The Clocktower Cabaret

I’ve been a supporter of burlesque for years and initially enjoyed the show. The venue is fantastic and the emcee and dancers were all amazing performers; we also appreciated the reasonable drink prices and the fact that the establishment is family and women-owned and run. However, things took a turn towards the middle / latter part of the show when they had three dancers come out representing horribly stereotypical, racial tropes. As a group of women of color, we did not appreciate how the “Chinese” and “Japanese” dancers were introduced with references to “Char Siu Mu” (a pork dish) and “Pokémon.” The most problematic part of the show was when a dancer was introduced as “African” and performed on stage with a fake machete - of all the ways you could portray the beauty in Asian and African cultures, why would you choose to portray African culture with a symbol of violence on stage? The audience was mostly Caucasian and I strongly felt that these stereotypes should not be reinforced through what is meant to be a celebration of female empowerment and body positivity. We gently spoke to the producer of the show who was very kind but I wish she had actively listened to our feedback as opposed to insisting upon her Japanese roots. The two women in our group who were of East Asian descent (myself included) found the show to be concerning for a number of reasons and we sincerely hope the management and production team takes our feedback into consideration. Otherwise we enjoyed the venue, ambiance, and the incredible performance of the dancers - please continue to do these things without horribly reinforcing racial stereotypes. There are many ways in which you can celebrate cultures without paying homage to such obvious tropes. EDIT: I am adding in an edit to this review in response to the owner's comment below. I spoke to the producer directly about the aforementioned issues and she acknowledged having an "African" dancer perform with a machete was a misstep on her part. Furthermore, why were all of the performers allowed to portray Greek gods and goddesses while your three POC performers played stereotypes? Please note that two of the Asian dancers were fairly white-presenting - and what they presented flat out offended the ethnic East Asians in our group. Just because you identify with a culture does not mean that the things you do and say are not harmful to others from that same culture (think Vivek Ramaswamy). When your customers of color are asking you to take into consideration that what you are portraying is actually harmful and hurtful to us, please listen and do better. EDIT #2: Am adding in a response to the producer's comments below. I appreciate the dialogue here because I think it's important. You did indeed acknowledge that you had curated the show and performances, and that the machete piece was (verbatim) a "misstep." Can you point to an instance outside of your show in which the goddess Odudua, a representation of earth, is represented holding a machete, a symbol of violence? You also failed to take accountability for how you blatantly played up Chinese and Japanese stereotypes in the same show. Burlesque should be about empowering women, not emphasizing racial tropes (for the amusement of others) that have contributed to the festishization and harm of women of color for centuries. Sorry if my perspective is "too heavy." Knocking down to one star for the continued defensiveness and lack of corrective action on behalf of this establishment.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN A BURLESQUE SHOW IN MY LIFE UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT 04/05/24 AND I MUST SAY I HAD THE MOST AMAZING NIGHT WITH THE PEOPLE I WAS INVITED BY, I LOVED THE ENTIRE SHOW AND WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK TO SEE MORE SHOWS. I STEPPED OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE AND EXPERIENCED A WHOLE NEW HOBBY!

This place is amazing! I've lived in Colorado for 30 years and this is still one of my favorite establishments. I recently went to their amazing Mythos show, the whole thing was incredible! Every act was thoroughly thought out and vamped up with that glittery burlesque style only Clocktower has. Seeing a strong female warrior, a glorius peach goddess, and a campy Zeus and Gaia combo made my night. The emcee did a great job giving background to each myth, and it was easy to see the performers cared a lot about the histories they potrayed. Need a fun night, go here!

Always a wonderful time. I have been coming to the clocktower for many years and must say each show just gets better and better! The last show I saw was mythos produced by Taka and as a proud latina I loved seeing cultural representation and diversity, Taka thank you for always bringing light and multicultural talent to the stage we are better together. A must see show and a wonderful place for a fun night in Denver. Gracias clocktower! (Also the MC Selene is a showstopper!!! She is truly awesome and a special being ❤️)

I am giving this place two stars and they’re solely for the emcee and the performers. They were very talented, and entertaining. However, my whole experienced was tarnished by the owner of this establishment. He gets zero stars. I tried to talk to him at the end of the evening due to an incident we had during the show, and he was insanely rude. He was not wanting to talk to me or listen to my concerns. He was dismissive and just absolutely unprofessional. I cannot in good conscience recommend or return to an establishment that is owned by someone who would treat me or my friends the way he did during our visit. I wish the emcee, the performers, and the rest of the staff the best, and I hope that my experience with the owner doesn’t reflect the way they’re treated. No one deserves that. Changing my review to a one-star. After seeing the owners’ response to my original review. They clearly missed the point, and are trying to make themselves sound better by hiding behind the whole “I have to protect my establishment” argument. I never once mentioned anything about “over serving”, so that right there is a perfect example of someone not being ready to listen to my concerns.

Este lugar es increíble, ame cada detalle , el servicio fue excelente, el espectáculo maravilloso, volvería sin dudarlo

I've been here quite a few times and happen to love EVERY showcase I have experienced. Between the service and the atmosphere, it was fun, exciting and very interactive. The Emcee was delightful and engaging, pulling you into the show even more. This particular showcase I am reviewing was the MYTHOS event and I enjoyed it thoroughly! All acts were educational, inspirational and all around beautiful! Within every act was a story told by their own representation of their deity that the performers were able to express through passionate display of dance and rhythm. Not to mention the essence of burlesque was captured so perfectly. Each individual act captured the beauty of the feminine and powerful deities around the world. Even after the show I was able to meet with some of the performers whom held such a beautiful light within themselves that reached out to every individual they came in contact with. As a mythology lover I loved this showcase and the environment it displayed in. I would recommended to anybody that I know to try a show at least once!

First and foremost, let's talk about the impeccable service provided by Taryn at the front desk. Her balance between personability and professionalism truly elevate the overall experience. The entertainment is nothing short of spectacular and you're guaranteed to be thoroughly entertained from start to finish (I went in blind to the Mythos show and was absolutely thrilled). The talent gracing the stage is world-class, and each performance is executed with precision, passion, and flair. Great for a date nite, birthday, and just about any other group celebration you could think of. Every corner of the space exudes charm and character. An essential Denver experience. Not to be missed.