Lil Wenker: Bangtail
★★★★
Billed as an ‘epic tale of a man in search of his manhood’, Lil Wenker is Bangtail, a gun-toting, cigar-smoking cowboy who rides in on an invisible horse with the sound of a spoon clanging around their ankles, setting the scene for an hour of high-octane clown chaos in this western set comedy show. Â
‘Bonkers’ is the word that first springs to mind when describing this incredible little show by UK clown, comic and drag king Lillian Wenker. It’s a show for anyone searching for deep belly laughs, but be warned, it is not one for those who recoil at the idea of audience interaction.
Wenker has undeniable star power and stage presence. Often drag kings are overlooked in this era of Ru Paul – which is a shame, because this niche area of performance often provides the most subversive of experiences.
Lil Wenker: Bangtail is not short of the subversive. The narrative swings wildly, leaving the audience in a frenzy of wild conjecture. Soon, each member of the audience is drawn in for their respective cameos. Another measure of Wenker’s talent is the audience’s unbridled enthusiasm, though this writer does wonder how well this show would go with a less receptive audience.
Nonetheless an excellent late-night show that deserves all the success and support.Â
Lil Wenker: Bangtail will be performed at The Motley Bauhaus until 6 April 2025 as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF 2025).
Steve Porters, How to Flirt: The Ted XXX Talk
★★★1/2
Drag kings are certainly having their moment this MICF, another one is UK Comic Steve Porters (aka Daisy Doris May).
Presented as a Ted X talk of sorts, Porters serves up a lesson in ‘how to pick up chicks’ in this tight little show, which, much like Bangtail, relies heavily on audience interaction.Â
Presented through physical comedy, dance and PowerPoint displays, the show gets the mix just right.
Some of the material does, however, become repetitive. Although its broader messages around consent is important, it could have gone much deeper at its peak to elevate the humour.
It may try to be a masterclass in performance, but the tropes in this show are nothing new and it does struggle to reinvent the wheel.
Although a highly entertaining show, as with Lil Wenker: Bangtail you’d wonder about its success if performed in front of a less receptive audience.Â
Steve Porters, How to Flirt: The Ted XXX Talk will be performed at the Lunch Room at Melbourne Town Hall until 6 April 2025 as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF 2025).
