There’s a certain kind of Drag on the UK that doesn’t involve death drops and pole dancing. Instead, it falls within the pantomime, vaudeville theatre and cabaret tradition: think singing the songs from A Chorus Line, rather than lip syncing to Lady Gaga. Lee Cooper ‘s warm and low-key film offers the exemplar of thisContinue reading “Film Review: Maisie”
Tag Archives: Drag
Film Review: Queendom
Times are truly appalling. With the Orange Menace having been sworn in as president of the United States yesterday, cosying up to tech billionaires and hellbent on promoting “only two genders”, this fascinating, deeply moving documentary film from Agniya Galdanova is a reminder of how art can flourish in the wake of capitalist greed andContinue reading “Film Review: Queendom”
Live Review: Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens
Tonight, the Queen Margaret Union in Glasgow is going off like a frog in a sock, transformed into a kind of panto/ queer club space. Written and directed by Eurovision star David Ducasse, Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens is a cheeky and irreverent take on traditional panto. Amelia Cavagan is a fine SnowContinue reading “Live Review: Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens”
The Queen Is Dead, Long Live The Queen
James Lee Williams, who has sadly passed away aged just thirty two, was a brilliant all-rounder. The Vivienne, his drag queen alter ego named after legendary designer Vivienne Westwood, was the epitome of Scouse fierceness: witty, no-nonsense and extremely smart. I saw them perform in Drag Race UK Live in 2019 (they were the firstContinue reading “The Queen Is Dead, Long Live The Queen”
Why Series 4 (2022) of Drag Race UK Is My Favourite
Not all drag queens are created alike. RuPaul’s Drag Race was in danger of becoming a little bit safe, until she (legendary queen RuPaul Charles) and the producers (World Of Wonder) sent it to the UK. No judgment, but to me, it felt like our American sisters on their shows were more about looks, glamourContinue reading “Why Series 4 (2022) of Drag Race UK Is My Favourite”
Lucifer Over Lanarkshire: Rocky Horror Sucks
Every year at the Samhain, or Halloween, season, musical theatre lovers break out their basques, fishnets and eyeliner and strut to theatres to see ‘The Rocky Horror Show’. Created by Richard O’Brien in the seventies, it fused glam rock with kitsch horror and has become a staple of repeated stage and screen experiences worldwide. ButContinue reading “Lucifer Over Lanarkshire: Rocky Horror Sucks”
How Sharon Needles Transformed Drag Race
Once upon a time, there was a new entertainment franchise called Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Now, this little TV show was a little bit of a risk, because drag as reality TV concept hadn’t yet quite taken off: too subversive to be mainstream and too niche to be ‘normal ‘. The money wasn’t quite thereContinue reading “How Sharon Needles Transformed Drag Race”
The Future’s Here Today: Baby Lame
Described by her creator Chris Weller as a “punk -horror-drag superstar”, the award winning Baby Lame is one of the finest drag queens out there. Having wowed/freaked out audiences at the Edinburgh Festival last year with her Final Baby Girl show, she continues to stomp over cliches in her candy floss shock wig, beard, clownContinue reading “The Future’s Here Today: Baby Lame”
Lost In Music: Christeene- Midnite Fukk Train
Louisiana -raised Paul Soileau, aka Christeene, is normally best experienced live, as the live artist is wilfully provocative. She’ll krump on punters, pull things from out of her ass and push you into the void. So her music often gets sidelinedJ. Not so with her third album, Midnite Fukk Train. It stands on its ownContinue reading “Lost In Music: Christeene- Midnite Fukk Train”
Divine Pop Intervention
Everybody knows Divine from her John Waters films. But the icon, who didn’t really want to be known as a drag queen, had another successful career in pop. Harris Glenn Milstead, who would have been 76 yesterday, fell into recording kind of by accident, as her outrageous live shows led to producer Bobby Orlando seeingContinue reading “Divine Pop Intervention”