We peaked through the looking-glass at Revolution de Cuba for an evening of art, theatre and expression with Niche Artefact's fabulously captivating Alice in Wonderland themed stage show and exhibition...
Official Pride month is over, but Nottingham’s is blessed with two, with our big event just around the corner. June kicked off with an artistic explosion, when creative collective Niche Artefact invited you to a quintessentially Queer extravaganza. LeftLion bagged a front row seat to give you the lowdown on why you should clear your diary for their next show ASAP.
From the outset, the crowd were greeted with a sea of sparkles that floated across the stage in the form of contemporary dance. This was combined with an energising setlist of songs, including the Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit. The performers visually invited us to take a ‘trip’ into the world of Alice in Wonderland – but make it Queer, OK.
David Beer, co-host and choreographer, entered the stage and warmed the crowd up with comedic chat and cheer prompts. He is joined by Robin De Silva, founder and co-host, who introduced us to the story of Niche Artefact, he said, “It is something you can’t put your hand on, it’s just a feeling.” By the end of the show, I concur, that I couldn't have put it better myself!
Next to the stage was Dani Magic & Milady Burlesque, they gave us a bendy, acrobatic fungi performance. A unique exhibition of choreography, with Milady’s use of costume to imitate the caterpillar being a personal highlight. There’s something about the smooth, elasticated material that was visually a sensory heaven. The song choices were on-point, and the inclusion of Spice Girls made it impossible not to sing along.
Insert Bobbie Dazzler... Add a touch of RENT, some hilariously choreographed puppetry, and a splash of unashamedly woke politics. Mix it all together, and whallah you have yourself a room full of grinning Cheshire cats.
A swift change up moved the audience on, from cheesy grins, to watery eyes as the next performer, Serena Eadon delighted the audience with their theatrically emotive tone.
Insert Bobbie Dazzler... Add a touch of RENT, some hilariously choreographed puppetry, and a splash of unashamedly woke politics. Mix it all together, and whallah you have yourself a room full of grinning Cheshire cats.
We quickly moved onto the spunky, upbeat show piece from Ro De La Monja, who wowed the audience with their eye-catching, gorgeous Cheshire cat-esque costume. It was paired with the poignant lyrics in Simple Joys, “Than a girl who never learns how to be free.” The longing for freedom, and a lyrical gender-change subtly implied a theme of fluidity – incredibly apt for Niche’s non-binary artist.
Bringing in the first half we saw a Queer-take on the iconic crochet scene from the film from Carrie and Milady. The Queen of Hearts was as angry as ever, all whilst ‘Flappy the Flamingo’ dreamt of their escape. It was a comedic showcase of fun; looking around there wasn’t a glum face in the house. And the real cherry on the cake of this performance was Milady’s burlesque show, which (of course) went down an absolute storm.
The next part is what made the event so unique - the art auction. The hosts took us around various pieces, introduced the artist, and explained the story behind their creation. Each one was followed by a classic British drumroll, and then the big reveal. The variety was refreshing, all had drawn inspiration from the theme of Alice in Wonderland, yet no two pieces were the same. It included traditional paint work, sketches, interactive art, and poetry, it was hard to pick a favourite. The best bit – all the art was up for a silent auction, disruption free and accessible, it’s a great addition to an already thrilling evening.
Once everyone settled back down to their seats with a drink, the second half commenced. We were thrust straight back into whimsical Wonderland, with a hilarious Mad Hatter set. Tiny Tim’s spooky Tiptoe Through the Tulips accompanied PSK’s act, complete with a cucumber (handed to yours truly, may I add). It was impossible to turn away; the perfect setup for the heartbreaking solo that followed – Serena Eadon’s rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Unexpected Song. Serena captivated the audience with their emotive passion that seeped into the song. If you looked around at that moment, it’s likely you’d have spotted a tear or two.
Though, you needn’t worry, the sadness didn’t linger, as arguably the most amusing moment of the night began. Carrie on Love stole the show, dressed as the ‘Drink Me’ bottle. They performed to a mash up of Queer anthems - think Electric Six’s Gay Bar, with a plethora of tongue-in-cheek jokes that left the crowd in tears (again), though this time from laughing.
Before the show came to a close, we saw another beautifully elegant performance of Girl in the Bubble from Ro and Milady. Shortly followed by a Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee interpretative dance, of artistic flamboyance from Jackie Paper.
It brought a sense of pride to see the scope and expression and talent our city has; it was a hefty challenge to stop myself from bidding on them all.
A second break to view the remaining art began, again it was a real WOW-factor of the event. It brought a sense of pride to see the scope and expression and talent our city has; it was a hefty challenge to stop myself from bidding on them all.
And then it was time for the finale; let me tell you it was a good one! Niche Artefact’s five vocalists grouped together and treated the crowd to their acapella debut. The crowd understood the assignment and remained quiet throughout. An eerie and powerful choice of Mad World was a perfectly fitting way to end a fantastical evening, of what could only be described as truly Niche!
You can find Nice Artefact on Instagram @nicheartefact, plus tickets for their August Seven Deadly Sins themed show are on sale now.
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