I'm used to seeing drag in the depths of a night club or on stage as go-go supremes. So the Drag Race tour was a new take that I was eager to experience for myself.
In a world ruled by RuPaul's ever-expanding empire, we have a bursting mainstream culture filled with drag queens keeping us entertained on our TV screens and in person. Drag Race UK's season two was received at the height of Covid restrictions and it certainly made our lives a lot more colourful.
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With our Welsh shero Tayce, who hails from Newport, on hosting duties for the night, it was a cackle of laughs from the onset, even when Tayce had to announce that season winner Lawrence Chaney would not be appearing that evening as the Scottish queen was filming with Ant and Dec for their Saturday Night Takeaway show. It was a bit of a shame, and the murmuring around our seats underlined that some people were a bit gutted. But the show must go on!
The show re-introduced us to the cast in its full glory. Sashaying onto the stage one by one, it was refreshing to obviously notice that this cast meant business. All different, all unique, season two's lot have made a huge impression and rightfully so. Albeit, some were better than others. And that's the T.
The good, the bad and unexpected...
Asttina Mandella was the first queen to grace the stage. And she's the first that comes to mind when I think of people who stood out for me. Lip-syncing to a track that can only be described as a heavenly descended dance number, her energy and stage presence was a real treat and a foresight of the show's playing out.
Tia Kofi was also a talent that got everyone singing along and wagging their fingers in the air. Impressively, Tia was performing her original debut track, 'Outside In', which I must admit I'm a huge fan of anyway. However, the performance was polished and professional. St David's Hall here in Cardiff is a hard stage to conquer and Tia got her flag and claimed the space. As a fan of Tia's work, it was amazing to have those pre-meditated expectations met and more. I'm ready for some more Tia and Kofi, please!
Tayce's performance was energy-packed from beginning to end and the choreography and dancers were so aesthetically pleasing. Tayce was known for her fantastic choreography skills on Drag Race, and she really delivered it in person on the stage. The high energy was also maintained when A'whora and Bimini hit the stage. From pole dancing to a salute to 90s UK's dance music, the United Kingdolls may have been down a member, but they certainly made up for it.
Now the drag world has its differences, but I think when it's in a packed big space it can be quite easy for people to get bored, especially when you're coming off the back of such engaging and high impact performances. Ginny Lemon had me a little worried at the beginning of their set. A bit of a slow burner, I think the talking on the mic for 10 minutes can be reserved for a club night rather than a full scale production. It's Drag Race and I expected a little more. Joe Black's cabaret performance was certainly enjoyable as well, but got boring quite quickly. Again, I can see this sort of cabaret booming in a London venue. But for a full scale tour? It just didn't stand out as a memorable act.
Cherry Valentine was a real treat to watch. Even though her time on drag race was short-lived, her performance calibre was next level. Creatively adorning a classic gypsy outfit, which is a reflection of her heritage, the northern talent brought life and energy as she performed a rendition of 'Beautiful Liar' by Beyoncé and Shakira. From the conversations I could hear around me, it was a pleasant surprise for a lot of people.
Now, what got the crowd booming was when 'Bing Bang Bong' started to blare and Bimini, Tayce and A'whora took to the stage. It was a very short-lived performance, but it was great all the same. It was clear being in that room how important that track was to a lot of people, including myself. It embodied fun and celebration in a time where people were running on fumes. I was found myself singing along to every word and it will certainly live in my memories rent free.
The Drag Race experience in person was a great laugh that got you smiling from start to finish. Sometimes the show is a little slow but made up for it with killer visuals, choreography and dancing. The dancers supporting the queens were impeccable and impressive and illustrated a high budget production worth dipping into your pockets to go and see.
The season two tour has officially sold out. But, have no fear, the Drag Race season three tour is on it's way and stopping off in Cardiff and Swansea on September 23 and 24 2022.
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