The Ultimate Drag Showdown Live – Drag Them to the Ring

The Ultimate Drag Showdown Live

A brand new drag event featuring some of the UK’s finest performers… but it all takes place in a WRESTLING RING?! Naturally, like the curious cat I am, when I heard about this I wanted to know more, so this week Stuart Saint from Rhonda – the creative team behind The Ultimate Drag Showdown Live – filled me in over several large wines…

You’ve come up with a fantastic concept. Where did it come from? Was it one of those drunken lightbulb moments? 

It came from a number of different moments (two involving alcohol) which lead to that proverbial lightbulb plink. I had a late-night chat with the legendary Cookie Monstar about where she could show off her crazy improv rapping-yoga skills. Coupled with a heated debate, on a separate occasion, about the pros and cons of the ‪RuPaul’s Drag Race empire, its inevitable engulfment of the UK, the new season of Netflix’s GLOW, and the team behind RHONDA looking for a new large scale queer project, and hey presto the idea was born.

 Organising and delivering an event of this scale is quite an undertaking. How are preparations going? 

It’s actually going really well. We love the size of the event and have an experienced team in place who know how to deliver. Herding that many drag performers does have its moments, I ain’t gonna lie. The team at The Clapham Grand are incredibly supportive and equally excited as we are; luckily they already hold live boxing events so are set up for such an event. Given that drag is NOT a contact sport it does ease the pressure, however this bunch are pretty fierce and competitive so who knows what will happen on the night. The only issue we’ve had is, how do you get someone in all that resplendent drag into a boxing ring?

 What can we expect from that brilliant line-up on the night

The line-up is pretty friggin’ sweet, right? We are very proud of it. Drag is not just cis white men in dresses, it is so much more, and the community in this country is bursting at the seems with diverse talent. Glam-monster Gingzilla is our host/referee, and this 7ft bearded Aussie queen is not easily impressed. They will be assisted by Lilly Snatchdragon and Carrot. Hilarious comedian Stephan Bailey is our commentator/pundit for the night. 

Cookie Monstar and Adam All are competing in ‘The Great Drag Beat Off’. This is gonna be so bonkers and colourful – Cookie with her yoga-rap positions that would make ‪Madonna wince, against one of the UK’s leading drags kings with his dayglo suits and incredible beatbox skills. Next up we have the face of Pride in London, man in a dress Michael Twaits vs legendary drag icon Meth in the fundamental ‘Triple R’ battle, (reading, roasting, ripping). No one can touch what these top performers deliver, in a no holds barred battle, they will read it to filth, tearing up each other and the ring – and no one is off-limits, so the rest of the cast, beware. Finally, we have ‘The Lip-Smacker’, the ultimate lip-sync battle – with QX Cabaret Award winner Rhys’s Pieces pitted against newcomer Vanity Milan, who recently won the Tuckshop’s The Crown. This is going to be one dripping contest. These two are fiercely furious, so who knows what the outcome will be? But I do know the death-drops, the shablams, the tongue-pops and wig-whipping will bring the house down. 

 I’m looking forward to seeing Micheal Twaits in a wrestling ring. I know she likes a nice big ring. Was she was easily convinced?

[laughs] Utter filth Jason Reid, just how we like it. We are very lucky, pretty much everyone jumped on-board straight away. The Grand is an awesome venue to play, our team do great work, and to be given a chance to show off your fabulous skills while competing against the best of the best, who can say no.

 So who are you putting your money on to take the title? 

At this point, it’s anyone’s game and everyone is in fighting spirit and ready to take down their opponent. I’m not gonna lie, we have had a few bruised egos in rehearsals, but we gave Meth a G&T and she is healing nicely. It’s that Michael Twaits you see, she may look all innocent but there’s that devilish glint in her eye. It’s all to play for so the best way to find out is to grab a ticket and join us on the night. 

 The Ultimate Drag Showdown Live is ‪on Wednesday 27th November at The Clapham Grand, ‪21-25 St John’s Hill, London SW11 1TT.

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