REVIEW - EVERY LAST DETAIL - TURBINE THEATRE

Every Last Detail, a drag theatre show, headed to the Turbine Theatre in South London for a 4-day run this week.

Written by Kyran Thrax and directed by Sophie Walmsley, the show follows the biographical journey of Kyran Thrax. From her education to employment and exploring her reasons for becoming a drag artist.

I love seeing drag artists express themselves through dancing, lip syncing, flamboyant outfits and flawless makeup. This was my first experience of a drag theatre performance, and I was impressed with the opening number; an original track by Kyran, performed with the supporting characters, Jake, and Tristan. The trio danced in-sync and Kyran looked incredible as she centred the stage in her sky-high stiletto boots. After their performance, the lights came up and Kyran began speaking directly to the audience. I at first assumed this was scripted until there were moments of awkward silences whenever Kyran asked a member of the audience a question. Despite the slow interaction and pauses, Kyran remained composed and continued to improvise. I enjoyed how she referred to jokes with the audience during the show.

Kyran spent the first half of the show listing all the possible reasons that got them into drag. Was it the moment they were outed at a catholic school or when they worked at a bakery? Each scenario came with an exciting lip sync and dance sequence. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast performing to Lady Gaga’s Judas. The tongue-in-cheek song choice fit well for this scene (a catholic school setting!) and was a great introduction.

The stage design was simple; a plain black background with, Kyran Thrax, written in big red capital letters. I would have expected a bit more on the stage, however Kyran’s impressive selection of outfits made up for the lack of set design. We saw multiple outfit changes from Kyran; from a pastel-pink dress and blonde wig to a gorgeous black tulle dress with bright red boots and matching wig – my favourite look of the evening! The supporting cast gave monologues during the times in which Kyran changed outfits. There were funny moments, although not all the jokes landed. These scenes felt like a random addition to the story and made the show feel disjointed. I would have preferred if the cast repeated the opening number or danced during this time. Despite this, I did enjoy their performances, costumes (especially the sequinned disco shorts!) and exciting choreography throughout the show.

Their rendition of Chicago’s Cell Block Tango was another number I loved. Kyran showed off her great lip-syncing skills and the routine was fabulous!

Towards the end, we saw a more vulnerable side of Kyran as she places a chair on the stage and speaks directly to us. Kyran shares a harrowing experience she faced as a young teenager who had just come out. She also reveals the person that inspired her to do drag and the audience is shown the emotional side of Kyran. This scene feels intimate, personal and I appreciated her vulnerability. The show ends with Kyran performing acapella, with her stunning vocals.

I would have liked more depth to the show and for it to flow better throughout. However, it was still a fun drag show to go and see! ‘Every Last Detail’ is on until 18^th June at the Turbine!

{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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