Who turned up the heat...? Chippendales, of course.

Spokesperson for Upstage, Jo-anne Sudbury, says, “People's perceptions of Chippendales have been the most challenging part of bringing the group to South Africa. In 2005 the general view was that Chippendales were just a bunch of strippers, which is so far from the truth; just ask anyone who has been to the show.”

Sudbury says that “at no time during any of the various routines does the audience ever get to see the dancers' private parts. There is a hint of a tease, but definitely no sleaze. The feeling is that women on a whole do not want to be faced with a totally naked male; they much prefer being subtly teased and go home having their fantasies catered for by the various Chippendales acts.”

In the USA and Europe they attract sell out audiences of anywhere between 1500 and 4500 audiences in theatres abroad at any one time. Overseas they are a phenomenon of male energy but have had to be re-branded here in South Africa. Joanne says that the response to the shows this year exceeded Upstage's expectations and we look forward to bringing Chippendales back to South Africa in September 2008!”