Long live the Kings
The performers taking Manchester's drag scene by storm
Drag queens have never been more mainstream, or more divisive. RuPaul's Drag Race has gone from parodying pop culture to being one of its biggest influencers. On both sides of the Atlantic, people of all genders are embracing their artistic and feminine sides to join a rapidly growing community of drag queens.
But where are the drag kings? Drag's masculine performers are yet to see even a fraction of the popularity or mainstream recognition that their sisters experience.
A brief history of drag kings in the UK
There have been drag performances in the UK since at least the 19th century - ‘female impersonation’ was a common music hall act. Crossdressing and gender performance have even earlier roots in Elizabethan theatre, and traditional British pantomimes.
While we all know pantomime for the outrageously fabulous pantomime dame, there is also the male hero. Aladdin and Peter Pan are always played by a young woman. So even in the most classic idea of British drag, kings also play a vital role.
Because men had more freedom to make their own living and pursue the arts, the early drag scene was founded by queens, with ‘male impersonators’ like Vesta Tilley being few and far between. Even when dressed as women, it was still a man’s world.
Drag kings perform, parody, humour and critique cisgender masculinity. Most modern drag kings identify as queer, lesbian, butch, nonbinary or transgender, but there are also some straight women who perform as kings.
The art of ‘kinging’, as some in the scene call it, isn’t limited to one act or style of performance. A drag king show might include lip sync to music or spoken word, live singing, comedy or burlesque.
Lipsyncing and tightly-choreographed dance numbers are more common in American drag, with British performers traditionally singing live or doing stand-up comedy. However, as the influence of the internet and RuPaul’s Drag Race gets stronger each year, the UK scene is starting to reflect American expectations more and more.
Drag king characters range from dapper gentlemen and macho rappers, to camp rockstars and beer-drinking blokes. However, many drag kings don't strictly perform as men. Some personas are androgynous, genderfluid, or not even fully human.
The Vicar's Daughter, an artist based in Salford, describes themself as a 'drag swing' rather than a king or queen. On one night they might be a femme clown with black pouty lipstick, but on another they’re a Tom of Finland inspired leatherman complete with moustache.
Another Manchester king, Seb Aceous, portrays a typical straight lad when in drag. He's unbothered, sarcastic and plagued by girl problems.
Seb Aceous is also the 'Daddy' of the Drag Kings of Manchester, a new collective for performers aged 18-25 based at the University of Manchester.
The Drag Kings of Manchester
Seb formed the Drag Kings of Manchester in October 2022 when he (as Sadie, she/her out of drag) put out a call for any young people who were interested in kinging.
"I wasn’t aware that drag kings even existed, which is quite ironic! It was only when I started the group that I found out about the pre-existing drag world, it was like a gold mine," Sadie explains.
"I had been dressing as a man at any point I could myself, for parties/Halloween etc- I just found it fun and I wasn’t aware that it was something I could actually do as performance. I found drag kings through YouTube and then set the group up based on the premise that if you want to see something then make it yourself."
The warm-up show
It's February 25th 2023, and the Drag Kings of Manchester are gearing up to perform as part of a variety show. The show is fundraising for the Mermaids charity, which supports trans and non-binary children.
It's at The Grove Bar, connected to a block of student accommodation in Fallowfield.
The tables near the bar's sofas are clustered with makeup bags and eyebrow pencils scattered among half-empty beer bottles.
One of the kings, Louise, is doing her makeup to become her sailor alter-ego Tom Buoy. She holds up a compact mirror to check if the foundation looks right. Louise draws on a thin 1920s style moustache with a black felt-tip eyeliner, sketches on a darker jawline, and the illusion starts to come together.
A flash of sequins signals the arrival of another king, Erin. They’re already sporting faux facial hair drawn over high-contrast contoured makeup. It’s Erin’s first performance as their alter-ego Sir Talksalot since joining the Drag Kings of Manchester a month ago.
“I saw a poster that said Drag Kings Of Manchester and was like ‘yeah I’ll try that out!’ I first tried drag when I was about 14, and I tried to make my friends do it with me one time, and they tried it but really weren’t into it.” They explain.
Sir Talksalot is flamboyant, charismatic and a live singer.
“I decided that I wanted to be this kind of cast-out West End performer who was just trying to get on any stage possible, really!”
Tom Buoy, Sir Talksalot and the other Manchester Kings aren’t tonight’s only performers. Several other students have donned a wig or glittery top for the evening - a more spontaneous choice for some than others.
“I’ve been doing drag for, uhh, about one-and-a-half hours now!” Laughs one lad in a fake Southern drawl. He’s wearing fishnets and a flapper dress and, for one night only, has become a country-and-western songstress named Iona Lotta Cash.
At 9pm, people find their way to the seats in front of the bar’s stage, and the lights go down.
Our host for the evening is PHOBIA - a non-binary drag creature currently dressed as a kind of twisted circus ringmaster.
The idea for the Kings’ performance tonight is a live dating-show-meets-pageant, where they each compete for the affection of a girl (a friend of the group).
Sir Talksalot sings Elton John's "I'm Still Standing", while Dandy Dyke relies on his witty banter to win his lady's heart.
Finally, the Kings all come on stage for their ending group performance. They lipsync to One Direction’s ‘Kiss You’, waving red roses in some typically boyband-esque choreography.
The official debut
After months of workshops and rehearsals, it's finally time for the Kings' first self-organised show. Money for the venue and equipment was raised entirely through a fundraiser on their Instagram page.
The lineup includes kings who performed at the Mermaids fundraiser, plus some new recruits. They're also supported by other Manchester drag artists, including the Vicar's Daughter, Laurence Kashmere, and musician Awesome Swelles.
The Kings of Manchester flip the typical drag show lineup on its head by only having one queen in the collective, and letting the kings take centre stage.
Miss Combulated is a drag character in her own right, but within the Kings' performances she gives them an opportunity to parody heterosexuality as they battle for her attention.
The night's performances range from satirical lipsyncs and burlesque numbers, to emotional songs and experimental performance art.
Laurence Kashmere sums up the drag king's plight with a furious lipsync to Bros' "When Will I Be Famous?" directed at a puppet dressed like RuPaul. When he throws the puppet full-force against the venue's brick wall, it gets one of the biggest cheers of the night.
Following the success of their debut cabaret, the Kings of Manchester have received attention and support from drag artists across the UK.
RuPaul's Drag Race UK finalist Cheddar Gorgeous, all-king theatre troupe Pecs, and Manchester's own House of Spice are just some of the artists that recognise the cutting-edge drag coming out of this new collective.
Seb Aceous also competed in MAN UP! 2023 the biggest drag king competition in Europe, hosted at The Glory in London.
The community building around the Kings goes beyond drag performances, though. The Vicar's Daughter is training as a barber, and is offering free haircuts to friends so they can practice. This provides a safe space for women, non-binary and trans people to go and get a masculine haircut without fear of judgement, homophobia or transphobia.
The Kings' next show is another fundraiser - to raise money so a non-binary person Tobey can afford their gender-affirming top surgery.
Haircuts and surgery fundraisers are just two examples of how a strong drag scene strengthens the local queer community as a whole.
The Drag Kings of Manchester may be a new group, but they're already making their mark on the timeline of British drag artists.
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