Opportunity knockers for new Fringe show

FIRST there was Puppetry Of The Penis, then came The Vagina Monologues. Now there's Busting Out! – a topless celebration of the female bosom, which is to receive its UK premiere at the Assembly Rooms during this year's Festival Fringe.

First seen at last year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Busting Out! is a 75-minute cabaret with songs, sketches and audience participation, that has been called "a graphic and raucously funny celebration of the female body".

Created by Aussie actress Emma Powell, 39, who performs the show with fellow actress Bev Killick, 42, the show is billed as a "liberating and empowering lesson in body love and esteem" which had audiences of all ages laughing hysterically when it was first staged in Australia.

• What do you think of plans to bring a show about breasts to the Fringe?

The middle-aged performers are topless for most of the show, but Ms Powell says it's no mammarial imitation of Puppetry Of The Penis, but a piece that "makes women feel good about themselves and their bodies".

She said: "I'd always wanted to do a show about breasts because I've had them most of my life. The grand idea for Busting Out! was born when I jumped out of the shower to answer my phone and I heard a 'clap clap clap' sound. It was my left breast giving me a 'round of applause'.

"I labelled it 'the sound of one tit clapping' and the rest is history. But when writing Busting Out! I also wanted it to be a celebration; a celebration about women's bodies and acknowledging that what goes up must come down and we need to have a bit of a laugh about it every now and again."

During the show, brave male audience members are taken on to the stage, dressed in a bra and then challenged to remove it.

There is also a sing-along and while not asked to, female audience members have been known to get so carried away that they join in and go topless.

The show's UK producer, Mark Goucher, has been bringing productions to the Fringe for more than two decade as well as touring hit West End hits such as Footloose, Fame and Saturday Night Fever to the Edinburgh Playhouse.

He said: "We're so delighted to be premiering Busting Out! in Edinburgh.

"I know Edinburgh audiences will have a terrific time at Busting Out! I saw it in Australia last year and immediately knew that its combination of cheeky humour, terrific song and dance routines and all-round top notch entertainment would go down a storm here."

Continuing the show's many fundraising and cancer awareness initiatives, the Fringe production will be presented in association with Breakthrough Breast Cancer Scotland.

The charity's director, Audrey Birt, said: "We are delighted that Busting Out! will help to break taboos, celebrate women's bodies and improve breast awareness as well as being great entertainment. We hope lots of people will have a great time at the show and through this will also raise awareness and funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer's important work here in Edinburgh and across Scotland."

Busting Out! will run at the Assembly Rooms, 5-30 August. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at www.assemblyfestival.com