The Lowry, Salford – until 16 October 2021
Reviewed by Angelos Spantideas
4****
Drag queens, Drag kings, tons of physical comedy and one of this season’s most fabulous cast, that is Death Drop. It is well known, especially in queer culture the impact the Drag scene makes in arts, but seeing something so clever, written by the hilarious Holly Stars, on big stages shows why drag is a timeless art that cannot be contained and is here to stay in mainstream entertainment. With some of the most famous queens and kings in the industry right now Death Drop exceeds expectations and for 2 hours no joke is off limits which ensures chaos and endless laughter.
The story is set in 1991, at the mansion of Lady von Fistenburg located at the Tuck Island, where a collective of famous, and not so famous, personalities are invited to celebrate the 10th wedding anniversary of Prince Charles and Princess Dianna. The mystery behind the identity of Lady von Fistenburg and the stormy personalities of the guests fill the stage, exuding camp, from the staging, to the lights and the costumes. As the guests get trapped on the island due to a heavy storm, a murder unfolds and the stars embarg on the investigation of who is the murderer while the clock is ticking under the next murder happens! Will they be successful or will they find a tragic, yet absurd and ridiculous death?
With so many big personalities, it is incredible how each member of the cast, some already well known from competing for RuPaul’s Drag Race crown, does not fail to shine in their own right. Coming all the way from the US, actor veteran and alumna of the main season of Drag Race Willam and finalist of All Stars Season 6 Ra’Ja O’Hara captivate the audience with their acting and their multiple costume changes playing the two main characters of forgotten pop star Shazza, and weather girl Summer Raines correspondingly.
British Ru girl Vinegar Strokes playing the role of Lady von Fistenburg puts on an amazing show, acting and singing flawlessly, and Aussie Ru girl Karen From Finance embodies the part of the nosy and arrogant journalist Morgan Pierce. The two Drag Kings Georgia Frost, as Phil Maker,and Richard Energy, as Rich Witeman,both physical comedy geniuses, stand as proof that Drag is really a gender bending and rule defying art. The cast is completed by Holly Stars, playing not one, not two, by the three Bottomley Sisters and the audience cannot get enough of her piercing humour which in many occasions needs no script allowing for lots of improvisation.
From the costumes to the acting and the singing, Death Drop is a well crafted, fun filled comedy with the characters going through a parody of events that will make even the most serious laughing their head off, much needed now more than ever.