Feeling like you are bloody tired of our world? Trust me, I’ve been there. Which is why I’ve nursed my Earth escapism with a visit to Briefs: Close Encounters, the most dragtastic boylesque show you NEED in your life right now. It’s at Leicester Square Christmas’ Spiegeltent, and here’s why you have to go. Now.
Briefs: The Show
Part of Underbelly’s series of performances at Leicester Square Christmas‘s Spiegeltent, Briefs is the show that will restore your faith in humanity. Although the Leicester Square Spiegeltent is very close to the Hippodrome, make no mistake: the Briefs crew might be starting in a Magic Mike-esque set-up, in a circle with their backs to the audience showing off their chiselled bodies, yet their show sees no machismo.
Just to give you an idea of how it starts, the main dancers will be vogueing around the main stage and near you holding two giant powder puffs that are twirled around like pom-poms. It’s everything you might want from the future of cabaret, drag and of the world… which for them means a planet where individuality, love and your choice gender or lack thereof are celebrated, and where everyone campaigns for those who have no voice.
Briefs is all about love and shade, delivered in a Gold Coast Aussie accent that threw me back to my year Down Under. “My mother still thinks I’m in London to play rugby!” says its hilarious compere, boylesque drag queen Fez Faanana, who delivered shady “Don’t touch me” lines to all the boys bringing her props.
Briefs imagines a future where bombs are glitter bombs, where there is no hate and where your gender and sexual preferences are nobody’s business. And frankly, we need us some of that.
The Briefs Boys
The show’s description says the performers “test the limits of masculinity, taste and decency” and ain’t that the truth. Briefs features skilled aerial performers, drag queens, lip syncing, vogueing, dancing and boylesque at its best. The songs are space themed – yes, Starships by Nicki Minaj is one of them – and the performances are so sexy and strong at the same time your mind will be blown. Think aerial hoop, but done in a cylindric cage. Imagine performers climbing ropes while stripping to Speedos in glittery make-up. There was also some full-frontal stripping, with the last bits perfectly timed to come off when the lights go off. The Briefs boys are not only skilled in their aerial and dancing arts, they are hilarious and naughty.
Top tip: make sure you bring change. For just £1 you can take part in Brief’s raffle, and if you win you will be part of a performance with the dancers, which sounds terrifying but trust me, it’s a treat. What’s better than a hot boy lap-dancing you? Four hot boys lap dancing you with proper choreography, tricks and props, that’s what is.
The Verdict
So get ready: the Briefs crew are going to snatch your edges and throw them off a cliff. This riot of a show is NSFW, not pc but also terribly inclusive and loving. You are going to leave with your cheeks hurting for too much laughing, and with no voice at all for too much cheering… and trust me, if you don’t cheer these performers on, there MUST be something wrong with you.
P.S. Over the weekend, Brief host their own club night called Club Briefs straight after the show, and if you buy tickets to it and Close Encounters in the same order you will receive £5 off your order per person.
Briefs Info:
- Website:Â http://www.christmasinleicestersquare.com/whats-on/briefs-close-encounters/
- Tickets from £20.50 (includes £1.50 in fees per ticket)
- Venue: Leicester Square Spiegeltent
- Duration: 100 minutes
- The show runs until January 3rd 2019
*I went to see briefs thanks to a perk via TimeOut London’s Tastemaker program, but I didn’t have to write a review on my blog for it – I genuinely wanted to!*
