Death Drop At Birmingham Alexandra Review

Reviewed by Lindsay Burton

Murder Starring Ru-Paul US drag legends Willam and Ra’Jah O’Hara and a full cast of leading drag performers, Death Drop is the Smash-Hit, Five Star, Drag Murder Mystery direct from the West End! ‘A Dazzling and delightfully camp comedy’ that is ‘Jam-packed with hilarious one liners’, Death Drop is the guaranteed laugh-out-loud comedy we all
need right now.

Set in 1991, a gaggle of guests gather on the mysterious Tuck Island for a dinner party like no other. The tension rises as the outrageous guests reveal their questionable pasts and hidden secrets. As the ferocious finger pointing and savage speculation begins, one by one they sashay away, until at the last, nerve-shredding, side-splitting moment we find out who-dunnit!

Also starring Drag Race UK Star Vinegar Strokes who reprises her originating West End role and Drag Race Down Under’s Karen from Finance, Death Drop is ‘a brilliant new comedy’ and this rampant, raucous, ridiculous romp of a murder mystery serves up all the drama, comedy, twists and turns you’ll ever need!

This is exactly how the show was described and exactly what I had in mind when we settled into our seats at The Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham. Unfortunately, this was not all the show had to offer! The show starts with Lady von Fistenberg (Vinegar Strokes) who hosts a dinner party in honour of Charles and Diana’s 10th wedding anniversary
(not forgetting we are in 1991) and invites a mixture of different characters who each bring their own stories. Meteorologist and television star Summer Raines (Ra’Jah O’Hara) arrives with the very chauvinistic MP Rich Whiteman (Richard Energy) and they soon lock horns over the MP’s distinct dislike of the female species. We also meet Phil Maker played by Georgia Frost. It soon transpires that he has met Summer Raines and Shazza before in a more intimate setting.

Having recently watched “Everybody’s talking about Jamie”, I was super excited to see this! However, I was utterly disappointed. From the start, the music was far too loud so I couldn’t always hear what the character was singing about. The story and the characters don’t make any sense and the play is disconnected throughout. (editor’s note – this is the reviewer’s opinion) From Triplets to Lady Diana? American weather queen to Ninjas? And then add a pop
princess to the mix? There was absolutely no connection between any of the them – the cast were full of enthusiasm but I am not sure they all knew they were in the same play. A poop covered bathroom floor seems to be one of the main storylines of this play. It was just bizarre but worse, it wasn’t funny at all – people were laughing but the innuendos were not aimed at every day audiences. We were waiting the entire duration of the first half for a punchline, for a reason why the poop covered floor had any point and for some sort of storyline to start materialising but we were sadly going to wait until the very end. One thing that was never made clear anywhere was that they show was definitely aimed for an audience NOT under the age of 18. This was what really disappointed me the most, it was crude and distasteful, plain and simple.  (editor’s note – this is the reviewer’s opinion and what is not so someone’s taste someone else may like)  Saying that, around us, people were laughing so, this may appeal to some people but definitely not my cup of tea.  Sadly, there were quite a number of people leaving and not returning to their seats so I do believe we were not the only pair feeling massively let down!

I don’t understand how this made it to the biggest theatre stage in Europe – the West End?! I know a number of people who definitely could write a better storyline than this, and actually write a few jokes too. (editor’s note – this is the reviewer’s opinion) The duration is far too long and I felt myself drifting off to sleep during some scenes.   If this was supposed to be aimed at a specific audience, the show should make that clear to public. It should definitely come with a warning label making it clear that it’s not for anyone under age. It’s 1/5 for me and that’s purely because I love the venue and maybe even the outfits of the characters on stage. The Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham is one of my all-time favourite venues and always provide such a professional and polished service -everytime!

Rating: 1/5

On from 23- 27 November 2021.

Tickets cost from £13.00 (plus a transaction fee of £3.65)

Tickets for this show can be purchased from:
https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/death-drop/the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham/