For queers and their allies who like their cabaret feminist, political, patriarchy-smashing, sex positive, riot grrl and kick ass, Pussy Liquor is most definitely the night for you. Their promise of "a hedonistic tour-de-force of girl-power queer cabaret" does not fail to deliver.
Feminist, political, patriarchy-smashing, sex positive, riot grrl and kick ass.
MC Lilly Snatch Dragon, resplendent in red sequinned dress and cape, warmed the audience up with a rendition of Hot Stuff, giving a nod to the chillis from her Thai homeland. She showed great audience rapport, encouraging applause as each act was introduced, with phrases such as “Performers are like fairies; you clap, or we die!”
Betham Phetamine opened the show with a burlesque homage to breaking free from the drudgery of washing up, into a unique use of red plastic spatulas…
Drag King favourite, and curator of KOC (Kings of Colour) Zayn Phallic, smashed their set; a whistle stop tour of key moments from the 1990s decade of music. Their high octane, crotch-thrusting, multi-costume changing piece climaxed with a Michael Jackson skit, sending the audience into hysterical fits of laughter.
TeTe Bang’s body positive, powerful feminist performance, delivered to a pulsatingingly kick-ass soundtrack, was capable of instilling increased self esteem, pride and grrl power in even the most reticent audience member. The message of women supporting each other, instead of tearing each other down, was sent from the heart. The first half closed with burlesque artist Naomi Wood performing stilfully on the aerial hoop, in a sexy leather and chains outfit.
Lilly Snatch Dragon opened the second half with a unique and absolutely hilarious burlesque/lip sync One Night in Bangkok performance, involving a blow-up doll on a massage table; audiences must attend the show to experience the true eye-popping delight and shock at this poke-in-the-eye for the patriarchy skit. Her follow up comments caused the audience to roar with laughter.
‘Disco Pony’ burlesque/hula hooping Anna the Hulagan wowed the crowd with an illuminated hula hoop that projected images, when spun.
Snatch Dragon’s third costume change, resplendent in a sleek wig, was fully loaded to deal with a persistent heckler in a kind and positive manner, including and acknowledging the comments seamlessly into her patter, such as “This is a safe space; its like therapy!” Each act was introduced with a very personal, honest and authentic manner, which shone over your run-of-the-mill ‘get the crowds clapping’ bland MC strategy.
Brighton favourite, Alpha Bites, presented a hair-larious lip sync to Mein Herr. Sultry burlesque artist Naomi Wood made her second appearance, as a jilted lover acting out her frustrations.
TeTe Bang closed the evening with a genius strategy to get the Spiegeltent audience up and dancing; by teaching them a dance routine, whilst the chairs were sneakily removed from behind them! The up-for-it crowd revelled in participatory nature of The Macarena and YMCA. Who would have thought that a tent full of grown adults would participate enthusaistically in a revved-up rendition of The Hokey Cokey late on a Sunday night?!
TeTe was an abolute delight, as she broke her usual ‘performance silence’ and shared personal, heartwarming tales of childhood alienation, mental health, Tokyo lesbian bars and the school disco. Pussy Liquor provided a feel-good high and great ending to a thought provoking and entertaining evening, which continued on into the early hours, as Disco Pussy.
