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Séayoncé Déjà Voodoo

Dull drag hour with dated humour
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Séayoncé Déjà Voodoo

Dull drag hour with dated humour

The current popularity of drag has, unfortunately, encouraged many artists to develop hour-long shows based on a flimsy, kitsch conceit, crude humour and lazy characterisation. Séayoncé Déjà Voodoo is a half-baked persona – a sex-obsessed and semi-competent medium – relying heavily on self-consciously poor puns, a vague narrative about a love affair with William Shakespeare (in puppet form) and jokes about genitals and the silliness of the séance. Despite Séayoncé's commitment to the role – she gets her genitals out for the crowd – there is little wit or thought in this hour, and the Beyoncé bit is right at the end as the finale of a montage of what could almost be lip-synching, but might just be bad choreography.

The basics of Séayoncé Déjà Voodoo are over-familiar: the drag act that is rude, recycling an old-fashioned comedy with a veneer of irony, and getting the crowd involved in slightly uncomfortable teasing. But Séayoncé lacks the dynamism or sardonic, cutting wit of the better drag acts or cabaret comperes: even the crowd interaction is badly managed, with awkward pauses and slow reactions.

Assembly George Square, until 25 Aug, 10.20pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

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