Cabaret Roulette is the drag and cabaret showcase where exciting new performers of every kind are assigned a different theme for each show. On Wednesday 12 February it returns to The Royal Vauxhall Tavern now under the watchful eye of new promoter and host, the amazing Crayola. We had a catch up with the drag sensation to hear what plans they have for the new look gamble.
Hi Crayola, can you explain in basic terms, what is The RVT’s Cabaret Roulette?
Beloved by the community and punters alike, Cabaret Roulette is a bi-monthly cabaret show where a brave group of performers are given two months to translate a set theme through their unique artistic lenses into a brand spanking new cabaret act! Each show is a completely different caba-leidoscope, built to maximise a diversity of disciplines from burlesque to mime to singing to standup and everything in between. Styles range from the traditional to the alternative to the downright anarchic, and we aim to represent a balance of both established legends and fresh faces on the scene – all this just to see what the hell they come up with! Oh, and they aren’t told the theme until after they agree to be involved – that’s the gamble!
This is the first Cabaret Roulette with you as promotor and host, how did this happen?
It all happened very organically. I was booked for what was supposed to be the farewell show this past November, and the theme was Extravaganza. I juggled several different ideas, with loving check-ins from the show’s original producer Vivacity Bliss, and somehow ended up with an act about… edging! Dressed as a gigantic penis, pink hard hat in tow, I twisted Gaga’s Edge of Glory into a piece where I literally delayed the audience’s satisfaction, stopping abruptly before the top notes in each chorus – at the end it all came together in a climax of ropey silly-string being ejaculated all over the front row! Apparently Vivacity was so impressed by my process, performance and general spirit that she asked me on the night if I would be up for parenting the night into its next phase of life! And here we are! I now have full custody.
Can you talk us through the acts performing on 12 February?
I’m so proud of the lineup for Transitions, my first Cabaret Roulette show as producer. We’ve got legends like Dusty Limits, Pi the Mime, Miss Morphic, Rubyyy Jones and Lolo Brow, and my contribution in terms of refreshing the brand is healthy injection of drag into the mix – we’ve got rising stars Mahatma Khandi, Prinx Silver and Veronica Montenegro rounding it all out. Between them we have multiple burlesque styles, comedy lip sync, standup, micro theatre, song, mime, and even projection performance art! I am extra gagged, because Dusty, Ruby and Lolo are real OGs my earliest cabaret inspirations. In fact, Lolo’s Derangium was the show that popped my cherry! So it’s all very full circle for me.
And you seem very busy, what else are you up to?
Haha, people keep saying that – is that a nice way of saying I look tired or something?! Jokes aside, the answer is yes, I am quite busy indeed. Between Madhouse, my monthly queer cabaret at The Glory (which is about to undergo a very exciting transition of its own…), my monthly bottomless brunches, entertaining private and corporate events, as well as work out in the community inspiring young people – it is quite the spread but I love it. Honestly. I just feel so lucky to be creating a career for myself that is so diverse, so challenging, and so rewarding. I’m learning all the time. And I’m also venturing into longer form solo work, so make sure to keep an eye out for “Crayola Saves The World” at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in April. And check me out @CrayolaTheQueen on Instagram and Twitter to keep up with the cray.
Photo by Elliot Moody @Elliot_MoodyThxx
Cabaret Roulette is on Wednesday 12 February at The RVT, 372 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, London SE11. Advance tickets from outsavvy.com.
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