Final Queen
Performer: Harrison Sweeney
Venue: Underbelly Cowgate
Time: 9:30pm
Running time: 1 hour
Reviewed by: Jo Sansom
Rating: ★★★★★ 5/5
A riotous road trip through the Outback with drag queen Grace Lightning at the wheel, we strap ourselves in for an hour of divas, wigs and circus, performed by Fringe newcomer Harrison Sweeney, aka Grace Lightning.
Grace Lightning explodes onto the stage in a sea of expletives and glitter and dives straight into a performance of ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’, which has the audience grinning and clapping along immediately, and ready for the ride of our lives!
Grace Lightning and her two best drag mates are performing in the Imperial Hotel when they get the call to audition for pop royalty. Unfortunately, planes and trains are out of the question, so the three queens start their long car journey, ready to seize the chance of a lifetime.
The divas enact the classic trip formula: an enthusiastic start, an ‘are we there yet?’ middle and an unexpected drama along the way. As the road trip unfolds, it is obvious that nothing is quite as it seems as the trio encounter homophobic animals, misogynists and Tinder creeps, roadkill, a haunted house and a murderous landowner; the audience delighted in every plot twist.
As things take a disastrous turn, it is obvious that the Outback may not be the safest place for three drag queens. Chaos ensues and the stage is littered with feather boas, body parts, sequins and blood as Grace Lightning faces seemingly endless challenges.
The comedic timing and fast-paced delivery kept us all enthralled. I thought the use of physical theatre and circus skills gave the show depth and range beyond a classic drag performance, although the classics of drag are all present and correct too. Think lip-syncing to Madonna and Dusty Springfield and a fair few leg kicks and flips.
Personally, I loved the use of hoops and balances in the show. Harrison is an extremely talented performer with a range of skills which are all used in service of the comedy of the quick-witted script.
Audience interaction was playful, and any slips in the illusion were embraced wholeheartedly as an extension of the humour.
The music was also a real joy, with all the modern-day divas in attendance. A tortured spirit is exorcised to Lady Gaga’s ‘Abracadabra’ at one point, which made me ridiculously happy!
As did a rendition of ‘Call Me Maybe’ by Carly Rae Jepsen.
I have been attending shows at the Fringe for 25 years and actually couldn’t believe that I’d never seen the combination of drag, circus and horror before. But I’m actually glad that I got to experience it for the first time with such an exuberant performer, and one with such excellent taste in music!
His energy filled the stage and he fully committed to each song and joke, with a physicality that was an absolute joy to watch.
Grace Lightning aims to change the world one sequin at a time, and with a big dose of queer joy and enthusiasm, Harrison Sweeney certainly changed our lives for the better in an hour filled to the brim with jokes, energy and music.
★★★★★
