Adding sass to brunch with a drag queen show

Four Singapore drag queens will perform at a cabaret brunch party at Thai restaurant Long Chim

Drag queen Becca D'Bus. PHOTO: AUDI KHALID

Four drag queens will do something unusual tomorrow: Perform when the sun is still out.

Noris, Becca D'Bus, Mona Kee Kee and Vyla Virus - all well-known names in Singapore's drag circuit - will be performing at Filthy & Gorgeous, a cabaret brunch party at Thai restaurant Long Chim at Marina Bay Sands.

Starting from noon, paying adults will get a 15-course feast of refined Thai street fare such as mussaman beef curry and green papaya salad, while being entertained by cabaret- style singing and dancing by the queens.

There will be free flow of drinks including Long Chim's signature cocktails, beer and soft drinks; and a DJ will be playing house and disco music so that diners can hit the dance floor after they have eaten their fill.

Entry is $125 a person and the minimum age is 18. At least 80 per cent of the 120 tickets have been sold.

The brunch is organised by events company Imaginoire. Founding director Jeannette Tan says that unlike in New York, Los Angeles or London, there are very few daytime party brunches, "where a seemingly ordinary sit-down dining affair eventually transforms into a full- blown party with guests popping champagne and dancing".

Well-known drag queen Mona Kee Kee is one of the performers at cabaret brunch party Filthy & Gorgeous. PHOTO: AUDI KHALID

Last year, the company organised Boudoir Noire Presents The Box during the F1 racing season, featuring racy acrobatic burlesque acts from the famous New York nightclub The Box.

Filthy & Gorgeous is named after a song by American pop group and gay icon Scissor Sisters - so expect a lot of risque humour.

The drag queens are more than thrilled at their daytime outing.

Becca D'Bus, who hosts a regular drag revue Riot! at entertainment and events venue Tab in Orchard Road, says revues and drag queens have always existed in Singapore, but there are "not a lot of public places" for people to catch them.

As to what is on the programme, she prefers not to give details, saying cheekily that it would be "like the children's birthday party of your adult dreams".

One of the people attending the brunch party is entrepreneur Asema Ahmed, 37, from New York, who is kicking off her birthday celebrations this weekend with this event.

  • BOOK IT / FILTHY & GORGEOUS

    WHERE: Long Chim, 02-02, Atrium 2, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue

    WHEN: Saturday, noon to 4pm

    ADMISSION: Standard ticket at $125 a person; minimum age to enter is 18

    INFO: Go to filthygorgeousfeb.peatix.com. For reservations or VIP bookings, call 9778-4298 or e-mail jt@imaginoire.co

"It's something different and exciting that I haven't seen before here yet. It's good food, entertainment and fun, all in one spot."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 19, 2016, with the headline Adding sass to brunch with a drag queen show. Subscribe