London Palladium: A red carpet welcomes the elite as they take their seats for the Royal Variety Performance, the annual gala presenting top names in primetime entertainment to the royal family as well as those watching from their living rooms.
Meanwhile over in Hackney: Half-pissed and a round in hand, a different type of queen takes their seat amongst the nightlife royalty of London and beyond…
Following the sell-out success of 2016’s inaugural Un-Royal Variety in the historic setting of Hackney Empire, international drag star and performance artist Jonny Woo returns for two nights alongside a stellar line-up. Delivering his affectionate yet provocative alternative to the annual Royal Variety Performance, Woo once again presents his signature take on variety, with an acerbic, subversive and political punch.
Accompanied by a big, brassy rock band and a 30-strong dance troupe of gender-fluid club kids, Woo MCs, sings, dances, conducts and tethers together an evening featuring US sensation CHRISTEENE, who flies over from the Deep South especially, award-winning operatic comic Jayde Adams and fresh from the success of Triple Threat, Lucy McCormick who will present something brand new.
Joining them are maverick Australian performer Leah Shelton, Frank Lavender, Pete & Bambi Heaven (La Soiree’s Asher Treleaven and Gypsy Wood – Miss Cage Dance Australia), Diane Chorley AKA The Duchess Of Canvey plus an array of auspicious guests including Bourgeois & Maurice, Lavinia Co-Op, David Mills, lip-synching sensation Frieda Slaves and music courtesy of Nostalgia Of The Mothership.
Last year Brexit The Musical, penned in collaboration with composer Richard Thomas of Jerry Springer, The Opera fame, was premiered. Thomas returns for 2017 with The Kate Middleton Choir, a community choir reflecting on the conundrums of being a queen-in-waiting. This follows their successful debut in Un-Royal 2016 and several appearances with Jonny Woo, entertaining audiences over the past 12 months.
This November, the (Hackney) empire will be indeed ruled by Jonny Woo as he embarks again on his Un-Royal extravaganza. Get set for double the irreverence of last year as the glitterati prepare to hang from of theatre boxes and run amok through the theatre’s historic
stalls. A raucous good time is firmly on the agenda complete with spectacular performances, laughs, politics and love.
Jonny Woo’s Un-Royal Variety is at Hackney Empire 3rd and 4th November 2017.
