I’m a fan of classic drag. I feel that the Drag Race phenomenon has diluted the great tradition of the art form with lip-synching, over the top costumes, and ‘tucking’. I miss the days when drag queens were a talented combination of stand-up, compere, cabaret singer, and roast comic. Well, Auntie Ginger is all of these things, and this hour of song, smut, and silliness is less of a drag race than a drag quest. Auntie Ginger once experienced a shocking moment in a sauna dark room (don’t look it up) and has come to the Fringe to try and find the mysterious stranger who rocked her world. Along the way we get some top banter, unnerving sexual advances and a demonstration of glory hole etiquette using a very realistic prop (again, do not look it up).
a talented combination of stand-up, compere, cabaret singer, and roast comic
Ginger works the crowd like the professional she is. Unsurprising with her years of experience working in the UK drag scene. There’s a great deal of innuendo and a fair bit of straight-up filth but the audience laps it up. As an Aunty, Ginger is also qualified to deal with people’s problems and there’s a cute ongoing skit where Ginger reads out letters from poor souls who need her help.
As a classic drag performance, this show delivers exactly what it promises on the poster. Unfortunately, the sound from Ginger’s hand-held mic is very loud and a little harsh, especially noticeable when she switches back to it after using a head mic for the letters section and the overall pacing feels a little off with some skits dragging a little (no pun intended).
If you enjoy an outrageous hour of unabashedly crass humour, you could do worse than to find yourself next to Aunty Ginger’s glory hole. Just watch out for the splash zone.
