Saturday 23 November 2024

£7.50
Date

Saturday 23 November 2024

Tickets

£7.50

Age Guidance

18+

Category

Workshops

Space

Committee Rooms
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It’s Pecs Drag Kings 10 year anniversary and baby, we’ve brought you all a special celebratory present – Pecs: A Drag King Festival

Join us in our love letter celebrating the Drag King community – a whole day extravaganza filled with drag king masterclasses from some of the best in the scene, panels with legendary kings and drag practitioners, exhibitions showcasing drag king history and a queer market. Then settle in for the evening and put on your birthday crown as Pecs bring you a special anniversary cabaret.

On this page you can purchase tickets to the workshops on offer. Use the tabs below to find out more about each one.

For more information about the full festival, including all the free events, and for tickets to the evening Anniversary Show, click here.

£20 Ticket offer: Book a workshop and a ticket to the evening Anniversary Show and save £10. Just add tickets to your basket and the discount will apply automatically.

Supported by Arts Council England

WORKSHOP PROGRAMME

12pm: Storytelling with Sound and Movement (click to read more)
12pm: Black is King (click to read more)
12:30pm: Drag Kings and Things (click to read more)
3pm: Mansformation (click to read more)
3:30pm: Aesthetics of Kinging (click to read more)
3:30pm: Going Pro (click to read more)

Click to read more about each workshop

Storytelling with Sound and Movement with Sigi Moonlight

12pm - 1.30pm
Small Committee Room 

Join Sigi Moonlight in this workshop that combines practical know-how on mixing audio for acts, with exploring the embodiment of character with sound.

Ever wanted an on-point piece of choreo that works with a seamlessly mixed track? Then this is the workshop for you. Sigi will show you what to do and avoid when mixing audio for acts, including technical know how in constructing audio and mixing. You’ll then explore techniques for storytelling through movement and sound, and how to inspire interesting physical visuals through your acts.

What you will learn:

  • Audio construction
  • Character embodiment through sound
  • Physical storytelling

What you should bring:

  • Water
  • Clothes you can move in
  • Optional: Act ideas

About the Workshop Leader

Sigi Moonligh is a member of Pan-Asian Cabaret Collective The Bitten Peach and the Drag King Collective Pecs. They have performed all over from clowning around at Glastonbury to bringing inflatable penis fights to Shakespeare’s Globe. They are known for mixing suave, sophisticated boylesque with clowning and politics so outrageous that they were once banned from performing in Canada.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Barry Badass will no longer be co-leading this workshop.

Black is King A Drag King Workshop for Black and POC Performers

12pm - 2pm
Medium Committee Room 

Black is King is a drag king workshop created by the Black Kings of Pecs for Black and POC individuals, offering a space to explore gender, heritage, and culture through the art of drag. This workshop will provide tools and guidance around blending individuals' experiences and self expression into their own distinct drag performances.

Attendees will learn how to harness the power of their bodies, mannerisms, music, and aesthetics to create powerful drag performances to reflect their identities and backgrounds. From embodying masculinity to challenging societal norms, the workshop provides tools to shape performances that resonate deeply with the performer and their community.

There will also be space to delve into the socio-political climate of the drag scene. Through the lens of Black and POC experiences, advice and guidance will be provided around navigating the challenges of existing and working in predominantly white spaces, and how to take up space!

Whether you're new to drag or looking to deepen your practice, Black is King will provide a supportive environment to explore and celebrate your identity through drag.

What you should bring:

TBC

About the Workshop Leader

Shardeazy Afrodesiak - the Gender Bending Drag Ting ready to explode their energy all over you!

Busting into the drag scene with no apologies, this thought-provoking, Gender Bending Drag King uses their platform to express and deconstruct topics of race, gender and sexuality through music, dance and fierce af lipsyncing! The mixed heritage, thicc, King n Ting is a powerful gender-fluid entity defying the rules of socio/hetero norms!

First Runner up of Man Up! - Europe’s largest Drag King Competition - Shardeazy has exploded on stages all over the UK and internationally (including UK Pride’s; national and international Festivals; official award shows; theatre shows, corporate events and many more.)

Drag Kings and Things: Developing Drag for Trans and Non-Binary Folx with John Travulva

12.30pm - 2pm
Large Committee Room 

Take a regal dip into building a drag character with gender-queer King John Travulva in this brand new workshop for trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming folk! You’ll get to talk through creating a drag alter-ego without any binary boloney and start on the path to donning your own crown. We’ll chat about creative fulfilment, prinx-ly practicalities and how to take up a royal amount of space.

This workshop is open to all trans*, non-binary, questioning, gender fluid and gender non-confirming folk.

What you will learn:

  • Building a drag character outside of gender binaries
  • Practicalities around binding, make up and aesthetics
  • Advocating for yourself as a trans* performer

What you should bring: 

  • Questions!
  • Character Ideas

Mansformation: Beginners Drag Workshop with Thrustin Limbersnake

3pm - 4.30pm
Large Committee Room 

Are you curious to beef up your butch side? Are you crazy for all things camp? Are you desperate to find your inner ‘man’?

If that’s a resounding yes, then head on down to our classic Pecs “Mansformation” workshop aimed at all you curious cats and eager beavers who are new to drag kinging.

Our very own Thrustin’ will get your creative juices flowing and confidence sky-rocketing with their toolkit of tips and treats that will leave you wanting more!

What you will learn:

  • Intro to Drag King History
  • How to Walk the Walk on that Catwalk
  • Fire up your Lipsync & fierce facial expressions
  • Find your Drag King Persona!

All are welcome

What you should bring:

  • Clothes to move in
  • Water
  • Ideas you might have about your King!

Aesthetics of Kinging: All skin tones make-up workshop with Victor Victorious and Mr Wesley Dykes

3.30pm - 5pm
Medium Committee Room 

In this workshop you will have an introduction to drag makeup and aesthetics, the history and modern influences. You will explore where you could be drawing your inspiration from, and what resources will help you to practise your skills.

You will leave with a good understanding of what a basic makeup kit could look like, and what inclusive brands and sources will help you to get started on a budget.

You will gain an overview of the technical steps and products involved in completing a drag makeup look, including tips and tricks and a Q&A.

What you will learn:

  • Introduction to drag king makeup: history, modern context and inspiration
  • Debunking myths: when to ignore social media
    Your kit: how to compile a budget friendly, tone inclusive kit for beginners
  • Tips and tricks: how to master the tricky bits - a good base, creating structure in the face, using colour, creating the illusion of hair
  • Extras: adding hair, gems and lashes
  • Q&A

What you should bring:

  • Any products you’ve been struggling to work with
  • Any tools you’re not sure how to use
  • Inspiration pictures
  • Questions!

About the Workshop Leaders

Vic / Victor Victorious is a drag king, professional costume maker and teacher with over 10 years of experience in makeup for performance and photography. They particularly love drawing inspiration from historical, vintage and fantasy influences to create their looks.

Wesley Dykes is a proud member of the esteemed Cocoa Butter Club, who has been slaying stages across the UK and the world since 2012. Sometimes he’s your favourite rapper, sometimes he’s your favourite storyteller, but he’s always your friendly neighbourhood fxckboi. Everything you want without any of the consequences - it’s Mr Wesley Dykes!

Going Pro: Building a Brand with Loose Willis

3.30pm - 5pm
Small Committee Room 

How can you use tone of voice, visual identity, audience connection and your core values to develop your presence as a drag performer? What are some practical steps you can take to communicate professionally with bookers to stand out in an oversaturated drag market? This workshop will help you to identify ways you can convert your unique qualities as a performer into a consistent tone that you can utilize across your act development process, aesthetic and online presence, as well as exploring ways of building a reputation as a reliable performer.

This workshop includes written and verbal exercises, as well as open discussions and a Q+A. It is suited to performers who have an established understanding of their drag character that they would like to explore further and some live performance experience.

What you will learn:

  • Finding your niche as a performer
  • Building online & personal brand
  • Dragmin!

What you should bring:

  • Photos/Videos of your drag
  • Notebook
  • Questions!

About the Workshop Leader

Loose Willis is an award-winning drag king who serves rock ’n’ roll scuzz, high-camp glamour and comedy excellence. With 10 years of experience on the UK and international cabaret scene, this dirty rotten scoundrel is a dynamic stand-up, compère, boylesquer, costume maker and more. He is a Creative Associate of Pecs; co-runner and host of Fist Club, a queer professional wrestling show and a recurring cast member for Slaystation, a video game themed drag cabaret.

Recent clients include: The Shakespeare Association of America, The Barbican, Torture Garden, Soho Theatre, Southbank Centre and Picturehouse Cinemas.

He can't wait to get Loose for you!

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