From 2017 to its close, I worked with queer supervenue The Glory as their go-to photographer for their competitions Lipsync1000 and Man Up, as well as their yearly takeover of the National Theatre’s river stage.
Despite deciding it was time for new energy after their Divine intervention, I still frequent the Divine and still love Woo, Sizzle, Jack and Mads to bits!
Closing Day 2024
Top row (L-R): Every drag king ever (Spoiler Rotten, Papa Parmigiano, Clay Taurus, Cyro and I think Richard Energy?). Envy out of drag. Emma/Yoko Fomo in mourning. Middle row (L-R): Jane Norman, somewhat in mourning. Dr Ronx and friend. A glorious gay kiss! Bottom row (L-R): Camile Leon (in mourning) and friends. Jonny Woo, Leticia Delish and others. Just May, no makeup.
Lipsync1000 Final 2023
Top row (L-R): The Lipsync1000 final cast of 2023, celebrating on the Clapham Grand stage. Drag king Dandy Darling helping their accompanying dancer get dressed as praying mantises (mantii?). Die Lemma, Masc Peach and The Puf. Bottom row (L-R): Samuel Cox + backing dancers Luspinda and Glimmer, prior to performing an Indiana Jones tribute. Cabbage the Clown prior to performing backup for another act. Finalists Jane Norman, Lua Ray and Frankie Fann.
National Theatre River Stage 2023
Top row (L-R): The debut performance of the London cast of 'A Strange Loop' (what a privilege!). The audience enjoying mid-show bubbles while Dr Adam Perchard sings. Night ravers. Middle row (L-R): Drag queen Camile Leon before a Loreen tribute (shortly after her 2nd Eurovision win). Drag kings XO and CHIYO dance as the cabaret ends and the rave begins. A hula-hoop act does a pop-up performance during the rave portion. Bottom row (L-R): MC Gaff-E saluting John Sizzle, Aaron Manhattan and Jonbers Blonde during a relaxed Sunday show. John Sizzle rides a Boris bike dressed as 'Padam Padam'-era Kylie. Tom Rasmussen sings on stage.
Lipsync1000, 2018-2023
Top row (L-R): All from 2023. A Petty Nonsense face swap. Trans girl stripper Frigid doing what she does best. Sir Loin slaying the week they officially allowed drag kings to even the playing field. Middle row (L-R): 2022's Heat 8 competitors + host Sue Gives a Fuck. A portrait of Princess Julia taken when I was at my most experimental/dysfunctional (again, 2022!). Will Young and Fanny Minka during the 2019 finale. Bottom row (L-R): A collage of the 2019 finalists – spot a young Anita Piss, a younger Kate Butch and London Trans Pride founder Lucia Blayke! Tom Allen during my Poundland George Hurrell days (aka 2018). The 2018 finalist dream team (Bimini! Gingzilla! Rileasa! Rhys! Yshee!).
Extra row (L-R): Grace Dent on green, Courtney Act on purple and Billie JD Porter on pink. All 2018; all because you can't peacock around too many celebs in your portfolio! ❤️
Man Up! 2018-2023
Top row (L-R): 2023's Heat 4 lineup + host Don One. Don with the Heat 8 lineup, four weeks later. The Indie Boys from Reading in Heat 3. Middle row (L-R): Dairy King during Heat 8 of 2022's competition, moments before making it to the final. Dilly Boi during Heat 8 of 2022's competition, moments before making it to the final. 2019 finalists – apologies for the mildly unsatisfying colour matching! Bottom row (L-R): 2019 final; one of a trillion portraits I took of Rikki Beadle Blair during this period. The 2018 finalists schmoozing backstage. Portraits of the 2018 finalists + hosts Adam All and Baby Lame.
National Theatre River Stage, 2017-2022
Top row (L-R): Sooz Kempner, 2022 (or, I told you 2022 was ex-pe-ri-men-tal!). Sue Gives A Fuck, ditto. Velvet Caveat at the start of her SlayStation imperial phase, ditto. Middle row (L-R): Dancer and performance artist Wet Mess, 2019. Madonna tribute props, again 2019. Margo Marshall and a young Tayce Szura-Radix, 2018. Bottom row (L-R): Lucy McCormick and Ted Rogers, 2018. Chester, Joseph and Felipe's splinter dance group, 2017. Jonny Woo, John Sizzle, Grace Shush and Yoko Fomo's Bucks Fizz tribute act, 2017.