Oh it’s good to be back. And what better welcome than from six fabulous drag kings at the Soho Theatre? The Pecs Drag Kings open the show with some solid bangers to get the crowd going, each showing off their individual personalities – backed by tracks from Rihanna to Avril Lavigne, it’s clear that we’re in for a fun, glittery, fiercely feminist ride.
John Travulva (Jodie Mitchell) is our compere and opens the show with their strong Glaswegian drawl, relaying tales of living with their staunchly Catholic family over lockdown, and coming to the conclusion that God and his pearly gates are surely, most definitely gay. Mitchell has the audience in their palm of their hand, with excellent comic timing and a real warmth. The scene is set: the boys are back for all singing, dancing and stripping fun to celebrate queer, trans and non- binary folk, and we’re so here for it.
We are treated to a selection of glorious drag performances, with highlights from Izzy Aman (Isabel Adomakoh Young), lip-syncing to the soothing tones of Bob Ross, leading unexpectedly to a sexy strip tease, and Scott Free (Rosie Potts) artfully transforming into a cat in a seductive, cat food-filled frenzy. The creativity of these performances are highly admirable, and real stand-out moments from the show as a whole.
There are a few points where the material could be stronger, and co-host Loose Willis (Katie Bulmer) requiring a little more character development to keep up with the charismatic Mitchell. Overall though, Pecs: The Boys Are Back in Town is a joyful welcome back party for the queer community and a celebration of non-binary beauty, all lubed up and ready to party!
Tess Kennedy
Tess Kennedy moved to London to be closer to her first love: theatre. It’s just a coincidence that she’s also now much closer to her second love, Idris Elba. During the week, Tess is a Social Media Manager, but in her spare time she enjoys reading, singing, yoga, pina coladas — although she can take or leave getting caught in the rain. Tess has been writing for Upper Circle since January 2019, where she’s seen more Fringe than Jonathan Van Ness, as well as plenty of one-woman-shows and musicals. Although she’s a big fan of the musical genre, Tess draws the line at Cats. That’s not because she’s a dog person though – Tess loves her family cats more than most humans – it’s because the visual of Idris Elba meowing in a skintight leotard gave her paws for thought.
