INSPIRATION of a saucy kind combined with a flash of very hot stuff to ensure that last night's Leith Festival Tattoo did not fizzle out as the heavens opened.
Yesterday's rain could not stop the playing of the Massed Pipes and Drums of the Edinbu
rgh, Leith and District Battalion; the 10th Leith company of Boys Brigade Buglers; or the Leith Community Concert Band, who all took part in this seventh Tattoo.
However, it did ensure that when they took their final march-past they were rather more moist than they were massed.
The rain provided a different problem for the Christine Crowe Highland Dancers.
But despite conditions underfoot they proved adroit in their footwork on the Broadswords and cut an excellent set of steps for the Sailors' Hornpipe.
Yet it was not these traditional Tattoo elements that provided the highlight of last night's programme. And nor was it the leaping Osiligi Maasai Warrior Troupe with their athletic dancing.
For upstaging all and sundry were six members of the Academy of Burlesque and Cabaret.
Taking their cue from the band, and with Drum Major Bill Meir looking on sternly in his full regalia, Academy's representatives stepped out for a high- kicking and most revealing performance of the cancan
While their kicks didn't always see their ankles reaching up quite as far as their ears, this was a performance which contained enough comedy to frame the dancing – and enough quality to merit their full stage appearance.
With surprise guests like these there was never any doubt that whatever the weather, this year's Tattoo would be sizzling.
The full article contains 278 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
