Welcome to the New York bar at the end of the world
“A Martian walks into a New York bar…” – this is how the story begins, taking you into the near future, when the world balances on the edge of destruction. In the relaxed atmosphere of a jazz bar, where guests quietly sip their last drinks, a visitor from another galaxy appears. They fall in love. And perhaps it is in this extraordinary interplanetary romance that the key to saving the world lies.
The Saturn Revue is not a linear story drama – it is a dance kaleidoscope of images, fantastical visions, and performances that evoke emotions rather than articulate them in words. The prominent role of the narrator – alternating between Jan Cina and Kryštof Krhovják, and his guide played by Jasmína Houf, frames the evening while the international ensemble of performers vibrates the stage and the audience with unexpected acts. The show takes place in 360° – around the spectators, above their heads, and among them.
“We wanted to push burlesque further. To use the best of our experience and connect it with variety, jazz, and scenic visual art in a space that directly calls for it. However, this is not a show that offers one coherent storyline; rather, the direction emphasizes the backgrounds of individual scenes, where each performer has their own artistic performance,” clarifies Terézia Bělčáková, producer of the performance.
“When I first saw the revolving stage of Nová Spirála, I immediately thought of Saturn and its rings. And a story about love that can change the whole world was born,” recalls Terézia's colleague David N. Jahn and adds: “When Betsy Rose steps onto the stage, it’s like opening a window to Paris in the thirties, only in a state of weightlessness.” Betsy, a three-time winner of the title UK’s No.1 Burlesque Performer, is just one of the international guests. Alongside her shines Russell Bruner, a clown and comedian in the style of Chaplin, Belgian showgirl Colette Collerette, or Dutch acrobat Michiel Tange van Leeuwen, who will make you believe that aliens really exist – and they are damn sexy.
International stars and Czech elite on one stage
The show produced by Deep Side Production (David N. Jahn aka Sonny Vargas and Terézia Bělčáková aka Miss Cool Cat) and Nová Spirála connects Czech and world stars of the contemporary cabaret scene:
- Russell Bruner (USA) – master of vaudeville, winner of the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas
- Colette Collerette (Belgium) – extravagant swing dancer with a sense of the grotesque
- Betsy Rose (UK) – three-time winner of the title UK’s No.1 Burlesque Performer
- Michiel Tange van Leeuwen (DK) – aerial acrobat from a circus dynasty, embodying the alien itself
- Cotatcha Orchestra – top-notch 16-member accompanying big band of trumpeter Jiří Kotač, holder of the Anděl award
“I am glad that Nová Spirála is becoming the home of such an exceptional and bold project, which has no equivalent in the Czech Republic. We perceive it as the flagship of the 2025/2026 season and want to show that we can also create great variety shows with a world-class cast. We believe that this will start a new trend and push the boundaries of the domestic scene. A unique project in a unique space – that’s exactly how we envision the future of Nová Spirála,” says director of Nová Spirála Jan Makalouš.
More than 26 artists will perform on stage – ballet dancers “Zodiac Dancers”, singers, acrobats, showboys, and guests from around the world. Among the main protagonists are also Anika Caitlyn Gibson and Miss Cool Cat herself as well as Mr. Sonny Vargas.
Nová Spirála – a futuristic temple of entertainment
After 22 years, Nová Spirála reopens, offering one of the most modern theater spaces in Central Europe. Its revolving and vertically movable stage, along with the circular layout of the hall, allows the production to fully develop visual imagination and technical possibilities. Lights, mapping, top-notch sound, and endless technological possibilities will enhance a dreamlike show as if from another galaxy.
Art Deco scenography and costumes by Zuzana Kubíčková
The scenography by Marek Cpina works with artistic inspirations from art deco and surrealism. The costumes of the dancers and ballet dancers, designed by renowned fashion designer Zuzana Kubíčková, combine the aesthetics of the twenties with retro-futuristic designs from the sixties and seventies – from dancers in models inspired by Art Deco to alien figures with ethereal silhouettes. The audiovisual aspect utilizes top technologies in the spirit of "future nostalgia." “I have been collaborating with burlesque for many years, and I am even more pleased to be part of this new performance. I wanted to create costumes that draw the audience into another world – with sparkle, color, and movement. I was looking for a balance between nostalgia and the future. At the same time, it was important for me that they matched the choreography and emotions of each scene,” says Zuzana Kubíčková.
What makes The Saturn Revue unique?
- International stars of vintage burlesque, acrobatics, and music on one stage.
- Live big band playing arrangements by Count Basie and Duke Ellington.
- 360° scenography – the show takes place around you and above you.
- Bilingual storytelling – in Czech (narrator Saturn) and in English (voice of Europe).
- Unconventional dramaturgy – variety form with an abstract story.
- Original project by the creators of Prague Burlesque and the exhibitions of H. R. Giger.
About the project
The Saturn Revue is the first Czech cabaret show with an international reach. It was born from the initiative of the artistic tandem Terézia Bělčáková (producer and showgirl Miss Cool Cat) and David Jahn (director, filmmaker, collaborator of H. R. Giger). Together, they were at the forefront of the burlesque renaissance in the Czech Republic and have long been dedicated to producing genre festivals and unique visual shows.
Practical information
- Premiere: September 4, 2025
- Location: Nová Spirála, Výstaviště Praha
- Performances: once a month until autumn 2026
- Tickets: www.novaspirala.cz
