Benthic Zone and Doxxie Phisher are back and with a UFO theme. Will the audience be probed?
It's a testament to my wife that when I asked her on a date night to a cellar, she didn’t bat an eyelid. After all, I've asked her to go to odder places for the sake of journalism. There is a method behind my madness because when Leftlion asked if anyone wanted to review the Nightmare! Nightmare! Kill! Kill! at the Lord Roberts I jumped.
This is genuinely one of the most fun, chaotically fantastic drag shows I’ve seen in a while. I wasn’t sure what to expect, given that in my pre-show interview with the hosts, Doxxie Phisher and Benthic Zone, they mentioned previous shows have included pirates and bees. The theme changes each show, so this time, we found ourselves ascending into space shortly after we descended into the basement.
Hosts Benthic Zone and Doxxie Phisher have a quick sense of humour and infectious energy that spills over into the crowd. A crowd, that I must note, had not come to play when it came to the looks. I was served sharp eyeliners and David Bowie-esque thunderbolt makeups. They didn’t have to be asked twice to get involved with what is an exceptionally interactive show, joining in the singing and games.
A personal favourite was the cow abduction game
Each show, there is a new guest, and this time it was Axolotl full-throttle, the Midlands’ very own drag king heart-throb. It was a joy to watch them clearly have a blast on stage in a space-themed act that featured an alien wedding and, ahem, wedding night. Not your average Thursday night out.
A personal favourite was the cow abduction game. Two random contestants were plucked from the audience to battle it out to see who could abduct the most farm animals using a fish rod. Silly, yet perfectly on-theme fun. Somehow, we came home with one of the cows, yet we still have no idea how.
Doxxie Phisher’s drag reminded me strongly of the cyberpunks and goths I knew in the early noughties. They had a clear sense of character, comedic timing and theme which made their performance really enjoyable to watch. The same could also be said of Benthic Zone, who chugged a jar of what we hope was yoghurt on stage. Their quick wit was sharp, engaging and also confident. It was impossible not to laugh along, but also get involved in the singing.
It’s a clear fan favourite show too, given how many of the audience had not only been before but also engaged with previous gags. This was evident by how many shouted out previous jokes, or affectionately heckled and enjoyed volunteering for games. Both hosts are gentle with their audience as well. It was a change to watch audience members being given the choice of participating or told to tap on the microphone if they didn’t want to answer any questions. As neurodivergent drag fans, we appreciated that.
All in all, the show was a light-hearted bit of fun, which is exactly the type of lift (off) we could all use in the current climate. The show doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is the absolute charm of it. A chance to climb abroad and transport yourself into a lighter orbit for a while.
NIGHTMARE! NIGHTMARE! KILL! KILL! performed at the Lord Roberts on Thursday 11th September 2025.
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