to having nipple tassels bouncing around in front of them. After a glass or two of Prosecco however, inhibitions were dropped and not un-feminist liveliness on the audience's part ensued.

From the extravagant feathers and glittery corsets to the lab coats and fake fur, all the costumes were fantastic and had a real sense of fun. Credit is owed to the stagehand who ran about collecting discarded gloves and stockings. Even more credit is due when, whether intentionally or not, the stagehand was revealed as the headline act, a hula hooping burlesque performance that was extremely impressive.

The variety of acts is a huge asset and something that I would come again to see. Bumps in the Night was a fun if flighty evening and after watching and meeting the warm and friendly Mercury Flame, I can't help but wish her the best for her future shows.