The term "jaw-dropping" gets bandied about quite a lot these days doesn't it? But it's safe to say there are few shows that will leave you quite as open-mouthed in stunned awe as this Werq the World tour featuring stars of TV phenomenon Ru Paul's Drag Race.
If you've never seen the TV show, presided over by all-conquering queen of drag queens Ru Paul, then where have you been for the past 15 seasons? The huge success of the original American series has gone on to spawn spin-offs around the globe and the popular All Stars series too.
Now, we get to see some of the biggest fan favourites from over the years in this true eleganza extravaganza of an arena show - Werq the World. Finally here after a two-year covid delay, it was most certainly worth the wait.
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The show at the AO Arena is introduced and hosted throughout the night by the hilarious Asia O'Hara, finalist from season 10. She introduces us all to the premise that runs throughout the show of the stage being a large time machine, with her desperate bid to get back to the season 10 finale in a bid to win herself the crown.
"Are you guys excited?" She yells. Erm, yes, just a bit the frenzied screams in reply would assert.
However, the time machine takes us through different portals of time instead - allowing us to enjoy some camp retro themed frolics where stars of past seasons return for truly spectacular lip-syncs and dance routines. I didn't think I'd be getting a history lesson on the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585 via the medium of a twerk versus flamenco dance-off by Lady Camden and Jorgeous, but hey, that's the unimaginable joy of this show.
It's just a non-stop bedazzled flamboyant romp of a night, soundtracked by pure female pop powerhouse anthems. I mean just to set the scene, by only ten minutes in we've had bangers from Lady Gaga, JLo and Fergie already.
But the biggest screams of the first half are reserved for the entrance of one of Drag Race's most famous stars - Miss Vanjie herself, aka Vanessa Vanjie Mateo. Her iconic exit in season 10 and epic return to season 11 has landed her a firm place in Drag Race herstory and she is greeted with roars of approval here in Manchester.
Her dancing and stage presence is simply quite extraordinary, and she romps through a super-powered version of Tweet's Oh My as if she really is lip-synching for her life up there. Her stunning regal red robes are soon stripped off by the muscular dancers to reveal a strappy red bikini thong scenario that shows off her famous toned-and-tucked figure to utter perfection as she throws herself about the stage with admirable dedication to the drag cause.
I mean I've not seen booty-shaking and hair-whipping at this level of intensity since actual Beyonce strutted this very stage in Manchester. Each queen continues with those superstar levels of intensity though - there's never a dull moment in this Werq the World show.
Just when you think they can't throw another shedload of glamour on you, then out flies Plastique Tiara as an actual angel looking out across the area, fluttering her large white feathered wings to gracefully swoop down to the stage. There, she disrobes to show her insanely toned physique in a white bikini, as the scantily clad male dancers hold her aloft.
Returning as a swift alter-ego in black bikini to belt out Ariana's Dangerous Woman is a genius switch-up and she struts and sways with the sass of a 90s supermodel.
And it all gets hilariously interactive too when Asia stomps out into the audience to berate late-comers in a hilarious skit. She then asks for game volunteers to head up on stage for a brilliant Manc lip sync for your life battle.
Click or swipe below for a fabulous photo gallery from the Werq the World tour:-
At first glance the unassuming digital operations manager James does not look a likely winner up against Tik Tok influencer Shaq when they are both selected from the audience. But James wowed us all - even when up against lip sync assassin Jorgeous - with his epic strutting across the stage.
The second half bursts to life with a suitably quirky performance from Yvie Oddly, winner of series 11 and self-proclaimed "commodity of drag oddity". True to form she performs an extraordinary alien-like dance before whipping off her sea anemone gown to reveal a weird creature that stalks the stage and the crowd love it.
Each show on this ongoing European and world tour brings a surprise queen as guest and in Manchester we got to enjoy the talents of Laganja Estranga from season six. She performs a brilliant 1960s style Austin Powers shagadelic section.
The stunning Rosé from season 13 proves she's not only an accomplished lip-sych queen but then proceeds to belt out live vocals that are worthy of her own entire show to be fair, she is quite spectacular. Indeed the whole evening is like watching a procession of pop princesses at the top of their game.
Season 12 winner Jaida Essence Hall ramps up the sizzling sass factor with her brilliant section on a drag queen diamond heist no less, going full Sasha Fierce for her lip-sync to Beyoncé and Cardi B. And the finale takes us, via that time machine, off into the future of 3000 AD where male and females are finally combined into one.
It leads into Lady Camden, the reigning Drag Race queen of season 15, performing perhaps the highlight of the whole night. Her stunning gymnastics and artistry as a sexy robot-lady is ultimately transformed for her to become smooth chested he-man - complete with a glitter moustache.
It's art meets pop and it's just quite unlike anything I've seen on this Arena stage before. Drag Race has pushed many boundaries since its inception back in 2009, and it's great to see this Werq the World tour continue in that tradition on an epic stage here.
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