The Drama Queen’s productions have now become rather legendary on our fair gay scene. Director Spike Rhodes and his cast of cabaret divas are always pushing the boundaries with their lush theatrical productions, serving up shows of increasing quality and ever more inventive subject matters whenever they return to the Two Brewers stage.
With a legacy of some astounding productions in the last year especially, the heat was on for the DQs to deliver another corker – and boy did they! This time around, comedy and gentle parody was the order of the day in ‘Stop the Musical… I Want to Get On’, with a brilliantly tongue-in-cheek homage to some of our greatest musicals.
There were scenes of uproarious comedy, tense drama and risk-taking special effects. Anthony Poore (aka Tanya Hyde) was not only breathtakingly beautiful throughout, but also boasted a magnificent stage presence in a performance that shifted with ease from dramatic to comedic within seconds, managing to have the audience in stitches just by inhaling!
The ever-wonderful John Moore aka Mrs Moore can veer effortlessly from Estuary wench to trumped-up diva via a showstopping Shirley Bassey within a matter of moments, whilst scene-stealer of the night went to Daniel O’Donnell (aka Morag McDuff) with a triumphant comedic take on Evita’s ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’.
However, the evening’s ultimate performance was from Craig Nottingham (aka Cosmo-Tina) whose stage presence and confidence has grown tremendously throughout the years of Drama Queens productions. Veering from giggly starlet in ‘I Hope I Get it’ from ‘A Chorus Line’ to a beautifully controlled, wonderfully haughty and deadpan turn as Madame Giry from ‘Phantom’, Nottingham had the audience transfixed throughout.
Of course, Drama Queens is a team effort and it must be said that the camaraderie and chemistry between all the players was the tightest it’s ever been. Everyone had a chance to shine and director Spike Rhodes mixed things up fantastically, as the usually lip-syncing group got a chance to slip in some live action moments, featuring envelope-pushing production techniques, such as the inspired simulated stage revolve and haunting candlelight scene from ‘Phantom’. Absolutely wonderful.
• Two Brewers, 114 Clapham High Street, SW4 7UJ|
• 19th March to 21st March 2013
