Features / Drag
Review: Alyssa’s Search for a Star
Alyssa’s Search for a Star delivered an incredible night of entertainment.
With the support of a delighted crowd, four fledgeling drag artists vied for a place in the final and a spot on the drag cabaret stage at Pride 2019.
Hosted by Alyssa van Delle, the crowd in the Old Market Assembly were soon clapping and cheering after her beautifully performed and hilariously staged renditions of Cher’s Fernando, Lou Bega’s You Wanna Be Americano and Shirley Bassey’s Goldfinger.
The crowds waved as Alyssa belted out Cher’s Fernando
Alyssa explained that the two best performers of the night would go head-to-head in a lip-sync challenge. The winner would not only claim a spot in the next Category Is drag night on Saturday, November 10, but also get the chance to compete in the Search for a Star grand finale and perform at next year’s Bristol Pride.
The crowd that filled the Old Market Assembly were like a supportive family squeezed into a living room. From the mums around one table to the cheering audience on the balcony above, the night was uplifting before the acts made it to the stage. By the time they did, everyone had leapt to their feet.
Alyssa says the show can help to develop young drag talent in Bristol
After critiquing the singing, dancing and lip-syncing, the judges deliberated and returned Jessica Jungle and Quiches Lorraine to the stage for a lip-sync battle. With Ariana Grande’s Greedy booming through the venue, the towering platinum-blonde Jessica dropped into the splits, flipped her hair and crawled across the stage.
Not to be outdone, Quiches twirled, whirled and sprinkled shake ‘n’ vac to tidy-up proceedings.
So good were Jessica and Quiches that the judges put them both forward to the grand finale.
This drag talent show may only have started this year, but it has established itself quickly and is proving the pool of drag talent in Bristol is deeper still.
Read more: The Bard beyond binaries
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