The Grotteaux – Woolwich Works, London

Writer & Director: Molly Beth Morossa

Step inside The Grotteaux – loud, proud and full of performers who know how to work a crowd. This drag cabaret style variety performance combines comedy, dance routines, live music and burlesque into one spectacularly sassy show.

Originally supposed to be a Christmas event, Coronavirus forced writer/director Molly Beth Morossa to switch it up, and re-release it during the Springtime with a whole new feel. Morossa does a great job of giving the show a spring clean, ditching the tinsel and donning the daffodils instead. If it weren’t mentioned throughout the show, the audience would have no idea that it’s had such an overhaul because it feels so well put together.

Lilly Snatchdragon hosts the evening, hyping up the audience and building the momentum in the room before each performer starts their routine. Cleopantha is the beautiful burlesque queen, interspersing her seductive dancing with an M&S advert voiceover to create a hilarious combination. Symoné, is a Guinness world record holder, hula hooping the catwalk on high-heeled roller skates, gracefully captivating the room. Each evening, alongside the staple group of performers, audiences are also treated to different special guests – with show-stealing sword-swallower MisSa and hilarious comedian John Travulva being the brilliantly offering on press night. It’s great that each audience truly do get a completely different show each time, because it’s a show you could easily see more than once.

With a fantastically glitzy backdrop and catwalk slap bang in centre stage, the set design is perfect for the wonderfully spacious and inviting Woolwich Works venue. The performers are able to meander through the crowd, interacting with the audience and inviting everyone further into their world of wonder. There are a few points throughout the show, in between the main acts, where whole sets are performed on the periphery of the stage, not utilising the fantastic space as well as it could. The songs by the house band during transitions, although enjoyable, are quite slow-paced which threatens to zap the high-energy that builds from previous acts such as the dancing Dosa Cat or dashing drag king Mark Anthony.

This incredible venue is the perfect home for such a vivacious, vibrant, varied bunch of talented performers in this whirlwind show.

Runs until 4 June 2022