Glamour, sequins, a sprinkle of cruelty and a booming northern accent. All synonymous with drag, but perfected by La Voix (Chris Dennis), this is the classic strain of drag in the footsteps of Lilly Savage (but considerably less grotty). Under the covers of the Spiegeltent, we are in for an old-fashioned night of variety entertainment.
And who better to lead us down the aisle than an international celebrity? La Voix, a semi-finalist on Britain’s Got Talent and starring in the Absolutely Fabulous movie is just the gal! Her 10 years of drag experience is seamless, confident and effortless (well, as effortless as high-end drag can be). With a regular glittering costume changes, La Voix’s ability to read (insulting for you straight folks) the audience, makes for a hilarious (if slightly terrifying) evening of gags and song.
Bringing something quite refreshing to the drag scene, we have a queen who can actually sing, and sing well – although her impersonations are far more impressive than her “natural voice”, which is rather lacking in definition.
No its impersonations where she really shines, and boy are we treated to some corkers. If you’ve ever wanted to see Judy Garland singing Adele’s Hello, Cher stalking around on the stage or Liza Minnelli performing her famous chair scene from cabaret at her current age of 70? These impressions hum with real skill and are a clever twist that sets La Voix apart from her contemporaries on the club circuits of London or Manchester. Not only does the lack of lip-syncing prove La Voix’s showbiz pedigree, she absolutely dominates the large stage, handling the audience with a firm impressively clawed hand.
The single drawback to this sumptuous night is an assumption on my part, that the content may be a touch dated for a younger audience. That said, you shouldn’t be put off from enjoying it. This is a evening very much embedded in queer culture and the show’s content and the impressions La Voix delivers; Cher, Liza, and Shirley Bassey are iconic divas that transcend generations.
In short, it might be a bit much for your straight-laced uncle or screen-addicted teen to appreciate the true comedy of La Voix’s impersonations or very, very blue humour. But for those of us old enough to remember Judy (or with good enough taste to find her out) watching this larger than life woman in a red wig and full gown perfectly recreate Ms Garland’s signature stage presence is magical.
A true entertainer in every way, La Voix reminds us how it’s done in this business we call show.
La Voix
La Voix is currently touring the UK visit for more information on tour dates visit LaVoix.co.uk.
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