From 13th-29th March 2020, And What? Queer. Arts. Festival is back, with more emerging talents and international luminaries from the world of Queer Culture than ever before.
And What? is the feisty London festival that celebrates the weird, wonderful, alternative and often subversive side of Queer Culture. A tonic for the soul and an escape from the mundane, And What? promises art, performance, theatre, alt-drag and so much more with 25 events across 12 London venues.
This year, And What? presents 15 international premieres and 20 London firsts, with artists and work that is heady, political, hilarious, heart-breaking and mind-expanding. And, of course it wouldn’t be And What? without a good ol’ knees-up!
Major US names and International exclusives.
AWQAF2020 international highlights include a sprinkling of UK exclusives from across the pond. In very limited runs at the Pleasance Theatre you’ll find four US innovators of Queer performance.
And What? favourite and underground drag superstar Peaches Christ is back, and she’s bringing her bezzie mate, bonafide counterculture legend Mink Stole for her first ever UK visit! Mink has the distinction of appearing in every John Waters movie to date. Together, they’ll be presenting their 2-woman show about fandom, obsession and fame: Idol Worship.
Influential New York artist Lypsinka – the glam female creation of multi-faceted talent John Epperson – has been pioneering and elevating the art of lip-sync performance for almost 40 years, and is making her first UK appearance in 16 years at And What? Festival with The Fabulous Lypsinka Show.
Storytelling drag trailblazer Miss Coco Peru brings her newest show fresh from touring the US, Have you Heard? packed full of her trademark monologues, songs and wit, gravitas and grimaces.
Homegrown talent shows strong at AWQAF2020, with a bumper crop of UK Queer performance work and theatre of exceptional quality.
Jonny Woo, David Mills and Timberlina revive their cult classic Stark Dallas Naked, tweaked for the current political climate but still with all the camp and shoulder pads of the original. Mia Johnson presents Pink Lemonade, a show exploring female masculinity that hits London for the first time since delighting and fascinating Edinburgh audiences in 2019. We also welcome Harry Clayton Wright, with his runaway Edinburgh hit, the award-winning Sex Education. London’s very own drag nightmare, Baby Lame herself, will be premiering her new show Whatever Happened to Baby Lame? Expect a mashup of art-drag, pop culture and high/low-art. On top of all this, there’s brand spanking new writing and performance from Luis Amalia, Lauren Steele, Melody Sproates and Enby Jupiter, all presented in collaboration with Camden People’s Theatre’s ‘Sprint Festival’.
And What? showcases London Queer faves, with a bevvy of anarchic parties, cabarets and events. Seize the chance to see drag king collective Boi Box, or Asian Queer cabaret The Bitten Peach. Enjoy an alternative literary salon at Naked Boys Reading or be wowed by Queer, disability-led circus cabaret Quiplash, presenting Unsightly Drag.
AWQAF’s bouncing baby Queer ART(ists) Now is back too – an open call exhibition and firm festival favourite, showing a hotbed of contemporary Queer visual artists from around the UK.
Joseph Wilson is presenting an exclusive premiere of their immersive exhibition SHANNON: BITE ME, based on 65 year old San Fran trans woman Shannon Pat, it explores social isolation, Queer identity and obsession. Ben Walters will deliver his performance lecture Dr Duckie’s Homemade Mutant Hope Machines and Raze Collective are bringing all the Queers to the yard for a Queer Clash Diary networking event and special edition of performance platform Razed and Confuzed.
An event not to be missed is cirQueer, an evening of Queer circus at Jacksons Lane where you can catch the premier of Sadiq + Hauks double Chinese Pole odyssey The Chosen Haram, alongside a gaggle of Cirq in Progress showings including Deja D’Bomb (Lj Marles) and Jaide Annalise, all hosted by the one and only Drag King extrodinaire Chiyo.
Danish collective Himherandit in the UK, presenting their landmark 7-screen immersive video and sound installation Landscapes, exploring the Queer aging body. From Portugal/Germany, choreographer João Cidade will present their piece While the Others Go Wild – created in situ in London over three weeks with a cast of local Queer dancers and performers.
All of this magical mayhem will kick off in style and sweat with a FREE party hosted by the wondrous Cocoa Butter Club, joined for one night only by legendary Manchester club night Bollox, who’ll be popping their London cherry.
There’s also a collaboration with Everpress, with 10 selected Queer artists producing limited edition T-Shirts, with a % of proceeds going to The Outside Project.
