An uproarious and subversive antidote to mainstream merriment
Combining Thick & Tight’s signature mix of dance, drag, mime, lip-syncing and satire, Camp as Christmas affectionately trashes the festive season, providing an uproarious and subversive antidote to mainstream merriment. Camp as Christmas is part of the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary programme.
Featuring a classic nativity cast including the Virgin Mary, Father Christmas, Reform UK, Judy Garland, Three Unwise Men, Big Ben, the turkey, Melania Trump and her body double, the Devil, Little Donkey, Liza and Jesus … Expect Thick & Tight’s singular take on show tunes, the avant-garde, lightning quick changes and possibly a carol.
Starring in these roles are Thick & Tight’s own Daniel Hay-Gordon and El Perry, with guest performers Annie Edwards (Candoco) and Harry Alexander (Michael Clark).
The atmosphere will be celebratory, inclusive and queer, striking a few festive notes while adding a good dollop of irreverence to the conventions of the season.
Daniel and El say:
“When 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.
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, showbiz and avant-garde, anti-elite and exceptional. Political AND entertaining AND accessible. Camp as Christmas will keep bouncing between these seeming opposites as that is what we love and what entertainment is to us.
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’s list (we’re 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’re always relevant and part of our culture for very good reasons.
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!”
Aaron Wright, Head of Performance & Dance at the Southbank Centre says: “The 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’s festive season. Our programming always seeks to offer new and existing audiences unique cultural experiences and Camp as Christmas is certainly no exception – expect a distinctively sizzling evening of cabaret dance, charm and cheer!”
Southbank Centre –
Purcell Room – 10 December 2026 – 3 January 2027
Booking and full details: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/thick-tight-camp-as-christmas/
