Reflets Magazine #150 | Marine Orlova (E08), The Burlesque Entrepreneur

In Reflets Mag #150, Marine Orlova¹ (E08) reveals how she became a burlesque striptease artist, lutenist and photographer, as she performs her one-woman show Sucre d'Orge vous montre son luth at La Divine Comédie (Paris).  Here is a free online translation of the article… subscribe to get the next issues (in French)!

Was it an omen? On leaving ESSEC, Marine Orlova began selling luxury lingerie with Chantal Thomas. ‘It’s true I was already a fan of the brand’s products, but at that time it was really the luxury sector I was interested in.’ She then joined a communication and marketing agency specialised in B2B emailing. ‘I forced myself to follow the standard post-business school paths.’ 

She was struggling to find fulfilment, however. ‘I wasn’t suited to office life. I felt I didn’t have enough freedom.’ In her search for a form of escapism, she turned to art. ‘I began by taking up dancing again. I then came across an introductory workshop to burlesque striptease.’ This was the first trigger.

Discovery

From there to undressing in public, however... ‘The mere idea of the end-of-year show made me break out in a cold sweat.’ Until the day another participant suggested she take part in live model sessions. ‘She asked me to improvise a short show to vary my poses. I did a striptease with a mechanical doll.’ This offered her a gentle initiation before a small audience, which helped to free her inhibitions. ‘The artists are focused on the drawing, the lines and volumes. I didn’t have to worry about my bra, just about the quality of my movements.’ 

With this newly-gained confidence, she began to enjoy the exercise. ‘I started to perform on Parisian stages. ‘Once a month at first, then once a week...’ Marine rode the wave of revived interest in burlesque at the time, due in no small part to Dita von Teese and Mathieu Almaric’s film, On Tour. ‘Word of mouth did the rest’. 

The Naked Truth

Marine Orlova led a double life for seven years. ‘I kept my evening activities a secret from my employers, for fear of being fired. In fact, they had already discovered the truth on seeing me in a report on the programme “Paris Dernière”, but they respected my silence on the matter.’ 

This double life eventually became too much to manage, however. ‘I was working day and night.’ She thus negotiated the termination of her contract and gave herself a year to make a living of her art. She has never looked back. ‘There’s no shortage of opportunities. I’m called on to perform in cabarets but also for clubs, parties, hen parties or corporate events. For example, the brand L’Or called on the Burlesque Klub, with whom I work regularly, to produce a 1930s theme evening for the launch of a coffee range.’ She also tours overseas occasionally, from Australia to China, for various corporate functions.

In fact, there is a whole business aspect to her activities. ‘I have freelance status, I organise my publicity on social media, I negotiate my contracts and manage my budget, which can be substantial. Some burlesque stage costumes cost around €10,000.’  Marine considers this expenditure as an investment which pays off performance after performance. ‘A Ministry of Culture commission is currently looking into our sector. The public authorities have realised that we were not always eligible for existing funding, despite the fact that our art involves significant expenditure. Watch this space...’

Renaissance in Fishnet Stockings

Marine Orlova has not only achieved financial independence; she also and above all has imposed her world. ‘I wanted a stage name that wouldn’t limit me to a certain repertoire. I chose “Sucre d’Orge” [“Barley Sugar”], because it’s simply offbeat and poetic, and embodies the contrast I like to play with, between my seemingly innocent appearance and a spicier attitude. I love going where people don’t expect me to, by singing Renaissance madrigals, duetting with a drag queen, or doing magic tricks before ranting and raving in fishnet stockings...’ 

She has created several characters over the years. ‘I can play a pink flamingo using just a feather fan, or with a latex costume, a groom who changes into a horse.’ She was even asked by her former ESSEC teachers Yann Kerninon and Laurent Bibard (E85) to act as a researcher on the stage of an academic conference on Georges Bataille. ‘I had to present a fake case study...no-one was aware of the hoax and several people took me seriously. That’s probably the most subversive role I’ve ever played!’ 

More recently, she also launched her one-woman show, Sucre d’orge vous montre son luth [Sucre d’Orge Presents her Lute], which she performs on the third Thursday of every month at La Divine Comédie (Paris), until December. ‘A tongue-in-cheek but instructive recital, during which I play hits from Renaissance courts to present-day campsites on my lute, including John Dowland, Mylène Farmer, Nicolas Vallet, Guesch Patti, Air, Pierre de Ronsard, etc.’

Body and Woman

Marine Orlova compares burlesque to a glove which fits any hand. ‘A number can be comical or not, narrative or not, militant or not...’ While she sees herself mostly as an entertainer, she does not underestimate the political reach of any artistic proposal, including that of undressing for an audience. ‘At present, female nudity automatically evokes the question of feminism. In my view, as long as we perform not only within the limits of legality but also with respect for consent, we advocate emancipation, individual freedom and the right to do what one wishes with one’s body.’ 

Striptease also raises the question of ‘body positivism’, the movement calling to embrace all body shapes. ‘You see all ages and very different shapes in this business. The beauty of striptease also lies in the uniqueness of the shapes unveiled and the creations on show.’ And for those with self-conscious hang-ups, the benevolent attitude of the audience offers a great way to accept and affirm oneself. ‘It’s one motivation factor among others, for both women and men.’ 

Because a growing number of men are also entering the profession. ‘In addition, two-thirds of our audience are female. It’s another sign that our profession is not simply a form of exploitation for men’s pleasure!’ 

Behind the Scenes

Marine Orlova has begun taking the notion of nudity a step further with her backstage photography at the cabarets she performs in, such as the Cabaret Burlesque at La Nouvelle Seine, Le Secret, or Le Cabaret de Poussière. ‘I wander through the dressing rooms with my grandmother’s Leica, and develop analogue photos which I sometimes exhibit.’ She is also working on a compilation album of her photos, complete with her own fictional texts. ‘This is perhaps a way for me to offset the fleeting nature of performance, by capturing its most beautiful moments on film.’ To be published in early 2024.

Find Out More :
sucredorge-burlesque.com
marineorlova.com (in French)
billetreduc.com/323316/evt.htm (in French)

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser(E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni 

Translation of an article published in Reflets Magazine #150.  Read a preview (in French).  Get the next issues (in French).

Picture 1 : © Mathilde Marc

Picture 2 : © Jean R Hiebler

¹ Pseudonym