Tuesday 20 February 2024

Competition Time

It’s competition season and I’m getting my quackers in a row for Drag Idol and, tomorrow, Purple Reign. There’s no necessity to do these things, I’m booked solidly every weekend all the way to August before heading off to Edinburgh Fringe with three shows, but competitions help sharpen up your performance on new audiences. 

Case in point is Purple Reign at G-A-Y on Canal Street. A venue full of Gen Z clubbers and not my usual pick n’ mix of club 18 to 80 at Absolutely Dabulous, Bop & Bingo and comedy nights. A queen needs flexibility, and not just to do the splits.

Competitions also do wonders for seeing what other performers are up to and making connections. I know all the other competitors tomorrow, which will make for a bit of a reunion. It’ll be interesting to see how their acts have developed since I saw them last and to have a proper catch-up.

Applications then open for Drag Idol in a few days and I’ve got my venues selected. Though not entirely by first choice preference. Many seem to have decided that the ideal day for a competition is Friday night. A decision that means no-one of any experience will be in the running as - like me - they’ll already be booked elsewhere for actual cash. From a manager’s point of view, Drag Idol may look like a cheap way to entertain their weekend crowd but it comes with the catch that the acts need to be halfway entertaining to do that and in a competition there’s no guarantee of that.

So I’ll be off to Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham this time around. Manchester is left out in the cold for, in one case, the above reason and, in the other, experience telling me they’ll never put a comedy queen through. Sheffield, I so wanted to perform for you given all the events I do there but you put your heats on a Friday and committed to getting knocked out in the semi-finals.

Outside of the competitions, Absolutely Dabulous has gained two more regular venues in Cheadle and Nottingham alongside its homes-from-home in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Marple Bridge and Denton. A few more are in progress with a couple of testers planned and, of course, an avalanche of Bop & Bingos. Other people’s comedy shows everywhere from Southport to Rhyl fill in the gaps and my own Three Puns at the Three Tuns is every 2nd and 4th Wednesday in Sheffield. Not forgetting my ace co-pro in Manchester and Liverpool with Aunty Ginger, Bring Me To Queers.

So now it's time to get the short sets sorted for the comps, work out what to wear, and have the recurring dream where I'm about to perform and realise I'm not wearing any underwear.

Tuesday 2 January 2024

Happy New Year

Oh my gosh it's lovely to see you 2024. I hope all of you out there had a fab Christmas and New Year's Eve and got everything you wished for. After a run of five shows between December 27th and the 31st I'm taking off just a couple of days before heading down to London to see friends and family, as well as closing the show at The Freedom Fridge in Kentish Town whilst I'm down there. Always busy.

This year things are already looking pretty nifty with all sorts of events planned. I'm co-hosting fabulous new comedy night, Bring Me To Queers, with Auntie Ginger at both Bar Pop in Manchester and Funnyboyz in Liverpool. I'm also overseeing things at The Three Puns at The Three Tuns in Sheffield every-other Wednesday. And I'm also back from Feb onwards every Sunday at The Bull's Head in Sale with more disco and games. Add to that plenty of Absolutely Dabulous Bingo's, Bop & Bingo's, party nights and - of course - a brand new pair of festival shows it's all go go go!

If you'd like me to come and see you this year do drop me a line and I'll see if I can make it to wherever you are. At the end of the day, I can only do this because you want me to and I love each and every fan, follower or friend who helps me do this!

Tuesday 21 November 2023

Saturday 4 November 2023

What's on in November

Comedy festivals, a return to Canal Street to compete against people half my age, a new weekly pub quiz and bingo (of course.) I'm now booking for comedy, cabaret, bingo and everything inbetween for 2024 so drop me a message if you'd like some!

Wednesday 11 October 2023

October Hallo-Queen!

Oh my merry GOSH guys, it's nice to update you with some fabulous news. Not only am I taking MicroRave to both the Retford and Nottingham Comedy Festivals in the next few weeks but I've also had it confirmed for Leicester next February!

I can also confirm that I am BOOKED and BLESSED for the rest of this year with every Thursday, Friday and Saturday taken all the way to December 29th. I'm still available for any NYE shennanigans should you or anyone else be looking but, as experience is teaching me, should nothing come up in the next few months I'll probably get a panicked message three days before when someone else has overdone the gobbling with their turkey and needs me to parachute in like a less gracious Mary Poppins.

Shows since I last wrote have been going proper lovely. My Thursday night Boozy Bingo residency at Upside Down Bar in Bolton is drawing in the dabbing and the delirious, Bop & Bingo continues to mix Microwaving with butlers bottoms and hoola hooping, my own Absolutely Dabulous nights are doing the numbers and I've performed everywhere from Sheffield to Chester in recent weeks. Big shout out to The Three Huns, who I did a delightful afternoon for recently with Deal or No Deal!

Birthdays and Hen Do's are booking in for 2024 already so that officially makes my diary open for next year. If you want me you know where to find me.

On my back. Asleep. I'm tired just thinking about all this. 

Sunday 10 September 2023

Back from Ed

Oh my gosh, what a month I had at the Edinburgh Fringe. Both shows went wonderfully and I'm now taking MicroRave to New Mills, Birmingham and Nottingham in the coming months - plus a few more places to be confirmed. Keep up with my musings on my socials; shows on the Live Dates page. I'll update this again when I can!



Easter's Busy