DRAG acts and a drag wrestling cabaret night are among the highlights of a festival celebrating LGBTQ+ arts and culture in Bradford.
Right Queer Right Now (RQRN) is taking place on the University of Bradford campus over two successive weekends in February and March.
It will coincide with LGBT+ History Month in February and marks the first festival since the pandemic.
The first weekend of shows and activities is between Friday, February 23 and Sunday, February 25.
The festival will conclude with a second weekend from Friday, March 1, to Sunday, March 3.
What to expect
The events will take place across the University of Bradford campus as well as Theatre in the Mill Studio, Gallery II and the Amp Bar inside Student Central.
Bradford South Asian drag queen Lady Bushra will host a feast of Indian Burmese vegan food for 50 people.
Musician and writer Ding Frisby will present part of a one-person show, ‘Ding Frisby Can’t Drive A Spaceship’.
OUT OUT will collaborate with Pecs Collective, one of the UK's longest-running drag king projects to celebrate 'Black is King'.
It will give you a chance to see some of the UK's most exciting drag artists.
Jenn Wilson will dissect what are seen as traditionally heterosexual love songs.
Shabina Aslam, associate director at Theatre in the Mill, said: “I’m really excited about this collaboration with Sonia Sandhu and Alice Parsons who are local producers and are co-curating this festival.
“Alongside them we have our long-term partners Marlborough Productions who are known for their cutting edge, risk taking, genre-defying artists. So, I’m expecting a fun-filled festival with a radical strand, workshops, an intergenerational cafe, parties and the sharing of new ideas around queer research and creativity.
“It’s going to be absolutely exciting, original and risk-taking with an additional queer, trans, people of colour focus.
“This festival is needed because of ongoing marginalisation, discrimination and homophobia experienced by LGBTQIA+ artists.”
Usman Ahmed looks to break down misconceptions about being South Asian and queer in ‘South Asian Queer Joy’, from 8pm.
Grappling fans will also be catered for on Saturday, March 2, when CAMP Wrestling holds a workshop and drag wrestling show.
Held at the Amp Bar, the workshop will start from 2pm and the wrestling show - including matches, burlesque and drag acts - will take place between 8pm and 11.30pm.
Marikiscrycrycry will also perform during the second weekend of the festival.
Otherwise known as Malik Nashad Sharpe, the choreographer and movement director will blend dance and dark fantasy.
In 2022 he was featured on the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 list for his choreographic achievements.
Malik’s new shows include a horror-themed choreography piece, looking at themes including alienation, migration and violence.
Emerging Bradford artist Anas Data will be deliving into what it means to be a DL man in the British South Asian community. Short for ‘down-low’, DL is a term for queer men who may not practise, identify or acknowledge their queer identity.
To buy tickets visit www.theatreinthemill.com/rightqueerrightnow
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