EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK! THE RVT: HOT AUGUST FRINGE THROWS DOWN A WHOLE COMBO PLATTER!

What a night! Mysti Valentine kicked off the fun on Tuesday night with a rollicking account of her nine husbands. Mysti’s that rare thing – a female drag queen – from Bradford! She’s got a spanking look, some great alcohol-fuelled yarns, a cracking singing voice and a great show. A bit of old-school glamour via the North-country. She wouldn’t be out of place on Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights but with a sly wink she’d be taking the piss out of not just the audience, but the provincial drag queens she mimics. It’s a surprisingly subtle act, wrapped in bombastic frock and schlock numbers.

Next up was Sjaak with his rendition of ‘The Security Guard’ and let me just say – what was that???? This performance artist brilliantly held the audience as he trotted out one unconventional ditty after another. Something about a security guard behind a picture window (the video against the back wall was very effective), a fish, a goat, a blow up doll named Stanley and numerous costume changes. If it sounds weird – it was. If it sounds experimental – well, yes. If it sounds amazing – it was that too. Sjaak brings a fully formed style and approach, totally polished and confident, and unlike anything we’ve seen before at the RVT: Hot August Fringe. A fantastic one man show. BRAVO!

From the sublime to the ridiculous with the Texas Chainsaw Mascara. This wild party has been an underground hit for a while having started at Bistrotheque and played various venues around town. Last night it touched down in all its psychedelic, psychopathic weirdness at the RVT. It was totally unique and totally hilarious. Jonny Woo is creepier than you’ve ever seen him in a ghoulish satire of hick Americana. Scottee is a delight as the insecure trannie, mocked and tormented and ultimately pushed to the edge of madness. Jeanette shines as the dippy, trannie engeneue flirting with disaster and screaming bloody murder when she gets what she asks for. Finally Feral strikes the right pose as the evil ringmaster / MC of this macabre laugh-fest. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable trip – with brilliant video clips, a whip-cracking rap from Feral (who also provided the superb live percussion soundtrack), Jonny Woo’s typical brilliant tongue twisters, songs and --- LEGS! A special note about Scottee – he’s addictively watchable. A fantastic actor, singer and performer even in the midst of a blood splattered chase scene, a girl group hoe-down, a gothic dinner scene and his surprisingly heartbreaking solo number. A tour-de-force!

The evening ended with RVT: HOT AUGUST FRINGE compere, Nathan Evans’ Cocktales! This last-minute entry to the schedule brought together Nathan’ signature stories, songs and striptease act for a fun – and revealing – show that plumbed the depths of Nathan’s gay consciousness. Let’s just say – very few performers on the scene can pull off a diamonte penis adornment and still live to compere another day. Nathan Evans can! But Nathan doesn’t just strip his clothes off – his funny and increasingly frenzied numbers strip back the layers to reveal a complex and compelling portrait of a ‘gay boy’ just looking for his place in the world. (Strike a chord anyone?) Perhaps not revolutionary – but after a night of the grotesque, it’s refreshing to be reminded that we are all too human.