2016 has been a lot of things – we all know it’s been ‘eventful’, to say the least. Amongst all the sadness, shock and tumultuous change, 2016 has also been a rather stellar year for amazing queer performance. Loverboy’s Fallon Gold has had the privilege of witnessing some of the greatest stuff and here gives us her pick (in no particular order) of the ten best London performances of 2016. We just can’t wait to see what 2017 has in store…
Dickie Beau
Still reeling from last year when I saw the most glorious thing I’ve ever seen in my life (Blackouts: Twilight of the Gods), I was very, very excited to have the chance to witness Dickie Beau’s piece Lost in Trans. The ‘Drag Fabulist’ was again lip-syncing to found sound tapes, whilst exploring gender and his own story. And it was magnificent. His shows are really something; so unique, very profound, and we urge you to catch him in anything, whenever you can.
Palehound
On their first UK tour, US punk trio Palehound gave us 21st century riot grrrl grunge with lead singer Ellen Kempner making us fall very hard in love with her from her first growled note. Dave Khoshtinat and Jesse Weiss added to the dirty, sexy, magnificence of the Palehound vibe and left us panting for more of the same, please. Please. Please come back Palehound!
Nando Messias
We had not one but two shows from dance performer Nando Messias this year. First came The Sissy’s Progress, a piece about when Nando was gay bashed in Whitechapel and that took place in a theatre space and led the audience out onto the streets. We became part of the show but also had to stand by and witness his stylized abuse. Nando’s second performance exploring being in a feminine body was Shoot The Sissy where he told us his story of inhabiting his body and embracing his femmeness… and he invited the audience to ‘shoot’ him. Both shows were extremely challenging, emotional and vital pieces of theatre. We cannot wait for more.
Helen Noir
We were treated to four weeks of cinematic glory at… The Glory, in the shape of Helen Noir’s live scoring of four films: Daughter’s of Darkness, Salome, Eyes of Laura Mars and, Sorry… Wrong Number. Helen plays live music and vocalizes her original scores transforming the act of movie-going into a dream-like state. The experience really is exceptional. For Sorry… Wrong Number we were treated to original visuals too: a multi-layered mashup of hysterical women on film as Helen played her own Lady Hysteric in front of the screen. We’re hoping that repeat performances are put on next year because, honestly, you all need to go and see this.
Travis Alabanza, Lasanna Shabazz, Jamal Gerald
Queer performance artist Scottee grew a beard and became a director for the first time for this extraordinary and essential piece of theatre, Putting Words in Your Mouth. In it Travis Alabanza, Lasanna Shabazz and Jamal Gerald lip-synced to interviews Scottee recorded with LGBT members of UKIP and the EDL. Shocking and disturbing, these queer performers of colour mouthed the vile utterances of the interviewees who spent most of the time attempting to contexualize and justify their prejudices. All the while, a squirming (mainly white) LGBT audience were confronted with a part of our ‘community’ that seems anathema when us queers are mainly portrayed as a bunch of universally leftie liberals. While all three performers in PWIYM were magnificent, special mention goes to Jamal Gerald who stepped into the show late in the rehearsal process for what was technically an extremely challenging piece of theatre, and who was as flawless as his fellow actors.
Kit Redstone
Kit’s experience of toxic masculine spaces while transitioning as a transman was the background of his collaborative play with Rhum and Clay, Testosterone. Kit explores inhabiting a male body and persona, and reading masculine behavior in others. A brutally honest piece, we recommend you check it out when it moves to Edinburgh next year.
Latexxx
Camposphere returned with a delightfully packed and wonderful evening of camp, queer bands and performances (Georgia Tasda carries Leigh Bowery’s torch for weird and exceptional drag performance art. As well as having the best drag name EVER). The highlight of the night for this reporter was Latexxx featuring Chris and Sam who are the founders of Camposphere and who deliver, with their shiny bandmates, original and triumphal funk-disco. Just when you think that there cannot possibly be more glitter there is more glitter. And it just leaves you wanting even more glitter. Roll on Camposphere 3.
Alexander Geist/La John Joseph
Fictional pop superstar Alexander Geist – the alter ego of La John Joseph – wowed us in a play about the secrets and mystery of their death, and then gave us a gig and documentary in two different pieces of theatre performed this year. Alexander Geist is an enigma and the pop star we’ve always wanted and needed – and the rub is that they are a character. La JJ is a sublimely exquisite performer who leaves us pining for another helping, please, of androgyne glam and pop perfection.
