1. Colourful Sydney Identity
#29 Elizabeth Burton
She’s an old school “As the years have gone on, women
have become more comfortable in
stripper with plenty of get their own bodies… I mean, it’s all
up and go-go – not to men- about being liberated isn’t it? Women
today say they’re liberated, but can’t
tion a social conscience stand in front of a mirror naked!”
Regardless of the fact she considers
Elizabeth Burton insists she’s not a her body ‘saggier and baggier’
‘chatty’ person, but hers has been a than in her heyday, Elizabeth still
bare and bold life and her story is performs in a show called ‘Gurlesque’
a ripping yarn, epic in the telling: – a burlesque show for women, by
from go-go dancing in Kings Cross women. She also gives of her spare
to warzones in Vietnam, through time to work as a hairdresser for
striptease residencies in Japan and local charity the Luncheon Club. “I’ve
New York, conversion to Buddhism had so many friends die from HIV
in Tibet and back to Sydney to help and AIDS, I’m just happy to give
raise awareness for HIV and AIDS. a little bit back. I think it’s so sad
“I’m a woman, I’m a mother, I’m a that people have forgotten that the
happy human being,” she tells Time virus is still here – there are so many
Out. And the secret of her success? people living with it still and it’s very
“Love yourself naked!” important people understand that
Leslie Margaret Elizabeth Burton- AIDS isn’t going away.”
Cloyde was born on 4 October, 1947 Although Elizabeth has lived a
at St Margaret’s Hospital, Surry Hills. full and feisty life, she’s unassuming
As a child, Elizabeth’s family was about the mark she’s left on Sydney.
relocated to Captain’s Flat outside There’s a significant pause when
Canberra so they could be close to the Time Out asks, a silence filled with
mines where her father worked, but self-doubt... until the old Elizabeth
they returned to Sydney as Elizabeth Burton spirit surges forth: “Y’know,
turned 13. I do believe I’ve left some kind of a
mark on Sydney. I did a Gurlesque
“I would wear show a little while ago and this
woman came up to me and said: “You
gloves and stock- really inspire us.” Why? Because at
60 years old I’m still up there, taking
ings... oh, and ten DANIEL BOUD my clothes off. I like my body – I
know it’s not perfect, but you’ve gotta
g-strings” love what you’re in, haven’t you?
You only get one chance at being
It all started for Elizabeth in the Swinging 60 “I like my body... you’ve got to love what you’re in, haven’t you?” what you are. I like to think I remind
60’s. “I always loved performing, and people that they’re perfect for them.”
in 1966 started as a go-go dancer belts...oh, and ten g-strings!” Bianca O’Neill
at the Here Discotheque in North Elizabeth’s first marriage was a
Sydney, at the Whisky-A-Go-Go solution to the ever-present visa csi@timeoutsydney.com.au
on William Street and also at the problem. The gloriously shotgun
Menzies Keller on William where wedding to a fellow nightclub
they used to have a beer barrel cut in
half, and the go-go girls dancing on it
while the band had a break.”
performer amid the neon of Las
Vegas that followed saw Elizabeth
spending her first night as a married
Lifeline
Go-go dancing would take woman with her boyfriend, while her
Elizabeth all over the world – and
even to war. “A girl named Virginia
newly appointed husband spent their
“honeymoon” with his girlfriend.
1947 Born at St Mar-
garet’s Maternity
Hospital, Surry Hills
Maranisi, whose father owned the After ten years of travelling,
Here Discotheque, got me in touch
with Robert Riviera who was taking
Elizabeth returned to Sydney in 1979.
Here she married for the second 1966 Starts to go-go dance
in Sydney clubs
a troupe of go-go dancers and time. These nuptials were no less
musicians to Vietnam – The Rainbow
Show. Well, I got over there and I was
orthodox than the first. This time she
wed herself to a gay man, Michael
1969 Entertains Aussie
troops in Vietnam
absolutely in shock. I really had no New York strip Big Apples and pairs Cloyd, with whom she burst from a
idea what war was about. I know that
there are no winners in a warzone. Funhouse, and got the job on the
giant cake on the day– he in a veil
and she in top hat and tails. Having
1972 Marries in Las Vegas.
Works as striptease
artist in New York
Everybody that goes into battle is spot. However, she quickly learned consummated neither marriage, she
affected in a negative way by it – it’s
a pretty horrible thing, but for me, an
that striptease was about wearing
more clothes – not less.
then had a daughter, Libity, in 1982
to a musician now living in Bermuda. 1979 Returns to Australia
amazing experience as well.” “When I did striptease in the Big Today, Elizabeth speaks with
From ’Nam, Elizabeth travelled
to America. Going on a tip she
Apple we girls would always have
a theme to the show, so we wore
trademark frankness about her
liberated approach to life and love,
1980 Marries Michael
Cloyde, a gay man.
Two marriages, nei-
had been given that you didn’t many garments because a normal confessing that being targeted by ther consummated.
need a greencard to be a stripper, set ran 20 minutes so you needed lots feminists and having fruit thrown at
she auditioned at a strip joint on of clothes so you weren’t naked in her on stage, hurt. Alas, striptease
the corner of 42nd Street and 8th
Avenue, called the Psychedelic
the first five minutes. I would wear
gloves and stockings and suspender
and single motherhood wasn’t on the
politically correct agenda in the 80s.
2006 Starts work with The
Luncheon Club, an
AIDS charity
96 Time Out Sydney May 28–June 3 2008
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