REGINA – A burlesque performance at the annual Chautaqua Theatre Festival in Swift Current Friday night has people riled up, but not necessarily for the reason you would expect.
Performer Rosie Bitts was interrupted on stage after speaking out against Saskatchewan’s stripping laws.
In an audio recording of the performance posted online, the audience can be heard laughingly loudly when Bitts says, “Because God forbid I remove these (in reference to her nipple pasties) and you have a beer in your hand – you could f***ing lose your minds!”
However, event organizers were not as pleased as the crowd seemed to be.
“Hey sweetie, we really enjoyed your dancing. Can we please see more of your dancing?” we hear on the same audio recording.
“I was absolutely shocked. I’ve never had my words censored. I’ve had to deal with the censorship of my body, but I’ve never had my words shut down and I couldn’t believe what was happening,” Bitts told Global News in Winnipeg Thursday, where she’s performing at that city’s Fringe Theatre Festival.
The Lyric Theatre president said the rant came out of the blue.
“That stage was provided by government funding and local business funding and support from the community and all I thought about was what if this doesn’t sit well with them?” said president Denise Wall.
Bitts said as a comedian and artist, it’s her role to push the envelope, but the Victoria, B.C. native holds no grudge.
“If I was invited back, I would because I would just love to put out there that my overall experience was fabulous. It’s a really good theatre festival,” she said.
Wall said she’s reached out to Bitts by email and the performer said she’ll reply as soon as she gets a chance.
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