Drag me to Hell: the ghoulish genderf*ckery of drag monsters
Across the north of the UK, performers are embracing the dark side – and evolving drag’s tired gender distinctions while they’re at it WORDS BY JAKE HALL PHOTOGRAPHY DRAVEN AT CRYPTID QUEERS SHEFFIELD, BY ROBYN DEWHURST (@thehappysnappy) It’s a cold and drizzly night in Sheffield, but the cobbled courtyard of Forge Warehouse is packed full of goths in their most extravagant finery.
They’ve braved the weather to witness the glow-up of Cryptid Queers, a beloved event which pairs the country’s most talented drag monsters with DJ sets full of dark, industrial bangers.
It’s the first iteration of Cryptid Queers in the new, mammoth venue, a sign of the night’s rising popularity. Presiding over the sexy, spooky and exhilarating chaos is Cryptid Queers’ founder, self-proclaimed “Prince of Thotness,” King Confuza. “Initially, I created this event as I was struggling to get bookings,” they tell GAY TIMES. “I wanted to create a platform not only for myself, but for other alternative artists in a similar position; events like this give them a chance to be their best, most weird and out-there selves on-stage.” The line-up is stacked, the performances gloriously extra. “Punk, clown, drag entity” Draven issues a cathartic “fuck you” to the state, lip-syncing to a soundtrack of anti-authoritarian classics.
Confuza takes to the stage as a rabid, blood-hungry wolf, a high-energy performance climaxing with the reveal of a giant inflatable lipstick strapped between their legs.
