George RR Martin gives his blessing to Game of Thrones parody burlesque show

The Virgina-based burlesque group will perform at Martin's cinema in Santa Fe

Burlesque is Coming: The Game of Thrones parody show

(Blacklist Burlesque)

Just when you thought there wasn’t quite enough nudity in Game of Thrones, George RR Martin has given his blessing to a burlesque version of the HBO drama.

Burlesque is Coming: Game of Thrones is billed as a “hilarious and sexy parody” based on Martin’s bestselling A Song of Ice and Fire saga, from Virgina-based burlesque company Blacklist Burlesque.

The show will be performed at Sante Fe’s Jean Cocteau Cinema, which was bought by Martin in 2013 after falling into disrepair.

Martin has a few thoughts of his own on endorsing a parody burlesque version of his fantasy world.

“For those who don’t know the basic history of burlesque, it is an art form that has thumbed its nose at upper-class cultures and social conventions for hundreds of years,” he wrote on his Live Journal.

Arya at the calendar photo shoot.9/11: Red Light Cafe, Atlanta9/12: The Brass Door, Memphis9/13: Roadmap Texarkana9/14-15: Jean Cocteau Cinema, Santa Fe (by invitation of GRRM)9/16: 2720 Cherokee, St. Louis9/17: Wall Street Night Club, Columbus9/18: Richmond CenterStage

Posted by Burlesque Is Coming on Sunday, 6 September 2015

Ever the history buff, he continued: “In the 17th and 18th centuries, the umbrella term ‘burlesque’ covered many varieties of theatrical lampooning or ‘travesty’.

“In the 19th century, burlesque producers and performers would take over specific arias and oratorios from famous operas, and rewrite the lyrics for comedic effect - just like ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic! In other words, the middle and lower classes got to knock ‘serious’ art off its pedestal from time to time.”

The burlesque show is being put on at Martin's Jean Cocteau Cinema

Perhaps Martin has taken a leaf out of burlesque’s parodying ways in the upcoming Game of Thrones series, which is due to see a theatre troupe mock the world of Westeros.

Matrix actress Essie Davis and Richard E Grant have been signed up to play a significant role in the ‘play-within-the-show’, which is likely to put Queen Cersei’s nose even more out of joint.