
Andrew Larder enjoys a madcap mishmash of puppetry, music, drag, vulgarity and hilarity.
‘Don’t dream it, be it,’ is the mantra sung towards the end of the Rocky Horror
Picture Show. Drag queen Fanny Quivers has taken this as a direct order. If I was
going to put on a one-person show I might not choose a high-energy
musical homage to fifties B-movies or has a cast that runs into double figures.
Staged at The Lens Studio, Portsmouth Guildhall, Quivers tackles a gargantuan task
with remarkable success.
For those unfamiliar with the plot, here’s a brief synopsis: When their car suffers a
puncture during a storm, virginal college nerds Brad and Janet are forced to seek
refuge in a nearby castle. This just happens to be the residence of eccentric
transvestite scientist, Dr. Frank N. Furter. Events take outrageous turn after
outrageous turn and span several genres: horror, comedy, musical and sci-fi. At six foot plus and wearing high heel boots, Quivers makes an imposing Dr. Frank N Furter, the ‘Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania’. Add to this that Quivers looks and sounds uncannily like Tim Curry – who played Dr. Furter in the film – and the audience soon gets into the groove.
Both charming and sinister, Quivers’ show is faithful to the original movie. It’s entertaining, enchanting and enthralling. There are several costume changes for the good doctor: cloak; corset surgeon’s scrubs; stockings and suspenders to name a few. Quivers delivers a powerhouse of a performance, vocalising ten other characters along with the lead. Clever use of hand puppets adds another dimension to the story. Crafted in the style of the Muppets or Avenue Q, Janet and her unruly fringe is weirdly fascinating, Brad is suitably square jawed and bespectacled – the very picture of straight-laced-ness. Sinister siblings Riff Raff and Magenta are combined into one doll. Rocky or Cocky, as he is known in this production, is a walking, talking phallus – which goes further into bawdiness than the film did. All in the best possible taste, of course.
At times Quivers struggles to keep up with themselves: delivering dialogue; belting out
songs; breaking the fourth wall with the audience and operating the puppets.
Engaged in an orgy of gesticulation and articulation, Quivers somehow manages
to avoid fluffing their lines. They conjure up a unique theatre experience, sucking us all in to a vortex of magical fun.
By way of making polite conversation, before the show I made the mistake of
mentioning I might be writing a review for Star & Crescent. Later Quivers singles
me out for some teasing and asks, ‘Who did you say you were from? The Starlight
Express?’
The Lens Studio is equipped with a modern lighting rig and sound booth, with a
seating capacity of around 100. Soft red lights and dry ice add to the
atmosphere, giving the feel of an intimate nightclub. I spoke to Quivers after the
show and they confirmed they had designed and built the set, costumes and
puppets. ‘Everything in the show was made by me from set to wig, to puppets and
music tracks.’ They have done a fantastic job. Small touches have a big impact such as a Mona Lisa portrait subverted to look like Quivers.
Making the most of the venue, they strut around with a wireless microphone and own it. Yet they are kind and inclusive, this is a safe space to have fun and enjoy yourself. At the end of the show there is an encore of ‘The Time Warp’ and everyone is up singing and dancing.
The term drag originated from men dressed as women acting and dragging their long
dress hems across the stage. The impact drag has had on our culture is significant. It has challenged views of gender, stimulated interest in fashion and produced communities that are accepting. Beyond the music, spectacle and humour what makes drag such a popular form of entertainment? Extreme versions of genders are presented and, as the Human Rights Campaign on their website states, drag ‘is rooted in acceptance and resilience and is an artform that represents freedom of expression and resistance to unjust forces.’
This view is not universal. Russia has passed a law that classifies the LGBT+
movement as ‘extremist’. In March 2024, Amnesty International reported that the police, accompanied by members of a nationalist group, raided a drag show in Orenburg. Russia is not the only country who have legislated to try and supress drag queens. In 2023, more than 32 bills in seventeen American states tried to
outlaw public drag queen displays. The laws were designed to stop events such as
Drag Story Time in libraries and to re-classify them as ‘adult cabaret performance.’ Drag
Story Time came about to inspire and create empathy by showing children they did
not have to conform to rigid gender restrictions. The LGBT+ community felt the
attempt at legislation was part of a wider attack on them and the bills were halted
with counter-legal action. Had they been passed, events such as Gay Pride would
have been outlawed. This kind of irrational fear of drag is usually exhibited by bigots
who have never seen a show.
Fanny Quivers is an exceptional talent, who a few years ago made it to the semi-
finals of Drag Idol UK. In 2023, they won Audience Choice Award at the Ventnor
Fringe. Hailing from the Isle of Wight they produce a bizarre, hilarious but life
affirming experience. If you have a chance to see The Quivers Horror Puppet Show, take it, because, as Quiver says themselves, ‘It’s cheaper than therapy!’
Quivers can be found on social media platforms and plays weekly shows on the Isle
of Wight. This is their Facebook page.
Picture courtesy of Fanny Quivers.