CAMDEN—A different kind of vaudeville act is coming to the Camden Public Library Amphitheatre Thursday, July 13, something this town has never seen before.

Joie Grandbois, founder and performer of Portland’s Dark Follies, is bringing her troupe of drummers, dancers, jugglers, fire dancers and actors up for a street performance right by the harbor. Winners of Portland Phoenix’ multiple “Best Street/Performance Artists” awards, Dark Follies promises to be “family friendly while still keeping an edge, featuring live music dancing, juggling, storytelling, side show acts, flow artists, fire performers and more.”

“In the late 1800s, vaudeville was considered an alternative to burlesque shows, which tended to only draw men,” said Grandbois. “It was essentially founded by the Temperance movement to introduce more range to the variety shows, so it would appeal to more women and that could bring their children to it.”

A fascinating history of vaudeville can be found here.

Nine years ago, the troupe was founded initially as a one-time only talent showcase for vaudeville, street theater and unique performances born from Portland’s Goth community. Grandbois, a dancer and performer, saw its immediate potential.

“I kept saying we have all of these amazingly talented people who do all of this great stuff, we really ought to put it all in a show. Then everybody looked at me and said, ‘Yeah, somebody should.’ So, I organized this one-time street show with drummers and dancers fire spinning in Monument Square in Portland and it went so well, we decided to keep the show going.”

Grandbois who says she has always been obsessed with vintage theatrical revues, named the traveling troupe “Dark Follies” because they perform at night and as a tribute to its alternative performers. Last year, one of their performers, Elizabeth Leibiger, an accordian player, went to Paris to see a show at the famous cabaret house of Moulin Rouge, considered the birthplace of the can-can dance and other alternative entertainment.

“Not only is there a woman who swims in a tank with boa constrictors, there are ventriloquists, a roller-skating duo with death-defying stunts, miniature ponies, comedy skits, and of course, the spectacular sequin-adored dancers,” recalled Leibiger in a blog post for the troupe. “While the Moulin Rouge is a high end entertainment venue these days, the more humble variety show style and often bawdy origins of the show and venue are not forgotten, which gives the shows at the Moulin Rouge the uniquely anachronistic entertainment value which we Dark Follies seek to embody in our performances.”

For their first Camden debut, people of all ages are welcome to watch their fire performance, dancers, and live music of the Dark Follies Rhythm Orchestra. ‘We’ll have one woman who does a comedic straight jacket escape,” said Grandbois. Each performance is different, depending on their stage and the unique combination of talents will be something she promises you can’t look away from.

The Dark Follies is part of the Camden Public Library Movies and Music series and will begin at 7 p.m. free to the public.

For more information: visit: http://darkfollies.com