A constellation of stars including Jennifer Lopez, Craig David, Cilla Black, the Corrs, Cher and Denise Van Outen appeared on Monday night for the Royal Variety Performance. For the first time in 30 years, Sir Elton John headlined the annual event, which featured a risqué number from the West End hit The Full Monty.
“God knows what Her Majesty thought about it,” said one member of the production staff regarding the striptease. “But it was pretty hair-raising from where I sat.” And it may have been even more so for the Queen.
While the six-member troupe normally preserves their modesty with barely-there underwear, on Monday the boys went all the way. “The lighting means people only really see our silhouettes when we are naked. But that only works if people look straight at us,” says star Jason Danieley. “Due to her position the Queen probably saw it all.” The Palace was reportedly warned before show time that the Queen might get an eyeful, but the cast received no requests to make a change.
The boys of The Full Monty weren’t the only ones to sizzle. Sultry Latin star Jennifer Lopez crossed the pond for the star-studded bash, which also included a tribute to theatre giant Lord Lloyd Webber.
“Musically this is one of the highlights of my career,” said J Lo. “It is an honour to perform in front of the Queen, especially in the light of all of the events of this year,” she said.
But neither scantily clad men nor a stunning Jennifer Lopez could outshine the 58-year-old Cilla Black. The Blind Date presenter took to the stage in fishnet stockings and a basque, revealing a size-eight figure and enviably long legs. The veteran entertainer joined Barbara Windsor and Paul O’Grady for You’ve Gotta Have A Gimmick from the musical Gypsy and had the audience in the palm of her hand.
Opera divette Charlotte Church was also on the bill. And while some may have been nervous to sing for royalty, the 16-year-old Welsh soprano was very much at ease. “I’ve sung for the Queen a couple of times and she’s a good chick,” she said.
Organisers of the bash were thrilled with the cast lured to London. “I feel honoured that so many top international stars from all areas of entertainment have agreed to appear on this prestigious show,” said producer Jeff Thacker. “This is one of the most exciting line-ups we have seen in one Royal Variety Performance for many years.”
The Dominion Theatre show airs on ITV on Wednesday.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
