drag

COOL RIDER | London, Palladium

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TuckShop, in association with Christopher D. Clegg and James DP Drury, has today announced additional casting of their reunion concert of Cool Rider at the London Palladium on Sunday 14 April at 7pm.  This loving, unofficial parody of the ill-fated movie Grease 2 (1982) had a surprisingly successful run in the West End in 2014, originally conceived and co-produced by Christopher D. Clegg and James DP Drury.

For this one-night-only concert performance, West End stars Aaron Sidwell (Lord of the Rings; Wicked) and Ashleigh Gray (Wicked; Only Fools and Horses The Musical) will reunite and reprise the lead roles of Michael Carrington and Stephanie Zinone.  RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Kitty Scott-Claus (Death Drop) takes on the role of ‘The French One’, while Grease 2 star Maxwell Caulfield (the original Michael Carrington) joins the faculty as Mr. Stuart.  An ensemble of West End talent joins them; some reprising their roles from the original West End run, and some from the musical’s crowd-funded Original Studio Cast Recording.

The cult film told the heady and daring love story of two unlikely lovers and their road to romance from bowling alley to burger joint, sing-along-a-sex education class to talent show, and long (beautifully lit) romantic motorcycle rides to a slightly incongruous ‘luau’ ending. Much like its musical prequel, the story follows the ancient High School motto: if you want the guy/girl, change your personality beyond recognition and wear overly tight leather in the finale.

From the company who brought you Death Drop; Miz Cracker in Who’s Holiday; GALS ALOUD and sell out drag pantos at the Harold Pinter, Trafalgar, and Phoenix theatres, the concert will be directed by Christopher D. Clegg, musical direction and orchestrations by Lee Freeman, choreography by Matt Krzan, original direction by Guy Unsworth, lighting design by Toby Darvill, costumes by Ryan Webster, and sound design by Will Thompson.Cool Rider was originally conceived and co-produced by Christopher D. Clegg and James DP Drury.

Playing at the London Palladium for one night only: Sunday, 14 April 2024, 7pm.

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DIVAS LONDON | London, The Prince Of Wales

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The Entertainment Providers (the team behind London’s sell-out, critically acclaimed Snow White And The Seven Merry Men in 2021 and Sinderfella in 2022) sashay back into the West End this summer, with a brand new party show, Divas London, at The Prince Of Wales Cabaret Venue (Drury Lane), for a three-week limited season.

Divas London is a brand-new, live, all-singing, all-dancing party show, celebrating the world’s greatest diva powerhouses: Whitney Houston; Aretha Franklin; Tina Turner; Cher; Celine Dion; Britney Spears; Beyoncé; Diana Ross; Amy Winehouse; Adele – all shall be represented. The show will also feature comedy tributes to the Spice Girls, Kate Bush, and – the Queen of Country – Dolly Parton.

The show will feature a top West End cast of male and female singers, emceed by a drag compère – the hilarious Simon Gross. Expect dazzling costumes and audience participation.

Ginny Lazzoni, General Manager at the Prince of Wales, says, “We are super excited for this opportunity to house this brand new party show for London, which is also perfectly in line with our new vision of the venue: we want it to be London’s number one night out. It’s a show not to miss.”

Audiences will be treated to a night of their classic diva anthems: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”; “I’m Every Woman”; “If I Could Turn Back Time”; “Hot Stuff”; “Natural Woman”; “Material Girl”; “Think”; “Single Ladies”; “Proud Mary”; “Back to Black”; and many more.

Playing at the Prince of Wales Cabaret Venue 15 June – 2 July 2023.

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HONG KONG LESBIAN AND GAY FILM FESTIVAL: OPENING PARTY | Hong Kong, Woobar @ W Hotel

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To celebrate the 30th anniversary year of the longest-running LGBTQ+ film festival in Asia, the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (HKLGFF) kicked off with two packed-house screenings and a dynamite party in Kowloon. All ticket holders to the opening screenings of Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (How I Felt When I Saw That Girl) (2019) or Les Crevettes Pailletées (The Shiny Shrimps) (2019) were invited to the party, with free drinks sponsored by Finlandia and Jack Daniel’s.

Before the screenings, executive director Raymond Leung presented this year’s Prism Award to Angus Leung, on behalf of him and his husband Scott Adams, for spending the past five years battling local government to recognise their marriage in Hong Kong.

At Woobar, DJs Janette Slack and Melody Lane delivered a stream of feel-good club classics with the occasional remix. Short, live performances injected some fresh energy, too. KiKi house of Marciano brought their mixed-gender, PVC-clad voguing trio, which went down an absolute storm. Drag Jam did some fun lip-syncing and also posed for some photo opportunities with fans.

Although primarily geared up for a young, nightclub-going crowd, there was a glorious mix of ages, nationalities and styles, embracing Hong Kong’s diversity. A huge amount has changed over the past thirty years: 1991 saw the legalisation of homosexuality, and Hong Kong’s annual Pride parade started in 2008. But there is still no legal recognition of any same-sex relationships, and limited protection against discrimination. The fight for visibility continues.

Book online for all upcoming events, including the closing party on 21 September 2019.

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BOYZ NITE OUT | London, Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club

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What a week for queer theatre that’s full of joy with a feminist bent! Acclaimed Drag King troupe BOYZ are heading up a Drag King Club Night at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, featuring the well-known stars Johnny Rubber, Wesley Dykes, Fanta Le Mon, and many others.

Sending up the nineties (and noughties) boy band invasion, BOYZ promise: “sweet, sweet tunes, and moves, from your fave decade”. Nostalgia. What absolutely categorises BOYZ‘ drag is its joy, silliness, and inclusivity. It’s a real party, and everyone’s invited.

There is, of course, a political edge. RuPaul’s Drag Race is now fully mainstream, and the bitchy, diva drag queen is now a little passé. Meanwhile, a drag king revolution has been kicked off in London in the past few years by the likes of BOYZ and Pecs: The Drag King Collective.

The show, starring BOYZ and special guests, runs 9pm-10:30pm (doors at 8pm). BOYZ‘ shows are always extremely popular, and seats are unreserved, so get there early to bag a table and a drink. After the show, keep the party going with DJing into the wee hours.

Book online now and save 30% on tickets!

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