Jason Reid counts down the best festive stuff on this month
Glory Lates – Mzz Kimberley presents The Wiz
9 Dec, 10PM. Free before 10PM, £6 after
The Glory, 281 Kingsland Rd, E2 8AS
Overground: Haggerston
The original and still the best queer cabaret diva in London, Mzz Kimberley heralds the star of The Glory’s season of Christmas specials by paying homage to one of the most underrated musicals of all time. If you haven’t seen The Wiz…GET OUT! Seriously though, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson play the lead roles and it’s a cool take on the original, so check it out and then head down to this night. Mzz Kimberley will be bringing the seasonal sass, laying down killer vocals and putting her own twist on songs from The Wiz and other musicals that she has a penchant for.
David Hoyle – Snowflake
13 Dec, 8.30PM. £10/£12
Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, 42–44 Pollard Row, E2 6NB
Tube: Bethnal Green
‘Tis the season of rampant consumerism and gorging on an obscene amount of food to the point of self–hatred. Such a magical time of the year! If you’re looking for a show full of love and a line–up that authentically counters all of those seasonal norms I really can’t recommend David Hoyle’s Snowflake highly enough. Joining the legendary avant-guardian will be playwright and author Neil Barrett, performer Katy Jalili, artist Joseph Morgan Schofield and musician Sarah Bodalbhai. FIRE UP THE WOOD–CHIPPER, PAM!
Pam Ann – Flight to Xmas
17 Dec, 8PM. £15
Two Brewers, 114 Clapham High St, SW4 7UJ
Tube: Clapham Common
Touching down in her London home for one night only, air hostess to the stars Pam Ann serves up a festive slice of outrageous humour and aviation anecdotes (seriously, not for the easily-offended. You’ve been warned). These one–off shows sell out quick and are usually standing room only so book early. Oh, and a top tip: don’t stand near the front and video/talk/scream unless you want to be verbally devoured and spat out. Pam can be a savage!
Virgin Xtravaganzah’s Unholy Night
21 & 22 Dec, 11.30PM. From £10
Soho Theatre, 21 Dean St, W1D 3NE
Tube: Tottenham Court Road
A late–night show slap bang in the middle of Soho from one of the UK’s most neoteric drag artists right now. Virgin Xtravaganzah promises to share what really went down in Jerusalem that night. It’s all frankincense and myrrh to me! A skilled writer and performer of original parody songs, expect those Christmas classics to be flipped on their head, dragged through the show backwards and given the Xtravaganzah treatment.
Hope Springs: Cocktails Après Noël with Rula Lenska
28 – 30 December, 7PM. £25
The Crazy Coqs – Brasserie Zedel, 20 Sherwood St, W1F 7ED
Tube: Piccadilly Circus
Two beguiling national treasures come together to fill in that disorientating gap between Christmas and New Year with song and laughter. Miss Hope Springs adds oodles of much needed razzle–dazzle to the world (especially in this current climate, right?) with her self–penned repertoire and showbiz tales from years gone by. She loves to reminisce and always does so with a mischievous glint in her eye. Special guest Rula Lenska ramps up the camp value of this show even further (without George Galloway role–playing as a pussy cat) so it’s bound to be a grand and fabulous affair.
