Review: Dragtime! Hot Girl Midsommar

I’ll preface this review by saying that until last night I had never been to watch a drag performance, so, I am not in a position to give an expert review on drag as someone who regularly attends performances or is a part of the drag community themselves.

Instead, I’ll say what I can, which is if you are feeling a bit grey in week four, swing by the ADC to catch Dragtime! Presents: Hot Girl Midsommar, and you will have your life switched back into technicolour!

How can these beautiful costumes not brighten up your stressful week four?

The show runs at 11pm tonight, or Saturday this week and the hour of dance, lip-syncing, live singing (!), and poetry reading that you will experience will leave you cheering, uplifted, and extremely inspired about potential Halloween costumes. Side effects may include incessant humming of Poison in your shower, kitchen, and when cycling to lectures the next morning.

Personal highlights included the charismatic MC, Magic Dyke, whose confidence and natural repartee with both audience and fellow cast members sparked energy throughout the show. Despite a recent injury ruling out pole-dancing, Magic Dyke’s act was still electrically good.

Dragtime! favourites including Sir Evervayne, Big C and King Hoberon are back and keeping things deliciously spooky throughout. There is a sexy ghost striptease. There is a poisoned apple. There are two fantastic Cambridge drag debuts with incredible live singing.

The show runs until the 30th October

Although there were some minor issues with microphones throughout the show, if anything the small tech troubles only served to showcase the charisma and confidence of a troupe who took the whole evening into their stride. One thing was clear: both audience and cast were thrilled to be back together for an in-person performance.

So, whether you love drag or have never been to a performance before, Dragtime! will leave you uplifted. And if you were always planning to go, why not bring a friend along with you who’s never been to a drag performance before? I guarantee they will have a great time.

4/5 stars

All image credits: Maria Woodford and Griffin Twemlow

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