Express & Star

Put a smile on your face, it’s showtime!

As RuPaul’s Drag Race has exploded in popularity since it’s first season in 2009, the art of drag has been catapulted into the spotlight.

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Birmingham queen Ginny Lemon during Drag Queen Story Time

My first experience with drag came when I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show as a youngster, and witnessed Tim Curry strutting around in stockings and heels as the vivacious Dr Frank-N-Furter.

I then saw my first live drag performance during a burlesque show as a teenager, featuring a glamorous drag queen compere in a sky-high wig and gittering jewellery who consistently had the audience laughing with her razor-sharp wit and observations.

Following the release of Drag Race, thousands of people like myself have become fascinated in the high-kicking and dipping world of drag, as well as the exhilarating live performances these queens take part in.

There’s something exhilarating and hypnotic about a drag show - and I’m not just talking about the carefully choreographed shows that RuGirls tour - I’m talking about the regular events hosted by local performers in clubs and venues across the world.

Drag queen

From the minute the lights go down and a queen totters onto the stage in ridiculously high platforms, the energy in any venue is electric. Audiences are encouraged to be rowdy - whether that be by cheering, hollering, dancing or participating as much as possible - to create an enjoyable atmosphere.

A drag show is somewhere where you can be as energetic as you want to be, and if you’re feeling glum, it forces you to be up and active to lift your spirits.

At the centre of this chaos is the queen herself, and whether she’s performing a killer lip-synch routine or cracking jokes, you’re sure to be entertained. Drag shows can be funny, sad, scary, or even tackle political or social issues - there’s something out there for everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from.

Drag queens are often associated with tongue-in-cheek comments and outrageous behaviour, often saying and doing the things you’d never do in day-to-day life, but attending a drag show allows to to live these bold fantasies in comfort.

Many people criticize drag queens for not looking ‘female’ enough or for ‘making a mockery of women’, but there are no set-in-stone guidelines for what a drag queen is. A drag queen is not simply a man who impersonates a woman, drag can be performed by anyone regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation or background - which makes it so inclusive.

Drag performers based their performances on the themes of the exhibition

Drag is about transforming into a character that you want to be, and witnessing the artistry that goes into each queen’s persona is astonishing. It’s not easy to paint your face, style a wig, dance in platforms or intricate costumes, but somehow these performers achieve it while pulling off death-defying gymnastics and well-timed comedy skits.

The electric atmosphere and overall welcoming nature of these shows creates a dedicated and friendly community. It’s easy to make like-minded and welcoming friends during a drag show, ones that you will see time and time again no matter which queens you go to see.

Here in the Midlands we are lucky to have a booming drag scene packed full of a variety of talented queens, dedicated to putting on tremendous shows to entertain the masses.

If you’re ever at a loose end of a weekend, I recommend getting your glad rags on and sashaying down to watch your local queens.