Tom Waits may not be the most obvious reference point for a drag show, but Mr Brake Down makes a convincing case for him as a queer icon in this tribute show.  The first thing that becomes apparent is that Brake Down has more or less nailed the voice, going all in on the gravel-throated singer and sounding like he’s dragging each note out of the junkyard.

While a surprising amount of the audience have no idea who Waits is, Brake Down does a great job in inviting us into his world and explaining why this weird blues singer was an idol for them as a young queer kid. Without a narrative, things feel slightly stilted, and a music tribute show without live instruments does always run the risk of veering into karaoke. Brake Down’s warmth keeps things right, though, and the ramshackle nature of this hour ends up befitting his idiosyncratic hero. 

Mr Brake Down: Doom And Glitter, Paradise In Augustines, until 15 August, 8.45pm; main picture: James Klug.