JINKX MONSOON & MAJOR SCALES – Together Again, Again!
The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Wednesday 8th June 2022
Winner of Ru Paul’s Drag Race (Season 5) Jinkx Monsoon has carved out a career as a cabaret artiste, a self-styled ‘internationally tolerated chanteuse’. This current tour sees her reunited with sidekick and accompanist, Major Scales.
But this time, there’s a twist…
We are rocketed forward to the year 2065. Monsoon and Scales, bearing the ravages of old age, come together after decades apart. They fill us in with global events since our day – well, as they point out, they’re reminding us of these events, because we’re with them, in the future, which is now…
It’s a gloriously silly conceit. Our sun has exploded. The Earth has been taken over by Reptilian alien overlords (so, nothing new there, then) and, more pertinently, we learn the fate of some of the other drag queens who have graced the runway.
An eclectic set gives us show tunes and torch songs. There’s even a jazzy Gorillaz cover. Monsoon is in superb voice, combining shades of Ethel Merman, Bette Midler and Lucille Ball. She dodders around, forgetting where she is, reprising refrains, repeating jokes, but she still has a savage tongue for any audience member who gets out of line.
Scales is an excellent foil. The bickering between the two is merciless, the timing immaculate. They can drop in ad libs without breaking their stride.
No encore though, despite rapturous applause, as the age-withered pair shuffle off to be ‘redistributed’ (recycled, to you and me).
An extremely funny evening. Monsoon is a major talent. Off the scales, in fact.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Bum on a Seat 