THERE is not exactly a shortage of drag performances in the UK these days, but this week, Colchester will see a different kind of drag cast take to the stage at the city’s Mercury Theatre.

On Thursday, April 6, Neurodelicious Does Drag will performed by a cast of professional artists who all have brain differences such as autism, Asperger’s, OCD, Tourette’s, ADHD, Irlen syndrome, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia.

The show will include all the essential components of drag shows – song, dance, storytelling, improv theatre, and poetry – but as always, the costumes will likely be one of the defining elements of the show.

Gazette: New take – Tinderella is one of the characters in the drag showNew take – Tinderella is one of the characters in the drag show (Image: Affinity PR)

Some of the themes in the performance will be for those over the age of 18.

Tickets, which are currently on sale via bit.ly/40zNr1j, cost £13 per person.

But what does a cast of neurodivergent actors offer a drag show which is different to what a standard cast would offer?

Hannah Aria, a multi-disciplinary artist who herself has ADHD, uses the term ‘zone of genius’ to describe how Neurodelicious offers a kind of performance which, because of its cast, presents something unique to audiences.

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

She said: “Neurodelicious shows celebrate neurodivergence and the range of performance flavours that neurodivergent artists bring.

“Drag is just one of many flavours that will be showcased by the performance movement – everyone in the collective is continually developing and expanding their creative skillset but we want to showcase each individual’s zone of genius.

Read more:

• Colchester student ran mass Royal Mail text scam operation which cost people £70,000

• Here is when bin and recycling collections will happen in Colchester over Easter

• Last ditch bid to save children’s respite centre in Colchester as review planned

“My own ADHD-inspired Drag character, Dee Straction, emerged as a result of a Suffolk Pride Drag Workshop at DanceEast a couple of years ago, led by Drag Queen Shar Cooterie."

She added: “Dee was born on stage at London’s biggest arts festival in February, so it feels appropriate and very exciting to be returning to the Mercury to present the fully-fledged Dee Straction as part of Neurodelicious Does Drag.”

Jonathon Prestney, an arts industry performer, added: “Neurodelicious Does Drag celebrates all kinds of personalities and allows the audience to live vicariously through our eccentric Drag personas. We hold a flamboyant, safe space that we’d love you to  experience and marvel in.”