EditorSWANSEA: Burlesque, drag and circus come to Swansea Grand as all-star cabaret show rolls into town
A South Wales cabaret company is bringing one of its most glittering shows yet to Swansea Grand Theatre this month — and a local drag artist will be taking centre stage alongside some of the UK’s biggest names in burlesque and circus.
The Pearl Revue comes to the Grand Theatre Arts Wing on Saturday 18th April at 7.30pm, promising a night of glamour, comedy and just the right amount of mischief. Tickets are priced at £20.
The show is produced by Quill & Pearl Presents, a South Wales-based theatre and cabaret company, and marks their first ever Swansea appearance. Behind the production is Oola Pearl — one of the stars of the UK burlesque scene and co-producer of the sold-out Wales Burlesque Festival in 2024 — alongside television writer and producer Kit Lambert.
The company has already performed at some of Wales’ most prestigious venues, including Wales Millennium Centre, The Riverfront in Newport, The Globe in Hay-on-Wye and Penarth Pier Pavilion.
Oola Pearl (Image: Cherry Bomb Rock)Oola Pearl said: “Cabaret shows are a brilliant night out — funny, entertaining, sexy, and joyful. We want everyone in Wales to have the opportunity to come along and be part of the glitz and glamour.”
Hosting the evening will be Lilly Snatchdragon, an international, award-winning political comedy drag queen and compere. Her sharp take on how the West stereotypes South East Asian women earned her Best Newcomer at the London Cabaret Awards in 2015, and she has featured in the Top 10 UK’s Most Influential Burlesque Performers every year since — including the number one spot in 2017.
Lilly Snatchdragon (Image: Corrine)FouFouKaboom (Image: Ross Gamble)Taking care of the magic is The Rockstar Magician — known to television audiences from Britain’s Got Talent, Amazon Prime, E4 and Dave — who blends rock classics with more than 20 years of sleight-of-hand experience and sharp comedy timing.
On the burlesque front, FouFou Kaboom — winner of Burlesque Idol 2022 and a festival favourite across Europe — joins Oola Pearl herself on stage. Completing the line-up is Amazí, a Guinness World Record-holding hula-hooper who holds the record for spinning 30 hoops simultaneously around her waist. Originally from East London, Amazí draws on her West African roots to inspire her vibrant costumes and performance style.
The Rockstar Magician (Image: Rick Price)Swansea drag star, Wayne King(Image: Chloe Michelle)Amazi (Image: Ian Bowkett)
But for Swansea audiences there is a particular reason to celebrate the bill. Wayne King — a Swansea-based genderfluid drag artist, live singer and performer — will be making their Pearl Revue debut in their own hometown. Wayne was a finalist in the Dels Derby Cabaret Competition in Cardiff last year and has been building a reputation across South Wales. Quill & Pearl Presents have committed to including an “Introducing” slot in every show to support emerging local talent, and the Swansea date is no exception.
Every Pearl Revue show features a different line-up, but audiences are guaranteed an evening blending circus, burlesque, drag, comedy and magic under one roof. Expect glamour, giggles and just the right touch of mischief.
Previous audiences have called it “the best night out I’ve had in years.”
Tickets for The Pearl Revue at Swansea Grand Theatre’s arts wing on Saturday 18th April are priced at £20 and are available from the Swansea Grand Theatre box office. The show starts at 7.30pm, contains strong language and partial nudity, and is strictly for over-18s.
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