To many, the absence of alternative queer events may seem a trivial issue. The days of underground drag performances and ball culture receiving little positive attention from mainstream press, such as the performances of Leigh Bowery and the parties of Susanne Bartsch, are arguably long gone. With the increase in popularity of television programmes such as RuPaul’s Drag Race and its spin-off show RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, more and more people are becoming involved with the drag scene, altering the environment of queer nightlife and drag shows as awareness of their presence increases along with the economic reap. Although the increasing popularity of the aforementioned television show may have its positive effects, it has also enforced a stereotype of what drag ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t’ look like, thus making it harder to find alternative performances to attend.
Upon reading the last paragraph, one may now be able to understand why I was so pleased to see the performers from the Boulet Brother’s Dragula (an American competition reality show, showcasing the performers who challenge the boundaries of people’s perceptions of what drag should look like and be) were coming across the Atlantic for eight shows, the valedictory being in London.
The show (at the Clapham Grand) began with an opportunity to meet the queens (Abhora (pictured above), James Majesty, Biqtch Puddin, Vander Von Odd, Meatball) and take photographs. Although the time is limited, each queen ensured it was a positive experience for both themself and the person who was meeting them. Me and my friends (all made through attending drag events) then returned to the allocated audience area for drinks whilst waiting for the performance to ensue. The audience was a mixed bunch; both LGBTQ+ and heterosexual people chattering away about a common interest without judgement of each other or the enforcement of gender boundaries and restriction to gender expression experienced outside the walls of the club.
The performances were, put very simply, messy. And when i say messy, i mean in the best way possible; Abhora walked through the audience on stilts in her first performance, whilst James threw beer over everyone. A variety of different styles were combined; pop music mixed with a parody performance about the Zika Virus and lip syncs to the likes of Manson and Bring Me the Horizon. The broad range in style of performance meant that everyone in the audience could enjoy it, even though they may have preferred individuals over other people.
When the show wrapped up (approximately 10:30pm) the Grand reverted back to being a club, allowing the queens to have more time to mix in with the public if they wished to do so. I spent time with James Majesty, who i regularly chatted to online prior to the event, as well as reuniting with Charity Kase (a London local) who I had meant a month earlier.
Overall, despite the its seemingly niche nature, the event was produced in such a way that it would have been enjoyable to anyone, involving a lot of audience interaction between performances.
