Burlesque? What exactly is this entertainment form? Well, it’s a performance style that dates back to the 1800s and involves a send up of an art form. It’s cheeky, it’s fun, it’s provocative, and highly sexualised and camp – and sometimes it involves people leaving the stage with a little less clothing than which they appeared with.

But it’s not striptease. Now that we have that out of the way, what of Burlesque the Musical? Well, it’s a musical theatre show based on the 2010 movie featuring Cher and Christina Aguilera. It’s the story of Ali, (The Voice star Jess Foley) a young girl from the sticks who heads to New York in search of her mother - and discovers the underground club scene - which allows her to find herself in the process.

We learn that Tess (West End and Broadway star Jackie Burns) is the owner of a struggling burlesque club where Ali takes a job as a waitress and sets about learning the ways of the world. But rather than being about following your dream, Burlesque becomes about working hard not just to find success, but who you really are.

It’s a storyline that resonates deeply with Jess Foley, who has had her own journey through the trials and tribulations of showbiz. “It’s great to be in this world and work with such incredible people,” she says of the production, which also features West End musical theatre star Todrick Hall. “But then I have worked my arse off to get here. I’ve been singing in pubs since the age of 10 and it’s all about hard work.”

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She adds: “I grew up being a theatre kid. I didn’t have much of a social life, but in a good way. And when I left school, I was either at a gig or an open mic. I never steered away from showbiz. I never did anything else.”

Foley appeared on The Voice Kids in 2017, the then 14-year-old not only revealing a singing voice that could cause furniture and Simon Cowell to visibly move, but Foley also proved she could write songs. And couple with a resounded determination, the teenager from Essex later approached the Burlesque production company, declaring she really wanted to get into writing for the theatre – and was there anything they could help me out with?

The result of that meeting not only saw Foley write the opening song for Ali, she landed the lead role. But what did she know of burlesque, outside of the film? “Not much at all. I knew it was a performance style and there was a stripping aspect to it, but that it was comedic and tongue in cheek, and a spectacle and a respected art form. But I feel we’ve put a modern twist into that, and it fits more into the music industry performance style, in the way of a pop artist.”

What of her on-stage appearance in sexy costumes? “Well, it was certainly out of character for me to appear like this,” she says, grinning. “But in Act One I pretty much wear my own clothes and baggy jeans. Then in Act 2 it’s something of a shock to the system when Ali has this big transformation.”

Foley subscribes to the view that feminist principles and burlesque's history are aligned, that women in burlesque have defied social and gender norms to assert themselves and their bodies. “I found it such an empowering journey,” she says of dressing up.

Stanley Tucci and Cher star in the movie version of BurlesqueStanley Tucci and Cher star in the movie version of Burlesque (Image: STEPHEN VAUGHAN)

Jackie Burns was more familiar with the theatre form that is burlesque. “Well, I live in New York and I’ve been to a few burlesque clubs, so I know what they’re about.”

Which is? Titillation? Fun. Heightened performance? “Well, this show is incredibly sexy,” she says, smiling. “The cast are so hot, and the costumes are spectacular. And it’s a feast for the eyes for sure. But this story is really about two women who navigate their relationship, which is a similarity with Wicked. (Burns is Broadway’s longest running Elphaba in Wicked) And in terms of comparison with the film, there have been some changes to the script when we look at the Tess-Ali relationship.”

She adds: “This musical theatre show is not just spectacle, it’s a really touching story.”

Burns agrees this new Burlesque cuts into the heart of relationships, while underlining that performance success doesn’t simply arrive at a nightclub door. “I’ve always wanted to get into showbiz,” she recalls. “I grew up in Connecticut in a small town and attended dance school from the age of three. The dance school was an hour away and while my mom drove me, I’d sing along to the radio, thinking the disc jockey could hear me and it was just a matter of time before I’d get a recording contract.”

She laughs. “It didn’t quite happen that way.”

Burlesque, The Theatre Royal, Glasgow, until September 28.

Don’t Miss: Beautiful, The Carol King Musical, until September 28. This new production tells the story of one the world’s greatest songwriters, revealing a life far less ordinary, and incredibly melodic.