Review: DragSpeare: Drag Kings Do Shakespeare
What happens when members of a dance troupe are bored with their ‘Groundhog Day’ repetitive ‘Keep Your Hat On’ routines, and no longer wish to be treated as ‘sex objects’? The answer might just be to ‘class this act up,’ by demonstrating their performance skills with takes on the Bard’s works to ‘prove once and for all we are more than aubergine emojis’… all illuminated with a selection of relevant musical numbers. And when this particular dance troupe is a ‘Stallion Squad’ that brings together talented performers, actors, and singers you have an excellent cabaret act that is bound to be touring the major fringe festivals soon.
DragSpeare: Drag Kings do Shakespeare is created by Anne Pensalfini and Jo Loth, with a very clever script by Anne Pensalfini (and William Shakespeare) and is directed by Lucinda Shaw (with Anne Pensalfini and the support of Heidi Gledhill, directorial advisor). Clearly the five performers and co-creators—Jules Berry (York Lit), Michelle Lamarca (Rocky V Liquor), Anne Pensalfini (Biron Bothways), Lucinda Shaw (Pan Teasetickle), and Jo Loth (Swingin’ Dick, and DragSpeare Creative Producer)—had a lot of fun working on show and development of their characters. I recommend scanning the front desk link on arrival at PIP Theatre, as the program has some entertaining backstory profiles provided by each of the members of the Stallion Squad.
Drag Kings have traditionally been mostly female artists who adopt male gender stereotypes as part of a routine, as vehicles for gender-blurring comedy, play, social commentary, and normative challenge. DragSpeare: Drag Kings do Shakespeare is an impressive exemplar of the genre, as the show is often funny, occasionally smutty, cleverly observed, and musically impressive (Lucinda Shaw, Musical Director). DragSpeare is probably also a great revision aid, with several plot summaries and key scenes from Shakespearean favourites, including Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, and Romeo and Juliet. Just don’t depend on the show to get you through your exams!
I have a long list of DragSpeare highlights. The Macbeth moments were greatly enlivened by Lucinda Shaw’s ‘witches,’ and by Michelle Lamarca’s depiction of Rocky V Liquor as Lady Macbeth. Romeo and Juliet will never quite be the same again for me, thanks to the choice of ‘Nothing Will Tear Us Apart,’ and Anne Pensalfini’s entertaining portrayal of Biron Bothways as Juliet. And I certainly saw Richard III in a completely different light, thanks to the casting of Rocky V Liquor (Michelle Lamarca) as Richard drooling over York Lit’s (Jules Berry’s) Lady Anne, and the choice of Radiohead’s ‘Creep.’
Picture (L to R): Michelle Lamarca (Rocky V Liquor as Lady Macbeth), Lucinda Shaw (and fellow witches), and Anne Pensalfini (Credit: Creative Futures Photography)
Picture: Lady Anne and Richard III (Image credit: Creative Futures Photograph).
Picture (L to R): Anne Pensalfini and Jules Berry. Credit: Creative Futures Photography.
Picture: Jo Loth (Swingin’ Dick). Image credit: Creative Futures Photography.
But my absolute favourite DragSpeare scene was the captivating Pensalfini/Shaw Hamlet scene, complete with the enchanting ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ vocals by Shaw.
As this show features Lucinda Shaw wearing many hats—including a fabulous horned silver number anchoring the portrayal of Pan Teasetickle, as well as being Musical Director, lead singer, and Director—it is not surprising that the musical numbers featured throughout DragSpeare are great choices, all performed well. And hats off to Jade Brider, Choreographer.
It would be fantastic to have a live band, but the onstage performances and harmonies were all excellent. Personal favourite musical numbers were Swingin’ Dick’s (Jo Loth’s) excellent big band version of ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ as well as ‘What About Me,’ ‘Mad World’, ‘Everybody Hurts,’ ‘Creep,’ and ‘Heroes.’ And the closing ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On’ scene was an excellent way to end the show… and to promote the merch.
We may just be seeing a rebirth of the Drag King genre. DragSpeare is an unmissable highlight of Brisbane’s 2024 Melt Festival, so get in quick before the short five-show season is sold out.
Picture: Anne Pensalfini (Biron Bothways as Hamlet), Noah Milne (Lighting). Image Credit: Creative Futures Photography
Audience information: DragSpeare: Drag Kings do Shakespeare (31 October-9 November, 2024), Melt Festival, PIP Theatre, 20 Park Road, Milton QLD 4064. 85 minutes (no interval). Recommended 15+. Sexual references. Tickets $30-38 (plus booking fee $3.30).
The reviewer attended the 31 October 2024 preview performance.