Review: Black Puddin'

In a beautifully bold act of ownership, Kween Kong’s Black Puddin’ gains its title from a racially motivated comment from a previous Adelaide Fringe review. Unfortunately the Kween herself can’t be in two places at once so this performance was hosted by Hannah Conda of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under season two.

With her pronounced and iconic laugh bellowing near constantly, Conda is an engaging MC and leads us confidently through the line-up as an incredible hype girl. Audience interaction is rife, with Clara Cupcakes finding awkward love and a lip-sync battle for tequila shots across the evening.

Our performers tonight are slick with comedy at the forefront of most acts. Lip-syncing and burlesque (with an incredibly well-placed jewelled thong) pairs wonderfully with Conda’s singing chops and her hilarious ‘shitty flute’ act. Tash York wears her love for South Australia on her dress as she seamlessly raps on the spot, incorporating words from the crowd.

This entire show and every member of the cast and audience create a queer space and not just one where queer is safe, but one where it is the norm. It is a refreshing thing, to sit in a crowd and not feel as though you are the exception, but the rule.

Although many of the performers listed were not on tonight’s bill, Black Puddin’ is a really fun cabaret with a joyous and welcoming atmosphere celebrating the diversity of drag and cabaret acts.

 

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Black Puddin, Marmatica, until 17 March