Many a Sunday afternoon has been seen in with binging on RuPaul’s Drag Race, surrounded by snacks on the sofa, nursing the biggest and baddest hangover the world has ever seen. There’s something about the brain-numbing visuals and insane colours that, at least for a second, distract you from that throbbing vodka headache.
Drag is a THING right now, as you might have gathered, this month it took us into good ole’ Soho, to discerning oriental eatery Tonkotsu.
They’re the latest venue to play host to a craze that’s sweeping every gentrified bar and bougie brunch place from Hackney to Harrow – drag queen bingo!
What is drag queen bingo?
Despite its reputation as a game for ultra-competitive old women and wildly out-of-touch callers, bingo is one of the most popular games in the world.
In the 1990s a pioneering American called Judy Werle was looking at ways to raise money for an LGBT charity called the Chicken Soup Brigade. The foundation sought to raise funds for those suffering with AIDS and to help end LGBT discrimination.
Werle targeted bingo halls as she correctly identified that they attracted obsessives who were eager to part with their money. The first drag bingo event was a rip-roaring success and nearly 30 years later, it’s a game enjoyed all over the world by millions of people.
Today, there are events all over the world. Luckily, Wink Bingo have compiled a guide to ensure you know where and when these drag queen bingo events are taking place, and with their help, you’ll know exactly what to expect when you get there!
Tonkotsu Ramen – Soho, London
The food here is unbelievably good. However, many Soho visitors aren’t here for an authentic Far Eastern food experience. So the owners decided to try something different and invited Cara Melle and Tayce along to host their inaugural drag bingo event. They’re not alone – there are numerous drag events taking place in restaurants all over London.
When we arrived we were struck by the intimacy of the venue. It was clearly a small authentic restaurant, but perhaps it seemed smaller to us as it was jam-packed with people. There were one or two people there that wouldn’t have looked out of place at Mecca Bingo but the majority of guests were vibrant, garish representatives of London’s thriving LGBT community.
“Bingo balls”
Tayce and Caramelle stalked between tables with hair-flipping assuredness, distributing quips and moves in equal measure. We won’t waste time trying to retell the girls’ jokes – firstly because we drank one too many cocktails and will probably butcher them, secondly because you should go and see them for yourself.
A strong stage presence
If you’re a seasoned drag queen performing in a popular haunt of drag queens you know that your routine will be met by an audience with openness. That’s not quite the case in the inaugural drag bingo event at a Soho restaurant.
It’s a bit of a different ballgame in a straight establishment, and that was interesting to see. Many people were turning up for their first ever experience of a drag queen event – and there were clearly people there just for the novelty factor as well. However, Cara Melle and Tayce held the attention of the audience from the first minute to the last.
Early audience interactions helped to put the crowd at ease, but the presence of the two up and coming hosts was something to behold. They never once seemed out of place or bereft of ideas and it seemed like they had been hosting drag bingo events for decades.
Was there any real bingo?
Surprisingly, there was. The risk of drag bingo is that the act comes before the bingo and overshadows the actual essence of the game. We feared that the evening would start with a couple of bingo calls before descending into a full-on cabaret act.
However, the two hosts struck the balance between bingo callers and drag acts perfectly, there were even one or two heated discussions from guests over who called ‘bingo’ first. Needless to say, we didn’t win a thing. We were perhaps too interested in taking in the ambience of the night.
Should I go to drag bingo?
If you’ve read this review all the way to here then you’re clearly intrigued, so we’d recommend taking the next step and heading along to a drag bingo event. Not only is it a good way of raising awareness about the LGBT community to a wider audience and raising money, but it’s bloody good fun too.
It’s not too hard to get to an event either, just open Google and search ‘drag queen bingo near me’. If the search engine throws up no real results then get out your best dress, some killer heels and an amazing wig and host your own.
