Acid’s Reign
Vault Festival
14th to 19th March 2023
“Relish Theatre brings a new drag cabaret play about the climate crisis and its impact on the queer community to the world-famous VAULT Festival. From award-winning writer James McDermott (Eastenders; Time and Tide, Park Theatre), with musical direction from Olivier-nominated Joe Beighton (SIX: The Musical), Acid’s Reign will debut at VAULT Festival at their new 125 seat cabaret venue The Flair Ground.
The unique show will be performed by a star cast of drag artists playing Mother Nature, Sea, Land and Air. Repurposing the story of Dickens’s, A Christmas Carol and recycling camp pop songs as green anthems, Acid’s Reign is a fully sustainable drag-cabaret play exploring the queerness of nature, and how the climate crisis affects minoritised groups.
The climate crisis is a queer crisis; when civilisation collapses, so do civil rights, meaning historically persecuted communities are most at risk from the effects of climate change. As with most global crises, these issues are disproportionately affecting those already facing systemic oppression. Marginalised people are more likely to live in areas at the most risk of climate change and are less likely to be able to access resources or relocate, as well as facing discrimination when turning to public services for help. LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts. Housing instability, food insecurity and an overall threat to well-being are all factors contributing to poverty – issues which will only be increased under climate change – issues that need addressing.
The play follows LGBTQ+ Business tycoon Alex Acid, who wants to build a gay leisure resort in their rural seaside hometown, but the damage to the local environment will be disastrous. They are ready to tear it down and destroy anything and anyone standing in their way, including Mother Nature herself, but Mother won’t sashay away, and Acid’s siblings (Sea, Land and Air) are waiting backstage to teach them a long-overdue lesson in environmental responsibility. Will Acid reign? Or will they learn to embrace all that Mother Nature has to offer? With the help of a little drag magic, Acid’s Reign forms part of Relish Theatre’s Regeneration Season – a trio of new LGBTQIA+ plays.”
Review by Richard Lambert, 4 Stars
Great fun cabaret by four very natural performers tease the audience into submission.
With a combination of lip sync and live vocals, interspersed with some script and wafer thin story we’re taken through some glorious anthem bangers.
Gorgeous costumes, some fantastic singing, colourful joyous lighting, cheesy choreography all go into the mix for this toe-tapping, hand-clapping, jubilant production.
A sculpture of mirror balls is the set which absolutely sets the right tone for the cabaret about to unfold.
This is a cabaret you could happily watch again and again and still enjoy!
Tickets: Click here
Mother Nature Son of a Tutu
Alex Acid Joshua Oakes-Rogers
Sea Scarlett Harlett
Land Jamie Fuxx
Air Mischa Velasco
With the voice of Angus Montgomery
Writer James McDermott
With additional material by Luke Howarth & Evie Fehilly
Director Luke Howarth
Creative Producer Morag Davies
Stage Manager Vanshika Rajeev
Visual Design Caitlin Mawhinney
Musical Director Joe Beighton
Movement Director EM Williams
Lighting Design Catja Hamilton
Associate Director Celeste Vassall
Production Manager Rob Ellis
Assistant Costume Designer Charlotte Murray
Assistant Producers Sam Campbell and Sarah Allen
Sound Design Ali Taie
Dramaturg Evie Fehilly
Casting Assistant Pippa Conway
Artist Wellbeing Coordinator Lou Platt of The Artist Wellbeing Company
BSL Interpretation Sumayya Si-Tayeb
Acid’s Reign
Dates Tuesday 14th – Sunday 19th March 2023
Tuesday – Friday, 6.45pm
Saturday – Sunday, 6.15pm
Location The Flair Ground, The Vaults, Leake Street, London SE1 7NN
Social handles are:
#AcidsReign
Relish Theatre
Twitter – @RelishTheatre
Instagram – @RelishTheatre
Facebook – /RelishTheatre
Morag Davies
Twitter – @Morag_Davies
Instagram – @morag_davies_actor
Luke Howarth
Twitter – @LukeHowarth4
James McDermott
Twitter – @jamesliammcd
Instagram – @jamesmcdermott1993
Son Of A Tutu
Twitter – @SonofaTutu
Instagram – @sonofatutu
Scarlett Harlett
Twitter – @ScarlettHarlett
Instagram – @scarlettharlett
Jamie Fuxx
Instagram – @JamieFuxx
Joshua Oakes-Rogers
Instagram – @joakesrogers
This production contains flashing lights, strong language, sexual references, and references to homophobic abuse that some might find triggering.
RELISH THEATRE https://relishtheatre.net/