Commissioned by the Southbank Centre as part of its 75th anniversary programme, the new production promises an alternative take on the festive season, combining dance, drag, mime, lip-syncing and satire in Thick & Tight\u2019s distinctive style.<\/p>\n
Described as an \u201cuproarious and subversive antidote to mainstream merriment\u201d, the show affectionately dismantles festive traditions while celebrating camp culture, queer performance and seasonal excess.<\/p>\n
The eclectic cast of characters includes the Virgin Mary, Father Christmas, Judy Garland, Sarah Ferguson, the Devil, Little Donkey, Three Unwise Men, Pigs in Blankets, Liza and Baby Jesus, alongside appearances from Reform UK. Thick & Tight co-directors Daniel Hay-Gordon and El Perry will perform alongside guest artists.<\/p>\n
The production aims to create a celebratory, inclusive and queer atmosphere, blending festive entertainment with a healthy dose of irreverence.<\/p>\n
Daniel and El say:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the Southbank Centre invited us to create a Christmas show for the Purcell Room, we knew exactly what the assignment was: An hour of non-stop entertainment utilising everything we have learnt as performers and choreographers. In a way, it will be a bit like returning to our roots. Though El and I trained in ballet and contemporary dance at Rambert, as theatre makers, we began developing our style while performing in gay bars and queer venues.<\/p>\n
We combined the rigour and physicality of dance with what was going on around us like drag, lip-syncing and live art. We love to make work which exists somewhere between high and low art, campy yet refined, outrageous and gorgeous, strange and silly. Camp as Christmas will keep bouncing between these seeming opposites as that is what we love and what entertainment is to us.<\/p>\n
For years, Thick & Tight have created portraits of famous and infamous people: Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, Freud, Madonna, Andy Warhol, the Kardashians, Quentin Crisp and more. Camp as Christmas will have a whole new troupe of stars, some from the classical nativity cast and modern additions. We also want the show to celebrate everything that is wonderful and awful about the times we are living in; expect to see those that have been naughty and nice on Santa\u2019s list (we\u2019re looking at you Andrew and Farage). This is also going to be a wonderful excuse to try our turn at some of the pinnacles of camp culture like Judy Garland and Liza, they\u2019re always relevant and part of our culture for very good reasons.<\/p>\n
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We want this show to be a great alternative show at Christmas time, for anyone who loves to watch dance, a panto or a carol concert but wants them all wrapped in one. A show which satirises and gift-wraps the season for you. We love to give audiences exactly what they want and hope they leave both giddy and stuffed to the brim!\u201d<\/p>\n
Aaron Wright, Head of Performance & Dance at the Southbank Centre, said: \u201cThe Southbank Centre is an engine of creativity: a home for artists to be their most adventurous and create extraordinary new work. As longstanding fans of Thick & Tight, we are thrilled to commission, Camp as Christmas, and present it centre stage as part of the Southbank Centre\u2019s festive season. Our programming always seeks to offer new and existing audiences unique cultural experiences and Camp as Christmas is certainly no exception \u2013 expect a distinctively sizzling evening of cabaret dance, charm and cheer!\u201d<\/p>\n
Founded in 2012, Thick & Tight has built a reputation for creating queer-focused dance theatre that challenges artistic and social conventions. The company, led by Daniel Hay-Gordon and El Perry, has presented work at venues including Sadler\u2019s Wells, Wilton\u2019s Music Hall, Tate and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, while earning major industry recognition including a UK Theatre Award and an Offie.<\/p>\n
Camp as Christmas runs from 10 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with a press night on 11 December. The production is recommended for audiences aged 15+ and has a running time of one hour.<\/p>\n