The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show – London Palladium

Writers and Performers: Jinkx Monsoon & BenDeLaCreme

Director: BenDeLaCreme

OK, so we’re barely out of Halloween and we’re already doubling down on Christmas. But Asda, John Lewis et al have all launched their Christmas commercials and London’s Regent Street is all aglow with its seasonal lighting, and Jinkx and DeLa have landed in England to kick off their annual holiday treat for us.

Now in its 6th year, The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show has established itself as much a part of the seasonal entertainment scene as panto and Christmas singles. And it’s easy to see why.

The Jinkx & DeLa premise is rather simple. Two rather different characters – the all-American, family-friendly DeLa, and the alcoholic, sex-crazed, foul-mouthed atheist, Jinkx – undertake a rather convoluted journey of some sort where they learn some seasonally appropriate message about love, forgiveness and community. It’s laden with innuendo, some wonderful songs and a storyline that defies belief.

However, for 2023, creativity has deserted our duo and they’ve decided to give up performing and go on holiday instead. Following their classic Christmas song, That Kind of Holiday Show, featuring snowmen and reindeer, they exit the stage to head off for a break. But, the show itself has other ideas. In a Matrix/Twilight Zone type of incident, the show becomes ‘alive’ and takes control, forcing them both to continue to perform until they ultimately fall back in love with Christmas and performing.

As with previous Holiday shows, the story is ludicrous and overly convoluted, but it’s only there to serve as a vehicle for some comedy set-pieces and an array of reinterpreted classic songs. Well, less reinterpreted and more re-written. Included for 2003, Wham’s Wake Me Up Before You GoGo becomes Fill Me Up a Cup of Cocoa. Kylie’s Padam Padam becomes Parum Parum (in a nod to the little drummer boy), and The Eagle’s Witchy Woman becomes a dark retelling of Frosty the Snowman.

Whilst the storyline is nonsense, the comedy and the song and dance routines do more than make up for it. The songs are brilliantly re-written, laugh-out-loud funny and brilliantly performed. The comedy sections, when not overly encumbered by the narrative, demonstrate a wonderful interplay between the two. Jinkx, in particular, has impeccable comic timing and her snide, barbarous retorts or exaggerated facial reactions are worth the entry price alone.

But what makes this comedy duo more than a run-of-the-mill drag performance is the relationship between them. It’s demonstrably obvious that the two of them are very close friends off-stage. There’s a genuine warmth they have for each other and their interactions appear to last beyond performance; it all feels wonderfully natural.

Fans of previous Holiday Shows will not be disappointed. It has everything they’ll expect and, even though Jinkx has given up alcohol, vice is still strong in her narrative in one form or another. For newcomers, this is a great entry point. It shows the two performers at their best and, for the first time, underplays their drag heritage and presents themselves as two fully formed and integrated characters.

As a starting point for the holiday season, you couldn’t really ask for more. It’s camp, funny, festive and, as always, slides in a serious message that we all need reminding of from time to time

Runs until 16 November 2023 and tours