Paul T Davies reviews Iconic A Brief History Of Drag now playing at Assembly Checkpoint at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Iconic A Brief history of drag.
Assembly Checkpoint, Edinburgh Fringe
18 August 2018
5 Stars
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There is a powerful theme to this drag show that creates such a strong vibe that the air of celebration is infectious from the start. Velma Celli celebrates iconic moments from drag history that meant much to her personally as well as to the world. From his time as a West End performer and through the evolution of his drag, we are hit with one excellent song after another, vocally superb. I, and every member of the audience, loved the sequence in which she performed drunk drag queens lip syncing badly, except there’s no lip syncing here- it’s all live with a terrific band and backing singers.
Being a drag star, Velma, of course, has razor sharp wit and the audience loved it, the ruder the better! Although the songs from the shows are great, what raises it to new heights of fabulousness is that theme. Remembering as a child watching the Queen video of I Want To Break Free, with Freddie Mercury in drag, she sings a beautiful, ballad version of the song, leading into a barn storming Under Pressure. Her choice of song to commemorate the Stonewall riot is so perfect, I’m not going to give it away, I want you to go and experience it!
It’s a fantastic show that the mixed audience thoroughly enjoyed. Standing ovations are still rare on the Fringe, but you’ll not only stand for Velma, you’ll dance!! Just see it!!
