Edgy At The Fringe

Cabaret and the gay scene are often synonymous with one another, as seasoned performers tread the boards each night in the packed London drag pubs. But what about the other acts, more on the fringes of the contemporary performance experience? QX delves into a shimmering, exciting world of fantastical creatures, potent self-expression, dark dreams and avant-garde thought. Welcome, to the Gay Fringe…

 

By Patrick Cash (Twitter.com/@paddycash)


There are two main venues in London actively promoting and pioneering fringe performance right now: the Royal Vauxhall Tavern and Vogue Fabrics. The first a pub that has been serving the queer fringe community South of the river since the late nineteenth century, the second a Dalston disco basement of renowned fashion designer Lyall Hakaraia (Lady Gaga wore one of his outfits), both of their artistic programmes are forward-thinking, admirable and eclectic. Below, we’ve run through some particular events you may want to check out.

 

THE RVT
372 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, SE11 5HY

www.rvt.org.uk

 


_DUCKIE

Whilst Duckie itself cannot strictly anymore be called a ‘fringe’ night, it being a Saturday night institution for many on the gay calendar, it continues to champion the unknown and unpredictable in its performers. Hosted by lesbian human rights activist Amy Lamé (currently standing for selection as Labour Party candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood), recent highlights have included Foxy & Husk, who performs the most moving lip-synch to the taped story of her grandmother falling in love you will find this side of a glass of milk. Duckie have also been running residencies and arts workshops in two hostels for long term entrenched alcoholics in Vauxhall and Battersea.

Duckie runs every Saturday at the RVT, 9pm-3am. www.duckie.co.uk

 


_DAVID HOYLE

Exploding into people’s radars in the mid-1990s with his ‘anti-drag queen’ persona The Divine David, the truly inimitable Mr Hoyle combines lacerating social commentary with a subversive approach to sexual and gender roles in his striking stage aesthetic. Much of his work attacks ‘bourgeois Britain and the materialistic-hedonistic gay scene’ and what he asks of you, above all, is to think.

David Hoyle has intermittent residencies at the RVT. www.davidhoyle.info

 


_BAR WOTEVER

Bar Wotever presents a vibrant stage for both up and coming and well-established LGBT and queer performers, spoken word artists and musicians. The audience is friendly, and mixed across ages, ethnicities, genders and sexualities, everyone is welcome. Plus there are open decks and open mic nights where everyone can be part and play their own music, read and perform. If you want to perform or DJ, get in touch with a bio at [email protected]

The next Bar Wotever is on Tuesday 18th February, an evening dedicated to trans activist, performer and author S. Bear Bergman. From 7pm, entry £5. www.woteverworld.com

 


_DR. SKETCHY LONDON

Originating in Brooklyn, the London section of this global sketching movement is organised by Clare Marie and hosted by Dusty Limits, the King of underground cabaret. The idea is that life drawing is be more than just nude models and serious sketching, which entails beautiful burlesque performers, bizarre circus acts and rippling hunks of man-flesh. An anti-art school.

The next Dr. Sketchy London will be on Wednesday 19th and Saturday 22nd February. www.drsketchylondon.co.uk

 

 

VOGUE FABRICS
66 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston, N16 7XB

www.voguefabricsdalston.com

 


_CURRENTLY SHOWING: SORRY, I’M A LADY – LOVE EDITION

The formidable Holestar – DJ, drag lady, dominatrix and ex-soldier – returns to Dalston with a special love edition of her one-woman show ‘Sorry, I’m a Lady’. In the full-length show she explores her unconventional showgirl biography through song, storytelling and humour.

Sorry, I’m a Lady is running from now until Tuesday 18th February, 8.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 3.30pm. £8 (£5 concs). www.holestar.com

 


_SPOKEN WORD LONDON

An open-mic spoken word performance night, where everyone gets five minutes to air their speech. All types of spoken performance are welcome from poetry to theatre to rap to political polemics to short stories – the only rule is that each speaker is limited to five minutes, and if they hit the time they are drowned out to disco beats. A night to promote self-expression in front of a warm, receptive audience, where you’re welcome to either speak or listen.

Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month: the next Spoken Word London is on 26th February. Doors 7pm, free entry. www.facebook.com/SpokenWordLondon

 


_NAKED BOYS READING 

Naked Boys Reading does pretty much what it says on the tin – nude boys performing excerpts of high literature (Jean Genet, Rimbaud, David Foster-Wallace and Kathy Acker have all swung their way in there recently) or low (think filthy gay erotica) to packed audiences. The brainchild of sassy New York drag queen academic Dr Sharon Husbands, the night also features packed disco interludes courtesy of The Duchess of Pork.

The next Naked Boys Reading is on Thursday 27th March. www.facebook.com/nbrldn

To read an interview with NBR hostess Dr Sharon Husbands, visit: qxmagazine.kinsta.cloud/blog-event/in-conversation-with-sharon-husbands/

 


_WHO THE FUCK IS ALICE?

Set up by the charismatic Xavier de Sousa of Needless Alley Collective, ‘Who the Fuck is Alice?’ brings together live excerpts of film, theatre and music from around the capital in one highly enjoyable evening of artistic celebration. Performances often have a gender or sexuality-based slant, with incisive social commentary beneath their surface humour. Plus after the performances have finished, stay on for fun-filled disco dancing until 3am…

‘Who the Fuck is Alice?’ is every two months at Vogue. 

 


_DARK FABRICS CABARET

Dark Fabrics Cabaret showcases some of the most exciting, engaging and thought-provoking artists and performance acts from around London and the UK, for a night of immersive spectacle, awed gasps and infectious laughter. Hosted by Patricia Primarché, the exceptionally cheap drag queen, their next instalment will feature shadow puppetry from TERINA, award-winning circus skills from Nat Lunatrick, theatrical food play from Nick Blackburn, harp stories from Sarah Faith Salad Turton, live ‘50s fabulous’ band The Bandits and $harkface $ally, the venomous PR woman.

Dark Fabrics Cabaret will be on Saturday 22nd February, doors 7pm. £5. www.facebook.com/DarkFabricsCabaret

 


• Vogue Fabrics also runs the queer performance night ‘Icy Gays’ at the ICA. www.facebook.com/IcyGays

 

 

OTHER FRINGE PICKS:

 


_BABY LAME’S VALENTINE PARTY
The Resistance Gallery, Poysner Street, Bethnal Green, 

Friday 14th February, 9pm. Â£4 (£3 concs). 

Join London’s brightest new cabaret superstar Baby Lame and friends, including punk poet Rene L’Amour, filthy animators Mucky Puppets, sizzling rope artist Colin Munro Seymour and others… Plus Debbie DJs on the decks.

 


_INCITE! POETRY
The Phoenix Artist Club, 1 Phoenix Street, Soho, WC2H 8BU

Every second Wednesday of the month. From 7pm, free entry. 

Set up by Camden LGBT Forum and volunteers, Incite is an LGBT poetry ight hosted by award-winning poet Trudy Howsan, giving you featured readers and an open-mic…

 


_LEFT FRONT ART

www.facebook.com/LeftFrontArt

An organisation of radical progressive queers organising and hosting events and discussion forums bringing together queer art and politics.

 


_THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
156 Wells Way, Camberwell, SE5 7SY

www.flyingdutchmanlondon.com

Featured recently in our ‘Peckham Rising’ special, The Flying Dutchman has an eclectic menu of LGBT arts events including renowned artist Franko B’s art platform ‘Untouchable’.

 


_THE QUEER ARCHIVE

www.thequeerarchive.com

Greek queer activist Konstaninos Menelaou heads ‘The Queer Archive’, a curarted platform for queer visual content and communication. Fund-raising parties are often held at the Dalston Superstore (117 Kingsland Road, E8 2PB). 

 


_VELVET TONGUE
Bar Kick, 127 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JE

Monday 10th March, 7pm. £5/3. www.velvettongueuk.blogspot.co.uk

Naked poet Ernesto Sarezale presents his erotic literary salon, celebrating the hot, the sweet, the viscous, the carnal, the sexy, the racy and more…

 


_THE JOINERS ARMS
116-118 Hackney Road, Shoreditch, E2 7QL

A pub that naturally draws the creative, artistic and fashionistas through its famed doors, on Saturday 22nd February painter David Shenton will unveil his latest mural across their walls.

 

 

PATRICIA PRIMARCHÉ SPEAKS:

QX had a quick catch-up with Dark Fabrics Cabaret hostess Patricia Primarché about the importance of fringe theatre in London today.

 

Do you think fringe theatre is important?

Fringe theatre will always be important because it’s where the most vital messages thrive. Once you get to a certain level and there’s significant money changing hands, the message seems often tied to that money – or, at least, not subversive to, or ‘anti’ that money. At a fringe level, you can say what you want in more exciting ways. You can say you’re angry at a system.

Why did you set up Dark Fabrics Cabaret? 

There are a hell of a lot of young, talented performers out there on the London scene who are either having to work for free because their art isn’t valued or just can’t get the recognition they reserve. I thought setting up a showcase night would kinda kill those two birds with one event: it’s a win-win situation. The audience get to discover great new talent at a cheap Saturday night price – theatre doesn’t need to expensive, we keep it at a fiver – and the door charge is shared between the acts at the end of the night. Even though it might not be much, I think it makes a difference to pay performers for their time. It’s saying: thank you, I appreciate your work and art.

Will you be doing anything this time round?

I’m ostensibly solely on hostessing duties for this event but, as anyone who saw the last show will know, I do have a particular penchant for Celine Dion and other 80s divas. So who knows, maybe ol’nosey herself Barbara Stresand might pop up somewhere.

And what will you be wearing? 

Primark, obviously. This girl’s cheap and proud.

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