Like an explosion in a glitter factory, Fergus Kinnon – camp tramp and lottery game-show winner extraordinaire – burst into Edinburgh making a more flamboyant entrance than Widow Twanky at the Kings in December. I knew I was in for a good, if somewhat unpredictable, day at the Fringe.
Fergus was my camp-tramp guide to the Edinburgh Fringe and we eased our way into our gay day by interviewing Mr Johnny McKnight of Little Johnny’s Big Gay Musical – try saying that one after a few Pina Colada’s at the Pleasance.
I fell in love with 30 year old Johnny after seeing him perform as Mother Goose in panto at the MacRobert Centre Stirling. He was charming, hilarious and had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand, plus he could strut about in a pair of stilettos in a manner that would put Kate Moss to shame.
Little Johnny’s Big Gay Musical tells the story of the many mishaps’ in Johnny’s life. He may be out and proud now, but up until the ripe old age of 24 he was dating ‘wumen’ and when he was 16 he had the rather unfortunate situation of developing one breast! All of these things feature in what is a fantastically vibrant musical, and Johnny is as talented at singing and dancing as he is at putting a comical slant on life.
I discussed Johnny’s breast incident and his experiences at the Fringe but out of the corner of my eye I could see Fergus in his pink feathers longing to get to the nitty gritty of Johnny’s life. He was subliminally saying: “shut up straight women and let the boys banter begin.”
After getting as close to Johnny as he possibly could without sitting on his lap, Fergus enquired about a list of 15 things McKnight had made up, detailing things he had to do before he died. The list included meeting Madonna and having hair like someone from Home and Away. Don’t we all want that darling?!
Fergus had a Mary Poppins style bag with him and magically produced a wig for Johnny, but it was more ‘get away’ than ‘Home and Away’ and Johnny graciously declined. A lovely man with a fantastically energetic and funny show, grab your glitter and head to Little Johnny’s Big Gay Musical at the Pleasance Dome. On every day till the end of the month, apart from Mondays. More info here.
Next on our camp tramp trawl of the Fringe was a meeting with none other than 4 Poofs of 4 Poofs and a Piano fame. I thought I was going to have to sedate Fergus as he was so excited to meet the boys.
The stars of Friday Night with Jonathon Ross, 4 Poofs were delightful and quite possibly the most pleasant bunch of men I have ever met. Why can't straight men be more like the Poofs?
Having seen the poster for their Fringe show where they are dressed in nothing but diamond encrusted sporrans, I knew we were in for a treat. David Roper, David Wickenden, Ian Parkin and Stephen de Martin treated us to tales of the Moulin Rouge and losing their virginity to Can Can dancers (sadly much of the content was too risqué to put online.) They regaled us with tales of kissing Ewan McGregor and their love for 'Loose Woman', Jane MacDonald.
Fergus was clearly in awe and desperate to be the 5th Poof. He produced a High School Musical keyboard from his pink handbag and the Poofs obliged with a rendition of a lovely little ditty called “Do you take it up the a**?” Funny and cheeky yet extremely charming, the song was an indication of what was too come at the 4 Poofs live show.
Camp cabaret at its best is what '4 Poofs: Smoke and Mirrorballs' is all about.
A mixture of their own songs and spoofs of well known classics like Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend”with the words changed to “gay boys are a girls best friend”, this show couldn’t go wrong.
It’s not one for the easily offended as the humour and innuendo is fairly close to the bone, but this romp through the stories of the 4 Poofs lives is a delight. There’s even a moving part when one of the guys tells how his 12 year old son tells people his dad’s “a poof on the telly!”
With modern songs such as The Pussycat Dolls Jai Ho given a touch of the Poof magic, this show is the perfect antidote if you have had a day of Shakespere and conceptual dance. I challenge you not to smile. You can see 4 Poofs and a Piano: Smoke and Mirrorballs show at the Pleasance Courtyard. More information here.
Fergus and I plan to continue to our festival frivolities at the Fringe with The London Gay Men’s Chorus production of Oklahoma! Far From Kansas, on at the Sweet ECA. We look forward to some advice from Rosy Wilbie in Rosy Wilbie: The Science of Sex at the Sweet Grassmarket, and what better way to round off the day than with some gay ukulele playing from Ben Lerman’s Size Matters at Café Renroc.
Have a gay old time at the Fringe.
