Priceless London Wonderground at the Southbank Centre is a brand new festival from Underbelly – the same people who organise the E4’s annual Udderbelly Festival.
The event is running until the end of September and includes a wide kaleidoscope of performance, wonder and curiosities. This week, Jason Reid takes a look at the upcoming gay performers and influencers of the festival.
BOOM BOOM CLUB: PROSPERO’S TAVERN
Directed by Dusty Limits, who, with his three-octave range has performed to audiences all over the world, singing a wide range of genres, often with the words altered to inject dark, humorous themes. Dusty has performed at every Edinburgh Fringe Festival since 2003, devised and hosted the KUNST cabaret showcase, which featured some of the most established acts whilst shining a light on the up-and-coming talent. He’s also appeared on the bill with many of the worlds leading contemporary cabaret performers, including Camille O’Sullivan and Justin Bond. Most recently, Dusty produced and hosted his satirical show “The Winter of Our Discontent”, which has now been reprised as “The Summer of Our Discontent”, as it’s ‘Summer’ (apparently).
Boom Boom Club is described as a “hell raising cabaret troupe”, and includes everything from acrobats to fire-breathing dancers. Prepare to be transported to a world of circus, heart- breaking song and surreal comedy, in a boozer at the end of the world where the party never ends. A visual feast with a revolving cast all set to a live rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack.
JONNY WOO, Boom Boom Club Guest Artiste
One of the alternative cabaret scenes most acclaimed performers, Jonny, known for being a doyenne of the scene is the host at the rip-roaringly funny RVT’s Gay Bingo night and recently took his show ‘Jonny Woo: Tits Up’ to the Soho Theatre. Outrageous, hilarious and barmy; Jonny is sure to bring an extra boom to the Boom Boom Club!
DUSTY LIMITS: THE OUTER LIMITS
Dusty delivers an hour of biting satire, beautiful ballads and twisted song stylings, all served up with his trademark razor wit. If you’re a fan of Dusty’s previous work then you’ll be in heaven with this show. Dusty will be joined by some of the most exciting and provocative performers on the contemporary cabaret scene.
Dusty had this to say about the show: “The inspiration was the desire to bring a taste of the rough-and-ready contemporary cabaret that had its rebirth in venues like the RVT into a beautiful mainstream venue. I want to show the wider public that cabaret can be exciting, funny, moving and progressive and still accessible. I’ll be singing some of my favourite songs. And for June 23rd my guests are David Hoyle and Dickie Beau, two of the most exciting performers I’ve ever worked with. Dickie will be performing his legendary but rarely-seen Judy Garland act and David will be being David, which is to say, a scintillating force of nature.”
CANTINA
Cantina has been somewhat of an international smash with its mix of alluring vaudeville and clever circus performance. Fresh from its tours of Australia and Europe the show will be headlining the Wonderground festival and features Australia’s finest circus artists from Circa, La Clique, Acrobat and Circus Oz. It will leave you catching your breath, in a vaudeville of magic, by-gone music and remarkable displays of dance and acrobatics.
DICKIE BEAU
Dickie is a ‘drag fabulist’ who takes elements of mime, theatre, music hall, drag and clowning and moulds them into his own unique style of performance. Dickie’s graced some of London’s most prestigious stages including the Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican, the Royal Opera House and the Hackney Empire. His Judy Garland act in itself is a must-see. I mean, who doesn’t like Judy?
DAVID HOYLE
Sometimes the word ‘legend’ can be banded around far too often these days but when used in David’s case it couldn’t be truer. An avant- garde performance artist, singer, actor, comedian and film director. His performances combine everything from satirical comedy to painting, surrealism and even striptease. David has many strings to his bow and his shows at the RVT are always notable huge hits.
• Priceless London Wonderground is at the Southbank Centre (Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX) and runs until 30th September 2012. For further information, log on to pricelesslondonwonderground.co.uk .
