The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham – 6th November 2026
Reviewed by Emma Millward
5*****
The Allure Games brought an evening of outrageous entertainment to The Old Joint Stock Theatre as part of the inaugural Birmingham Drag and Burlesque Festival. Bringing together performers from across the globe, this competition celebrated the wonderfully diverse worlds of drag and burlesque, with a crown up for grabs. Featuring a varied mix of vintage striptease, comedy burlesque, drag kings and queens, there was something for everyone, with plenty of laughs, larger-than-life characters and wonderfully entertaining performances.
The first act got things underway with Solana Beach bringing a lip-sync West Side Story drag performance, followed by Honey Schwarz delivering a vintage burlesque routine, complete with feathers and classic boa work. Velma Vogue certainly made an impression with her bold Boss Bitch persona and energy. Randy Karma brought a humorous drag king interpretation of a Public Service Announcement, embracing an exaggerated, small-town American character. Tara Luv injected comedy into Beauty and the Beast, incorporating some amusing books as props. Strawberry Duvall rounded off the first act with a cheeky Ratatouille-themed routine.
The second act continued the variety of styles. Sweets had the audience laughing with hilarious 1960s Spy-themed burlesque, her facial expressions adding just as much to the performance as the routine itself. Cairo Leon brought a Magic Mike-style performance that the hen party in the corner were very grateful for, while Elle Ess Dee delivered a sensual interpretation of Phantom of the Opera, complete with a clever costume change midway through. Ellixia Q Valentine took an amusingly unexpected approach with a The Simpsons-inspired Ned Flanders routine. Daisy Darling turned up the heat with a sexy boa performance to Prince’s Kiss. My highlight in a show of outstanding performances was the final act competing in the games, Ginger Soumise, whose clever take on Defying Gravity was a real highlight. Turning the usual striptease concept on its head, Ginger was putting clothes on rather than taking them off, before deciding that a restrictive corset simply wasn’t necessary. A wonderfully witty routine that embraced body confidence and had me laughing throughout.
The third act allowed the judges to step out from behind the judging panel and take to the stage themselves. Demi Noire delivered I’m Every Woman, combining sexy burlesque with a generous helping of humour. Sigi Moonlight brought a Captain Birdseye-themed routine, which was certainly memorable. I may never look at a fish finger in quite the same way again! Yshee Black brought a Game of Thrones-inspired lip-sync, complete with some fierce dance moves, while the festival’s producer Dominus Von Vexo rounded things off with Legacy, bringing together familiar Priscilla, Queen of the Desert references and a medley of iconic disco hits, including Hot Stuff, Venus, It’s Raining Men and more.
The judging panel brought plenty of humour to the evening, but there was also a serious side to the competition. Sitting close enough to hear their deliberations, it was clear they were taking their responsibilities seriously, carefully considering each performance. Trixie Blue was a fabulous host, keeping the evening moving along while confidently handling a particularly exuberant crowd. After all the performances had been judged, the final three were announced as Strawberry Duvall, Honey Schwarz and Ginger Soumise. It was Ginger who ultimately took home The Allure Games crown,
The Allure Games was a thoroughly entertaining way to celebrate the first festival of its kind in Birmingham.
Bold, cheeky and brilliantly burlesque.