8 January 2024

A Christmas Gaiety - The Glasshouse

When I first heard about a show at the Glasshouse combining drag and the Royal Northern Sinfonia I nearly spat out my tea; then my second though - what a genius combination! A Christmas Gaiety is already a popular festive show in San Francisco, so it made sense for conductor Edwin Outwater and Drag Legend Peaches Christ to bring the show to the UK. The show went down so well at the Royal Albert Hall last year that luckily they decided to bring it to a Northern audience! 

The RNS conducted by Edwin Outwater, Tim Nelson and Peaches Christ (Tynesight Photography) 

I knew that Drag Race royalty Baga Chipz was on the bill, but days before it was announced that Drag Race Season 5 finalists Tomara Thomas and Michael Marouli were also appearing. Their addition made total sense due to the North East dominating the top three places (unfortunately Ginger Johson was performing in London that night). Regular Gaiety performer Le Gateau Chocolat was ill, but thankfully local drag queens stepped in at the last minute. 

Tomara Thomas reading 'Twas The Night Before Christmas

My jaw hit the floor when host Peaches brought out adult film star Teddy Bryce in nothing more than a posing pouch and A LOT of tattoos. It was fun seeing some of the RNS squirm a bit at points (especially when he put a ball gag in Peaches' mouth and rode her around the stage like a horse/lap danced an audience member) but I imagine the musicians were secretly loving the chance to do something so different! 

The self-appointed "Most Famous Woman in Britain" Baga Chipz channelled Shirley Bassey and belted out Goldfinger, not an obvious Christmas choice but it suited the venue - I didn't realise that her voice was that good! The Queens that stepped in due to illness were honestly a revelation - Ruby Murry is massively talented and blew the audience's socks off with her operatic voice. Gladys Duffy's unique baritone take on Walking In The Air was hilarious. I was a bit shocked when bona fide opera singer Tim Nelson came out to sing as a result! 

Gladys Duffy (Tynesight Photography) 

Tomara Thomas reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas was something I didn't expect but worked because it was so preposterous, and Drag Race Runner Up Michael Marouli got everyone in the festive spirit with (2023 Christmas No 1) Last Christmas. The highlight of the night was the dirty version of the Twelve Days of Christmas, where at points I couldn't believe what I was singing in the same place where I go to hear Prokofiev and Mozart. 

The Finale 

It was definitely NOT a holy night with the innuendos flowing and I'm sure it's the first time the audience there has collectively moaned at the crack of a whip. It was a hilarious, magical and zany night - I really hope A Christmas Gaiety becomes an annual tradition at the Glasshouse - what a way to celebrate queer culture and chosen family. It was probably the best night out I had over the festive period and completely put me in the Christmas spirit(s). 

Take a look at the Glasshouse's 2024 Programme here - https://theglasshouseicm.org/whats-on/


20 September 2023

2:22 A Ghost Story @ Theatre Royal Newcastle

I don’t often review anything remotely to do with ghosts or horror (and have to watch horror films during the day to be able to cope) so I was hoping that 2:22 A Ghost Story wouldn’t mess up my sleep for a week. I had seen the play promoted a lot on Instagram over the past year – stars such as Cheryl and Laura Whitmore have been cast members but thankfully I somehow managed to avoid finding out too much about the plot. If you’re heading to the Theatre Royal this week try not to read spoilers!  

The play is set in a renovated old house recently bought by new parents Jenny and Sam. Lauren, Sam’s old Uni friend and her new boyfriend Ben have been invited round for dinner. We find out that Jenny' been having a pretty stressful week whilst Sam was on a work trip – she’s hearing things in her daughter’s bedroom at the same time each night. Sam is a sceptic who likes to explain everything away with logic and science, much to the frustration of his wife. Lauren and Ben are more open to things that bump (or thud) in the night. Understandably Jenny gets angry about not being believed and asks everyone to stay up until 2:22 to confirm that she’s not imagining things. The clock ticks by as stories are shared, tensions become high and the night gets scarier and scarier. 

Photo by Johan Persson

Louise Lytton (Jenny) does a great job of conveying the fear and confusion of someone who’s being haunted, and Nathaniel Curtis (Sam) is convincing as a know-it-all cynic who would rather be right than support his wife. Charlotte Boyd brings comedic value as Lauren, a brash American who likes a drink. And Joe Absolom (Ben) provides a believable counterpoint to Sam as someone who has grown up around ghostly happenings and vigils/seances.

Kudos to the set, lighting and sound designers who create a low-level sense of threat from the get-go and some pretty decent jump scares! I met some women who go to vigils in scary properties around the country. So who knows, I could be ghost hunting in a stately home at some point soon, all because of this brilliant play!

2:22 A Ghost Story at is Theatre Royal, Newcastle until Saturday 23rd September – buy tickets here.

14 August 2023

A COLLECTOR'S STORY: A Private Collection of Vivienne Westwood @ The Bowes Museum

I'm currently feeling very old. I remember previous fashion exhibition at the Bowes Museum - Vivienne Westwood Shoes, the fabulous YSL exhibition and Catwalking which don't seem like they happened that long ago. Then I realised that the shoe exhibition was in 2011, and YSL in 2015 and Catwalking in 2018. Where on earth has the time gone? I've always been so impressed with the quality of fashion exhibitions there, and am eternally grateful for the fact that I got to meet Pierre Berge, Yves Saint Laurent's partner at the opening event for his show. And it's nice not to have to travel to London all the time. 

The latest fashion offering is small but perfectly formed. A Collector's Story: A Private Collection of Vivienne Westwood charts a ten year period of Westwood's illustrious career between the mid 80s and mid 90s. Two of her collections are the main focus: Mini Crini (1986) which combined Victorian crinoline construction with the modern mini-skirt (as well as championing underwear as daywear), and Storm in a Teacup (1995). The collector is Peter Smithson, who started collecting her clothes in the 80s after visiting her celebrated stores and seeing them on the Clothes Show (reboot please). 


Experience twelve outfits and a wide range of accessories alongside objects from the Museum's 50,000 strong collection (to give Westwood's work historical context and showcase her encyclopedic knowledge of tailoring throughout the ages). You can find out more about her major influences - tartan, Harris Tweed (there are two impressive outfits from her 87/88 collection of the same name), the V&A and the Wallace Collection, Britishness and the Queen, punk and even Minnie Mouse, amongst countless styles throughout the centuries. It's interesting to see a piece of 19th century body armour next to a sleeve from a jacket she created which closely imitates the sections and joins. Other crowd pleasers include a black velvet catsuit from AW 90/91 and a tartan outfit complete with bustle from AW 94/95. 


I especially enjoyed seeing the crinoline skirts which created the silhouette of the 1850s and were inspired by Empress Eugenie of France. The corsets are a joy to behold, straight out of the 18th century but using lycra stretch panels instead of lacing for more comfort. I also really liked the salon print denim jacket and shorts from the Salon collection (1992), constructed from a print of a room with luxurious 18th century furnishings. The room is similar to those of John and Josephine Bowes which can be seen in the museum. Peter's favourite piece is the slashed denim jacket and jeans with a smock shirt from the collection Cut, Smash and Pull from S/S 1991, probably influenced by a 17th century doublet, but you're certain to have your own favourite. 


We all know and love the iconic orb logo, which is the main focus of her accessories. There are many covetable examples here - earrings, rings, necklaces and brooches from a range of her collections. Her shoes never disappoint - there are some cool platforms on show here alongside her popular Melissa plastic range. The hats include the iconic Harris Tweed crown and Bride of Fortune beret. 

I love that Smithson was passionate about keeping the exhibition in the North, and with a collection of around 100 full outfits as well as many other pieces, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a larger exhibition at some point. And praying for a major retrospective to celebrate Vivienne's peerless work so everyone can appreciate her immense talent, skill and intelligence. 

Thank you to Rachel Whitworth, Curator of Fashion and Textiles for talking us through the exhibition. 

The collection is on display until 4th February 2024. To find out more/buy tickets click here

26 July 2023

Grayson Perry: Smash Hits @ National Galleries Scotland

Ugh, I love Grayson Perry (or should I say Sir GP, although I'm sure he's not a stickler for fancy titles). After seeing his thought-provoking pottery at a variety of galleries, seeing him live on his tour and marvelling at his Vanity of Small Differences tapestries, you could say I'm a bit of a super fan (along with everyone who watched his Art Club during lockdown/who's enjoyed his series Full English exploring what it means to be British). 

Our Town (2022)

Now fans can see a large collection of eighty works from his illustrious forty year career at the National Galleries of Scotland, so start organising a Glasgow trip (you can also take in the Banksy: Cut and Run at the Gallery of Modern Art). You'll get to feast your eyes on his iconic vases, including Childhood Trauma Manifesting In Later Life, which provide a social commentary on issues such as gender, class and sexuality. His prints are equally as subversive - Our Town depicts a society hooked on social media, Sponsored by You is a swipe at the Super Rich - a nightmarish neon green racing car sponsored by tax havens driven by a crazed version of his teddy Alan Measles. 

Sponsored by You (2019)

You'll be blown away by the size, detail and intelligence of his tapestries. Visitors will be treated to the rarely shown Walthamstow Tapestry (2009), a fifteen metre-long depiction of birth to death via all of the marketing that we're bombarded with during our lives. Last year I saw The Vanity of Small Differences tapestries which are truly epic - six huge tapestries which chart a class journey and include people that Perry met on his journeys for a TV series. His intricate and imaginary maps also appear, showcasing his  fasciation with cartography and questions around identity and self. 

The Upper Classes at Bay tapestry (2012)

I'm really looking forward to seeing the Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman, which was the centrepiece of Perry's 2011 exhibition at the British Museum. A sculpture of an iron ship, sailing through the afterlife, the tomb represents craftsmen throughout history and their work which has survived until present day. There's also the pink and blue Kenilworth custom-built motorbike (2010) ceremoniously transporting Alan Measles in a glass carriage. 

Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman (2011)

The final room is home to new work made especially for the exhibition - the latest pots are modelled on medieval beer mugs, a new tapestry is on display as well as a large woodcut print and more pots and plates on the theme of identity. If you watched the TV show Full English (highly recommended) you'll be happy to see objects from the docuseries alongside works on the theme of Englishness in Scotland. 

Until Sunday 12th November 2023. Tickets £19 - £5. 

Find out more about the exhibition here on the National Galleries website. 

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