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More sex and violence: Playfight @sohotheatre

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The funny thing about three girls growing up under a tree is that you never quite know when they're being serious or just messing about. One time, they might be talking about giving blow jobs on a tennis court at school and another, they might be yearning for a connection that they can't quite explain. That's what happens in Playfight, an Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024 hit currently showing at Soho Theatre .  Writer Julia Grogan doesn't give us much time to dwell on the lives of these three young teenage girls. One minute, they're fifteen and giggling, and then the next thing, they're off getting married or going to University. But underneath all the smutty talk, humour, and quick scene changes, there is a darker underbelly about relationships, power, and consent. It's about finding your way in a complex world that can dehumanise and degrade you. But as things move so quickly, you could blink and miss it. This is too bad as the performances capturing this co...

A broad range: Jinkx Monsoon Sings Everything @lsqtheatre

Thanks to Ru Paul’s Drag Race being one of the shows available to stream for some time on Netflix, series five winner Jinkx Monsoon is a bit of a star over here. Now she’s here in London for a few days at the Leicester Square Theatre singing songs, improvising and doing stuff.

For the few people that don’t have a Netflix subscription, Ru Paul’s Drag Race is a hilarious send up of the reality show format. But it’s also given rise to a new breed of drag super stars. They sing, they strut, they teach you how to throw shade.

In this show, with her combination of improvised comedy and a relentless voice, Jinkx Monsoon gives you a night to remember.


She doesn’t sing everything. The show is only 90 minutes and the theatre doesn’t want to stay open all night. But there’s no set list and so it’s a showcase for improvisation. The audience calls out songs and Jinkx makes a show out of it.

The only problem with this is when you’re audience is wasted and only calling out uninspiring choices, you may not get to see the best Jinkx has to offer.

A cute but musically ignorant audience member suggested she sing Climb Every Mountain... A song not known for its comic potential. Another suggested she sing that hilarious song from Wicked Defying Gravity. Jinkx does lay down some ground rules. But another might be to think about what’s appropriate for a drag super star to sing for its comic potential. And her vocal abilities. Afterall when she’s not shouting, Jinkx has a terrific vocal range.

Perhaps the audience will be better for the remaining nights. Jinkx will be fabulous no matter what.

Jinkx Sings Everything with versatile accompanist Joshua Stephen Kartes is at the Leicester Square Theatre until 28 October. Look out for the UK Tour with Major Scales as The Vaudevillians from 3rd November to 9th December.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


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