Have you ever wished art classes had a little more… sass? Do you love life-drawing but hate the feel of those stale, silent studios? Then you need Drag and Draw in your life, a spectacular fusion of life drawing and drag show, coming to Brighton Fringe from May 2 to 4.
The Venue
The Bee’s Mouth Bar, Music Venue and Gallery is a unique and unforgettable spot, centrally placed on the bustling Western Road, Upstairs, you can expect soft-lighting, a great range of beers and cocktails, and eccentric decor.
Hidden downstairs, the basement venue undergoes a glamorous transformation of its own: with the help of soft, coloured lighting and background music; it becomes a sultry speakeasy for the night, perfect for our model’s equally sultry and sassy poses.
The Vibe
Putting the form in performance was our spectacular Queen for the night: Taffy Taffy. Stunning in black lipstick, leopard print, leather and an electric fountain of blue hair, she dazzled us with both her poses and her performance.
The night started with her first lip-sync performance, broken up with brief, powerful minute-long poses for us to draw; this may sound short, but was actually the perfect length for us to get a feel for the charcoal and its movements.
Then, our fab facilitators guided us through with a variety of exercises, from gesture-pieces, non-dominant hand work, and continuous line drawing to an audience-led storyboard activity, where we gave Taffy prompts on how to tell a story through poses. Along the way, we received a range of useful tips, examples and encouragements, as well as a classic double-entendre or two!
Pair this with a Dark ‘N’ Stormy cocktail from upstairs, and some audience participation in a boogie or two, and we had the perfect recipe for fun-filled, yet genuinely informative art class.
For me, the highlight was the final ten-minute pose, featuring a Q&A with Taffy, which offered a wonderful insight into the world of drag, make-up, and the sense of community on offer, including top tips for ‘Baby Drags’ and the Drag-Curious.
The Verdict\
My experience of Drag and Draw was a welcoming, inclusive and pressure-free way to dip my toes into the world of life drawing. With the help of Taffy, the Team and a poppin’ soundtrack, we learned to go with the flow, let our hands do the thinking and engage with the curves and lines of the body in a whole new setting.
So, whether you’re a life-long lover or brand new to the Drag scene, Drag and Draw is a surefire way to put some heart back into the world of art.
Drag and Draw will be at Brighton Fringe for the second year running in 2025. Performances are held at The Bees’ Mouth at 5pm and 6.30pm on Sunday May 3, and 5pm on Monday, May 4.
Tickets: https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/drag-draw/
Website: https://www.draganddraw.com/
