Acid’s Reign is an explosive new drag climate musical presented by Relish Theatre in association with Pleasance. The show will preview at Pleasance London from 3 – 11 July 2026 before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe from 5 – 31 August 2026. With a fierce blend of powerhouse vocals, razor-sharp wit, and unapologetic queer energy, this production is not just a musical—it’s a movement. Gigi Zahir, who plays Rea Listic (fresh from supporting Chappell Roan), spoke to QX about the show and its significance for queer people and the wider world.

Acid’s Reign began as a climate cabaret. Without spoiling it, can you tell us more about the story and the way it is told?

Okay, so I’ve got a spoiler-free plot twist for ya – Acid’s Reign did indeed begin as a cabaret about the climate, but since its first run at The Vaults, it has evolved into a full-blown, camp-as-tits pop-rock musical! That initial climate cabaret is now the show-within-the-show, framed by the drama that ensues as 5 messy drag artists attempt to balance their art and activism with commerce and interpersonal chaos, all whilst producing and performing their show, which just happens to be about the climate. Obviously, there is nothing sexy about looking a real-world existential threat in the eye, so to make a show like this fun and engaging, it needs to be about dynamic, relatable, memorable characters and how their clashing attitudes and actions transform them and their relationships. I got to see the latest version of the script a few days ago, and I can report that Acid’s Reign achieves this with much hilarity – and maybe even a tiny bit of heartbreak!

How might the climate crisis disproportionately affect queer people?

Well, the climate crisis itself isn’t bigoted – all of humanity will feel its consequences. But how those consequences are mitigated will reflect society and its systems, and those systems aren’t necessarily built to look after queer people. Distressingly, it’s often the opposite. So the inequality our community already faces will surely be amplified, especially for our trans, disabled, migrant and working-class queers, as well as queers of colour and those with lower incomes. We are statistically more likely to experience housing instability, family estrangement, or precarious renting. So extreme weather events, rising energy costs, flooding, and housing shortages can therefore hit us particularly hard. It’s likely to add to the disproportionate stress and precarity we already face.

QX first learned about Acid’s Reign in 2023 when the show was performed at the Vault Festival. How has the show evolved since then, and has the cast changed?

Yes, the show has had quite the journey! I wasn’t in the first iteration – the legendary Son of a Tutu originated the character of Mother Nature, which, by the time I came on board, had become Ria Listic, whom I played during the show’s 2024 run at The Pleasance. This was alongside returning cast members Sé Carr (aka Jamie Fuxx) as Mickey Steele, Scarlett Harlett as Dinah Mite and Joshua Oakes-Rogers as Alex Acid, as well as fellow new joiner Ash Weir as Olive Branch. All of us are back for round three, except we now have the glorious Victoria Scone stepping in to play Alex Acid, which has put a whole new spin on the role.

*Centre: Victoria Scone. L-R: Gigi Zahir / Crayola, Jamie Fuxx, Ash Weir, Scarlett Harlett*

Tell us more about the live band and the big numbers in the show.

Yes, this is another way that the show has levelled up! The first version featured parody songs to backing tracks. Round two was mostly parody songs and covers, plus a few original compositions, brought to life with a live rock band. And now, thanks to our genius musical director and composer Gabriel Chernick, Acid’s Reign is a fully original musical beast of dragtastic proportions – it’s giving Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, RENT and Greta Thunberg had a baby. We got to record 5 of the songs (which you can stream right now!), and I’m particularly excited for people to witness Sé’s solo “Last Minute King” about how drag kings are undervalued and overlooked – it’s an absolute belter!

It’s about the climate crisis, what’s there to celebrate in the show, and can we expect to laugh at all?

Haha, yes, the topic is a hard sell, but I’m constantly telling people that it’s way more fun than it sounds! It’s a love letter to drag, to queerness, to the beautiful messiness of chosen family and to making art that matters. And it’s got giggles galore! Not to mention sick choreo, some ridiculous multi-rolling and unshakeable earworms.

What do you hope the audience will take away from Acid’s Reign when they leave the theatre?

I hope it provides some much-needed laughter and catharsis in the face of trying times, and that it inspires bravery and feelings of belonging amongst queers who are anxious about the future (it’s me – I’m anxious about the future). The road ahead requires us to be united, courageous and strong as we fight back against the tyranny of patriarchy, capitalism and technofeudalism. And this gorgeous piece of musical comedy is a fantastic bit of bolstering for that fight.