Drag Diva Spectacular | Connections | Until 1 Feb | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
What the *uc* (rhymes with truck) is in the water here in Perth!
Maybe it doesn’t have anything to do what the water we drink; maybe the answers lies in the ability of Connections icon and resident Drill Sergeant, Ms BarbieQ’s, choices in corralling a classy team of new and established stars to her stage.
Friday night’s one hour drag marathon never faltered, the pace and skills set of all who graced the stage was nothing short of bedazzling.
Harnessing all their Eveready battery energy, solo opener Ms Veronica Jean Jones’s new Santa present bounced confidently in her halter-top, figure-hugging outfit as she ripped through Jessica Mauboy’s We Got Love. Pure class and sophistication.
Ruby Jewelz shines brightly in every nuance of stage performance with her lip sync magic and dance moves. Her Kylie number nearly shook the roboscan lights from the overhead scaffolding frame as the packed to the rafters’ crowd erupted in ear-piercing and sustained applause.
Ms Alexas Armstrong, who is performing in various shows at Fringe showcased her versatility as a performer, particularly in the country segment of the show, where her solo was a Miley Cyrus number.
A lecturer in circus and dance at PAD (Performance and Dance) in Leederville, he is also the husband-to-be of Ms BBQ. One can only wonder what entrance he will make and what number he will do when walking down the aisle later this year!
Fay Rocious’ stage skill set was impeccable. Seven years of ‘baby drag training’ at under-age venues mainly at the Freedom Centre has paid off handsomely, none more so than her rendition of Selena Gomez’s, Look At Her Now. Amazing. My prediction is that she is a future star on the rise.
Carefully constructed choreographed group numbers further showcased these sassy performers but adding two male dancers to the performance mix was an unexpected bonus. Both Alex and Hayden excelled in the dance medley numbers. The campy version of Wilson Phillips Hold On and the Spice Girls, Stop, were two of my fave numbers on the night.
It’s all true the show belonged to all the energetic professional performers, but it would be remiss of me not to mention the sterling quality of lighting production and sound mixing by the amazing Amy. Her balance of the sound desk never allowed for muddy bass lines, which further enhanced the viewing experience. My eyes and ears were both in sync. Congrats Amy.
You always leave the best to last and to that end, I take my hat off to the one and only, Ms BarbieQ.
This legend of the stage and resident Connections MC/producer/performer is so comfortable and in control on the mic, her banter and rapport with the audience stands her head and shoulders above the rest. Loved and adored by the audience in the showroom, Matt McPharlin is a true delight!
And while the cast and crew take a few days to rest and recover, Drag Diva Spectacular has another three shows next week. So, if you want to see a classy show in an equally classy venue (Connections), look no further than DDS, it’s a truly enjoyable theatre experience full of energy and joy!
See Drag Diva Spectacular until 1st February.
Terry Larder is the founder of Club West (1989-2015) and in this role over those years was the director/producer/compere/drag performer. He is keen to foster goodwill and nurture new and emerging artists both on-stage and off. He has been a writer for OIP since 2007, and has reviewed numerous shows as well as interviewed and written about Debbie Reynolds, Anthony Callea, James Morrison, Elaine Paige to name but a few. Terry also writes history articles for OIP and university publications.
