As a reviewer, I come to this show thinking here we go again. Another drag act, same songs, same gags, same routine. Will this one be different, read my review to find out.
In a festival bursting with colour, chaos, and charisma, Dick Day: A Hairy Fairy Boy emerges as a standout star — not just for its glitter and gags, but for its guts. This isn’t just a drag show. It’s a fever-dream memoir in drag, and I was there to witness every glorious moment.
From the moment Dick Day pirouetted onto the stage at Ironworks Studios, the air buzzed with anticipation, we’re talking full-throttle, vodka-tonic-fuelled, Brighton-at-its-best Fringe magic. This hairy fairy doesn’t ask for your attention — they seize it, strangle it in tulle, and serve it back with a knowing wink.
The show is part autobiographical coming-of-age cabaret, part unhinged drag variety hour. Dick regales the crowd with painfully hilarious tales of adolescent misadventure, and a parade of cringe that somehow makes you want to hug your younger self. It’s earnest, camp, and chaotic.
And the voice? A weapon. Between pounding the stage in heels and belting out twisted numbers, Day proves he is not just a comic but a proper cabaret vocalist. Their pipes, like his storytelling, are raw and fearless.
There’s audience interaction. A poor soul in the front row was brought onto stages as a former dance partner or was it singer from Day’s college years, and they loved it.
Lighting and effects were Fringe-level minimal but creatively used, letting the performer’s charisma dominate. And dominate it does. Underneath the glitter, there’s a deep emotional current — this is a queer coming-of-age tale with teeth. You laugh, yes, but there’s a strange ache when Dick talks about his brother and the story of homophobia.
The verdict? A Hairy Fairy Boy isn’t just a good time — it’s a manifesto for living out loud. Dick Day doesn’t just tell his story — he drag you into it, heels first.
Reviewers Rating: 5 Star
Add your first comment to this post