Words by Emily Doyle
In the wake of the scandalous third series of Ru Paul’s Drag Race All Stars, the ‘terminally delightful’ BenDeLaCrème is packing up her wigs and hitting the road – coming to The Glee Club in Birmingham on Thursday 29th March.
Door open at The Glee Club from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, with the show scheduled to start at 8pm (please note, latecomers will not be admitted). Minimum age of entry is 14, with under 16s needing adult accompaniment. Tickets for all ages are priced at £20 plus a booking fee – as presented by Eat Sleep Drag Repeat. For direct show information, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.
Known for her upbeat, comedic drag and 1950’s inspired looks, BenDeLaCrème was voted ‘Miss Congeniality’ in Season 6 of Ru Paul’s cult TV show. Now a Birmingham audience can spend the evening with her (…at The Glee Club) in a show hosted by the self-styled ‘drag prince’ Alfie Ordinary, who will be coming up from Brighton to spread some bedazzled cheer.
Fresh from winning Pick of the Fringe at the Adelaide Fringe festival, with his show Help! I Think I Might Be Fabulous, Ordinary promises to deliver hosting that will be anything but. Also visiting from Brighton is Lydia L’Scabies; with a look created by people watching at her local nightclubs, L’Scabies describes herself as ‘dim, sweet, and a mite-ridden skank.’
A key player in Birmingham’s Dragpunk collective, Paul Aleksandr will be also bringing a touch of the macabre to the proceedings. Aleksandr uses his genderfuck jester persona to ‘inject some needed queerness into LGBTQ culture and society’; combining body paint, cuddly toys, and nails to rival Edward Scissorhands, his theatrical style explores new frontiers in contemporary drag and gender politics.
When reached for comment, Aleksandr had the following to say: “I’m looking forward to a showcase of modern drag culminating in BenDeLaCrème, in a venue that’s proving to be a popular choice. Eat Sleep Drag Repeat are really lovely and professional which is refreshing, and want to deliver some variety and excitement to the support acts and final show.”
BenDeLaCrème also sees drag as a tool for examining issues of gender and sexuality, albeit taking a very different approach to Aleksandr. DeLa considers drag an ‘an inherently political act’, one that she carries out with charm, delight, and an array of 1950s pin up costumes.
Over her decade long career, BenDeLaCrème has toured the world with three critically acclaimed solo shows, alongside appearing in two series of the crossover TV hit Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Now at the centre of one of the shows most shocking moments to date (no spoilers here) DeLa shows no signs of slowing down. Catch her in The Glee Club’s 420 capacity main room while you still can.
BenDeLaCrème comes to The Glee Club (B’ham) on Thursday 29th March, joined on stage by Alfie Ordinary, Lydia L’Scabies and Paul Aleksander – as presented by Eat Sleep Drag Repeat. For direct show information, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.glee.co.uk/performer/bendelacreme
For more on BenDeLaCrème, visit www.bendelacreme.com
For more on Alfie Ordinary, visit www.alfieordinary.com
For more on Lydia L’Scabies, visit www.instagram.com/lydialscabies
For more on Paul Aleksandr, visit www.instagram.com/paul_aleksandr
For more from Eat Sleep Drag Repeat, visit www.esdrevents.co.uk
For more from The Glee Club, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.glee.co.uk