Trixie Mattel, Glee Club, Birmingham - review

The RuPaul's Drag Race, UNHhhh and Trixie & Katya Show legend brought her first solo show Ages Three and Up to the town's Nightingales club last year, and the success of this event was palpable at the Glee Club with avid fans queuing around the streets to get a glimpse of the queen herself.

Opening the packed-out show was glamorous Glasgow queen Rujazzle, with a hilarious stand-up comedy routine and lip-sync numbers that had the crowd roaring for more.

The queen celebrated her lack of rhythm and timing with a mash-up musical number of hit Chicago song I Can't Do It Alone with popular songs, with equally well known dance routines, such as Gangnam Style, the Cha Cha Slide, the YMCA and more.

After a short comical film played showing Trixie (played by 28-year-old drag artist Brian Firkus) being managed by sarcastic agent Maury, warmed the audience up, Trixie sashayed onto the stage in a skin-tight pink jumpsuit playing her hit single Mama Don't Make Me Put On The Dress Again.

Her show was a perfect amalgamation of all of the stars talents; with sections of stand-up comedy, original and cover songs, lip-synching and dancing - all of which had the audience wrapped around her perfectly-manicured fingers for the full 90-minute show.

Fellow Drag Race star Bianca Del Rio is arguably the best-known insult comic queen, but Trixie could give the star a run for her money as her jokes about religion, homophobia, incest and more had many audience members gasping in shock as well as laughing hysterically, before her corny puns lightened the mood and lulled the audience into a false sense of security.

This shock comedy culminated in a laugh-out-loud, slightly blasphemous, lip-synch routine to clips of various Americans from documentaries, talking about their experiences with God, coupled with songs such as Dolly Parton's Hello God and Madonna's Like A Prayer.

The queen vogued and twirled across the stage, before performing a mock exorcism on the front row of the crowd and dancing into the audience, to cheers and whoops which shook the venue's floor.

Trixie was utterly captivating from start to finish - and not just because of her sky-high wig, clown make-up or glittering outfit changes. Trixie knew exactly how much time to leave after each joke to let the crowd howl, what facial expressions to pull to each heckle, and where to let the audience sing along to her live music; leaving the crowd always begging for more.

Her live music was a real highlight of the show, which saw the performer play a medley of her favourite love songs such as Avril Lavigne's Sk8er Boy, Fleetwood Mac's Landslide and more, all played on her bright-pink acoustic guitar with truly spine-tingling, soulful vocals.

Trixie pulled out a traditional custom-made autoharp for her show's finale, to play brand new single Moving Parts. The crowd were visibly moved by the heart-felt lyrics, hair-raising instrumentals and powerful vocals, with some audience members even being moved to tears.

Blending a range of emotions with a plethora of talents, Now With Moving Parts showcases the growth in charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent that Trixie has undergone since her time in RuPaul's Drag Race in spectacular form.