tech
‘It’s so camp!’ The queer Doctor Who cabaret with dancing drag daleks
Latex aliens, screaming fans and an ‘LGBTQ+ARDIS’ … the big sellout crowds of Gallifrey Cabaret are keeping the fantasy TV show alive – even if its future on the BBC is in the balance
TL;DR
- Gallifrey Cabaret is a Doctor Who-themed, adults-only queer cabaret show touring the UK.
- The show features a mixed bill of drag, burlesque, live music, comedy, aerial performance, and dance.
- Despite the TV show Doctor Who entering an undefined hiatus, Gallifrey Cabaret is celebrating its fifth anniversary with an extravagant show.
- The cabaret's social media, especially TikTok, has been key to reaching its target audience of millennials and the queer Doctor Who fanbase.
- Performers embrace Doctor Who's 'inherently queer' side, making the 18+ show a welcoming space for fans.
- The show started in 2021 and quickly gained popularity, selling out its first show and expanding to larger venues.
- Showrunner Russell T Davies attended a performance in December 2024, praising it as a 'safe space' filled with 'joy'.
- Performers like Reece Connolly (as the 11th Doctor), Carrot (as ginger companions), Mariana Trench (as a 'Drag-lek'), So Faux (as Rose Tyler), Cadbury Parfait (inspired by Martha Jones), and Matt Hazard (as the Abzorbaloff) create unique acts.
- The cabaret is popular for its campy nature, inclusivity, and ability to connect with Doctor Who's queer fanbase.
- Gallifrey Cabaret is seen as representing the best of British culture through Doctor Who, offering fans humor and a sense of community during the show's off-season.