Six Cabaret shows you must see this Autumn!

Jason Reid’s roundup of the city’s best cabaret.


Well that’s it, that was summer… Thank Celine for sun beds and fake tan, because we needed them more than ever this year. ANYWAY, lets just have a group hug and accept the fact that autumn is here, which is a good thing really because there’s some fantastic shows coming up. This week, Jason Reid previews the six shows you can’t afford to miss!


Royal Vauxhall31st August, 7PM and 9PM
6th and 7th September, 8PM
Royal Vauxhall Tavern
vauxhalltavern.com

Desmond O’Connor’s hit musical about the night Princess Diana threw caution to the wind and donned a disguise to party at a gay club with Freddie Mercury and Kenny Everett returns to its spiritual home for a limited run. Royal Vauxhall serves as a welcome and irreverent alternative to the repetitive TV documentaries that have been doing the rounds of late to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death. It’s how she’d want to be remembered… Off her tits in Vauxhall. Gawd bless ‘er! 



We Need to Talk About Michelle: 12th September, 8PM
Her Upstairs, Camden
herupstairs.co.uk

If the name of the group alone isn’t reason enough for you to jump on the northern line to Camden, then the three artists who make it up should be. Individually, Travis Alabanza, The Phoenix and FKA have been breathing new life into the queer cabaret scene over the past year or so, and together they’re a force to be reckoned with. If, like me, you grew up mouthing the words to Destiny Childs’ songs as you navigated through those fucked up teenage years in the late 90s or if you just love well-choreographed lip-sync routines from a group with real chemistry, then this is one for you.


Myra DuBois: Double Entendre: 13th September, 9.30PM
Underbelly Festival Southbank 
underbellyfestival.com

The funniest drag artist on the UK scene by a long shot, in my humble opinion, stops off at Underbelly Festival for a one-off show. If you’ve never seen the siren of South Yorkshire you’ve really been missing out and should catch her immediately before she’s snapped up for more telly work. Myra has this rare ability, one that can’t be taught, to convey humour with every nuance of her being. As I write this now, in the bath, I’m laughing just thinking of her face. Caustic comedy at its finest.


Miss Hope Springs Live: 13th October, 8PM
Two Brewers, Clapham
the2brewers.com

A quintuple threat, Hope sings live, plays the piano, delivers witty anecdotes, writes all of her own music, and looks like a Hollywood star whilst doing it all. Her shows are always beautifully crafted and ALL of the material is original, which, along with Hope’s beguiling charm is what makes her stand out from the crowd. A more refined drag experience for those who prefer to be seated at a table with a nice bottle of red and good friends.


Jinkx Sings Everything: 24th – 28th October, 9.15PM
Leicester Square Theatre 
leicestersquaretheatre.com

It’s true, Jinkx Monsoon can sing anything. Of all the Drag Race artists that have played theatre settings Jinkx is the one that has consistently impressed me. Their vocal range and improvisational skills will be put to the test in this new show as each night the audience will request the songs, meaning no two performances will be the same. 


David Hoyle: Diamond: 13th – 18th November, 7.15PM
Soho Theatre
sohotheatre.com

This is my number one must-see show of autumn 2017. It should be yours too. For me, David is the ultimate in queer avant garde performance; an electrifying performer who delivers every single time. Diamond explores LGBT history spanning from 1957 to the present day, as seen through David’s eyes – mixing personal experiences such as Divine David’s time on Channel 4 with societal shifts and changes in attitudes.

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