Wotever Sex: Children of the Sexual Revolution

by Lysander Dove

Another resounding success of an evening was had at the RVT last Tuesday (2 Aug). Even with the toilets still being out of action, meaning less action in the toilets (at least, not if you didn’t want to risk the wrath of a cross-legged queue!), we were all able to focus on a thoroughly entertaining and educating night of fun. A bustling crowd of regulars, irregulars and newbies filled the venue yet again. From Bears to bois, butches to polka dot a-go-go sistas, the friendly and suitably mixed Wotever crowd were out in force.  Clearly, some of us are aiming to get our Wotever Sex diplomas at the end of the run!

As Ingo said in the introduction, “Day two is all about drag. About crossing over boundaries by clothing and attitude.” We were certainly given an eclectic, visionary mix of all that drag could be, and has been throughout time. The night started with promoter and archivist Ray Reynolds, giving us a taste of drag history in the clubs, bars and performance places in the UK. With clips and commentary on various drag performers from the 50s onwards, he enlightened us to the differing performance styles of the artists, as well as the different audiences they have played to. I especially loved the old clip of a young Phil Starr playing to a predominantly straight working men’s club crowd in the 1960s, if only for the fact that a lot of the women in the crowd with their stiff beehives, caked make-up and leopard print outfits almost had the look of drag queens themselves.

Luckily for us, The Late Night Shop Cabaret took the stage again. A shadow dance routine that morphed into a drag cum strip number with a use of a sheet that betters the ‘Cabaret’ “Two Ladies” song, and then some. Late Night Shop are an inventive, imaginative, very humourous and smart as a button act, whose performances are ripped through with wit, charm and dirty fun. These women are a really great burlesque act, provocative and entertaining, great expressions, acting, hot moves and comedy of a very high order. Plus, my blonde bombshell date has a crush on one of them, and who could blame her!

Next act on was one of my favourites, Fancy Chance. She treated the audience to a stirring, nay, impassioned rendition of the North Korean national anthem (really, we should all have sung along!) that was excruciatingly funny. Then, joy of joys, treat of treats, she threw some fancy moves as Prince. Aided and abetted by Late Night Shop as backing dancers, never before has Prince been so sexy, guitar playing been so intense, dance moves been so bump and grindingly, leg- (and for the audience, side-) splittingly entertaining. Like the actual Prince, I wish she could have gone on for hours.

Michael Twaits followed, with his personal journey by way of song, poetry and yet more great dance moves! Even with the RVT being so packed, he still managed to get in and amongst us, working the crowd while singing “Enough is Enough (No More Tears)”, a classic of the gayest of disco years. Not only does he sing beautifully, look hot in a dress and shares his amusing, piquant insights, but he also takes us on a personal and political journey of queerness. This was exemplified by his choice of songs, disco classics, Kate Bush (loved by many a queer), and an almost forgotten, but pertinent and historically important song by Charles Aznavour (‘What Makes A Man A Man’). Michael Twaits finished up with ‘The Night of Queer Revolution’, his stunning, powerful, insightful performance poetry/song piece. I LOVE that one. Very apt for the night, the crowd and what Wotever is all about. The room tingled with a sense of revolutionary verve and pride.

And still the entertainment kept coming. The night finished with two talented performers whose individual takes on drag/burlesque with a twist, captivated the audience. With all the energy of the real Tina Turner, but much more queer humour, Mysti Vine delighted us to a take on Ms Turner’s song that had a few surprises, great asides and audience participation. She went down a treat, and will make us all look at dolls with a new and perverse light. Adam Hall‘s drag king act of song, banter and some stunning air guitar, was a favourite with the Wotever audience. With a selection of hard-rocking, crowd-pleasing, 80s awesomeness songs, many in the audience were moved to sing along, dance along and (almost) hold their lighters up in appreciation. Both acts were impressive in a night of truly stunning performances.

Again, Joe Pop kept us all tapping our feet to another well-chosen mix of tunes, that truly befitted and complemented the night. I doff my cap to you, sir. DJ Metzgerei then played us out into the night in a dancing mood with her hard and sexy beats. My beautiful blonde bombshell date noted that it was “a night of more crotch grabs than a Michael Jackson concert!” (and the performers were not alone in this!). As an audience, we have been blessed with two nights (so far!) of the some of the best performers our queer world can offer. I am not alone in waiting with excitement and anticipation of more to come. What’s more, the toilets may even be fixed next week, so any pants-wetting will be down to a hot and horny night! No doubt, it will be another packed and up for it crowd for Wotever Sex 3.

 Pictures by AbsoluteQueer Photography

Wotever Sex have three events left, 9, 16 & 23 August.

Do Not Miss Out!

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