Presented by Bitten Peach
Drag, is of course, inherently political, and this performance was no exception. More than just representation, Bitten Peach stands boldly as the UK’s first pan-Asian cabaret production company. With a reduced cast, Peach Chutney is a showcase of Bitten Peach’s South Asian members, who beguiled us, inviting us to ogle, yell, and applaud. Framed by the narrative convention of being passengers onboard a PC Air flight, our hostess, the magnetic Mahatma Khandi, guides us through our raunchy, 0 altitude journey. It’s an effective, if not always relevant, bridging vehicle for the cabaret show, giving plenty of opportunity for puns [“Namaste in your seats” was a favourite].
Bitten Peach served us with a night of revelry, politics, and pure Asian Joy. In Contact’s intimate theatre setting, we were invited to use our sensory experiences, to hear the preshow music that reminded one theatregoer of “being in their Nan’s house”, to consider the technicolour explosion of south Asian traditional queered-up garb, to breathe in the smell of pungent food, alluding to the casual racism experienced in this country, and of course, allowing for some requisite subversive [?] fart humour. The smaller theatre setting worked in this cabaret’s favour, affording us the same intimacy of traditional club settings, allowing us to really appreciate the pantomimed actions of the cast.
A special call-out needs to be made to Sarjiner Singh, who gave a strong opening to the show, dancing with captivating skill and pure camp, as well as Bindya, a swirling colour dream as she evoked similarities between Bollywood dancing and vogue. Both made excellent use of the space, exhibiting a command of presence and understanding of shadow and light. An additional note needs to be made regarding Val Qaeda’s strong message and her irreverent, almost slapstick delivery. They loudly proclaim: “Brown Drag Exists; We Refuse to be Invisible; So Stop Treating us like We Are.” This assertion sums up the core themes of the shows and is not only confronting but unapologetically joyful.
The whole show, was really, a proclamation of South Asian pride and subversion against stereotypes. It is important representation in this country, this mainstream media landscape, where despite being the largest minority group, these voices are all too often suppressed. Not only is it important, but it is pure pride, pure joy, pure camp.
Reviewed on 11 February 2023
