White Mischief always offers a truly unique, if not bizarre, experience, and Saturday's "Around the World in 80 Days" themed evening didn't disappoint. It wasn't possible for us to see everything, but we got a pretty good taste of the evening and between the over-the-top performances and fancy dress, we saw a few sights we're not soon to forget.
There was music filling the cooridors of Scala, not just from the main rooms but from the landings as well. On one side of the lobby a DJ was spinning and on the other side a band dressed in late 19th century explorer garb played early jazz, while cheerful women with acoustic guitars and Hawaiian leis strummed and swayed just up the stairs. White Mischief does surreal very well.
The MC for the main stage, Miss Behave, provided witty banter between sets, as well as swallowing a sword on stage a running a long-stemmed rose though a piercing hole in her tongue. You can see such lovely and fascinating things when she brings her act to Roundhouse.
We also enjoyed the brief performance by Miss Amundsen, Bipolarexplorer. The only person who could have possibly followed a sword swallower is an accordianist who plays and sings while suspended upside-down by ropes. Sadly, sound problems forced her to cut her set short, but after that taste Londonist is hoping to catch her Apocalypse Gameshow this summer.
A highlight for the evening was certainly the Penny Dreadfuls, the Victorian comedy trio that gave us a reason to talk about Woking for the first time...ever... We're also thinking they might give us a reason to go to Greenwich Theatre for the first time...ever...
Then there was Hooligan Night, whose frontwoman Ruby Blues donned a fabulous blacklight sensitive wig and a dress that threatened ti slip below where it was meant to be (note: the best way to avoid accidentally flashing the audience to is intentionally falsh the audience; people in the front row got a bit more than they bargained for). Wardrobe issues aside, she tossed around her neon pink locks and frock with a big grin on her face and belted out covers by AC/DC and Ministry in a bluesy voice.
But in the end, respect must be paid to curators Tough Love and their energetic, beat heavy, Adam Ant-esque pop. Still bubbly, but perhaps with a bit more edge now, White Mischief wouldn't be quite the same without their unique tribal pop. And, like the rest of the evening, they're all the more fun for their costumes.
Photos by Amanda Farah.
