JADAR

★★★★★

House of MCR is the latest iteration of Ghetto Fabulous’ POC-exclusive ball, which was previously under the names Black Pride Ball and Black Pride MCR Extravaganza. Each year, the event grows. Previously held at the tiny Gorilla, then the much bigger New Century Hall, it is now a three-day event at Aviva Studios, home of Factory International.

For those of you who don’t know, a ball is basically a catwalk competition with a series of categories. Ballroom culture was created by Black and brown queer folk in New York City, who were excluded from the mainstream drag pageants. Balls allowed them to image themselves as royalty, deities, and the models on vogue (“hence “voguing”).

Voguing has, of course, mean mainstreamed into queer culture, with lots of White performers adopting the art form which is intrinsic to Black and Latin queer culture. House of Suarez’ iconic Vogue Ball has become very White, with the POC-led Houses appearing to have abandoned it. Ghetto Fabulous recognised the problem with the mainstreaming of ballroom culture and voguing, with people of colour inevitably excluded from their own creation, and created an event exclusively for POC performers.

The production value of this new event is incredible, with a catwalk on metal stilts, futuristic lights which move up and down, and even singers and a live band. The categories have been renamed, and there are even some new categories. The event has gone a long way – and hopefully the success of this new event will make it even bigger, better and badder next year.

As always, the event was hosted by Rikki Beadle-Blair MBE – who co-created the event with Darren Pritchard, the “Mother” of Ghetto Fabulous – who, even at Vogue Ball, with its majority White performers and audience, makes it clear that this is a queer, Black art form. Rikki told everyone that were all going to be Black and queer tonight; he was giving the straight folk and White people visas – and they won’t be deported to Rwanda! “I know this is appropriation but we won’t tell anybody,” he joked.

There was a group opening number, as well as a solo number, in which Rikki sang Gabrielle’s ‘Dreams’ in a beautiful white dress and angel wings. He then stripped off and put on a sparkly, silver, short dress as a remix played. He looks like an angel… but he’s the devil in disguise!

After this, a few audience members were invited to walk the runway, before the professionals came to slay.

Press and guests had been handed fans, and they were available for others to buy. Rikki told us to wave them if we really liked a performance.

“Think Karl Lagerfield,” he said. “If you don’t know who Karl Lagerfield is, your visa is revoked.”

The first category was WE DRESS – basically, fashion. Rikki loves to contextualise, and he told us that slaves dressed up on Sundays for church. He made it clear that this was not a Baptist church – not the Catholic way, which “can be pretty God” – where the higher the hat, the closer to God!

In the balls of the days gone by, many of the clothes had been stolen. Rikki joked that all the participants in this ball had stolen their clothes. “I’m joking, they’ve got jobs… Some of them… Mostly blow jobs.”

Immediately, the competition was tough, with Harry embodying going all sexy in red, Lulu celebrating their Black heritage, Lucky celebrating their Indian heritage, another act going full Björk but ethnic, Ella Bitchcraft donning wings, and Ken wearing a mask with outlandishly long spikes.

“Serving!” said Rikki. “Serving is a good thing; it’s not a slavery thing,” he assured the White folk. “Beyoncé serves every time – you get it.”

The lights went all spaceship to welcome Darren to the stage. Music played as he pranced around like a girlboss. There was a gradual knock-off, where two performers walked at a time and the audience cheered for their winner – the winner would then walk alongside somebody else. Ultimately, Harry won, but it was tough.

The next category was WE DANCE (solo), and the competition was even tougher. Kaan, with his signature red hair and tasseled black boots, opened the category; he gets better every time I see him; his energy is next-level. Fortune Jordan, with his iconic red gloves, brought precision and skill with his less flashy performance.

Darnell embodied a sexy cat, in both movement and costume; Reece Daniels aka ReeRee showed off their envious body in a leotard, which allowed them to move around freely (and incredibly); Jaded, dressed in metallic silver, went full diva, with his distinctive afro taking on a life of its own but never losing its shape. Lastly, Denon James, aka De’Vill Blaque went full BDSM for their passionate performance.

Rikki then played the song that is a staple of his events – ‘I’m Every Woman’ – with members of the audience and pre-show drag queens taking to the stage. The song ended with the contestants coming back onstage and standing in a line, and the audience asked to cheer for their favourites. The category ended in a three-way between Darnell, ReeRee and Da’vill; I believe the latter took the crown.

Next was a brand-new category – WE SING. Lip syncs are a staple of the balls for singing is new! Rikki told us that even on slave ships, slave sang; in cotton fields, they sang to keep themselves strong; they sang in Church.

“We sang to make ourselves b-b-better, not bitter. Sometimes bitter but better.”

He said that every single pop song on the radio comes from Black people – heck, most mainstream music genres do!

“Now they telling us we ain’t country, we ain’t rock ‘n’ roll, we ain’t even jazz! But when you know, you know,” he said.

He then said that he loved to Adele, but every concert – many artists’ concerts, to be fair – will have “a big, sexy, Black woman [backing singer] who will sing that woman off the stage.”

The singing competitors had performed at the top of the show; it was great to get to see them solo. The first competitor, Jaii Andrew, had only been asked to take part a few days earlier – by Rikki himself. I believe they sang ‘Home’ from The Wiz (a reimagined all-Black The Wizard of Oz), which was originally performed by Stephanie Mills and then Diana Ross (who ended her Manchester Arena show with it). This gorgeous performer sang the first part of the song and then suddenly rolled down stage – like, literally – on rollerblades! Unexpected but epic.

The next performer (Zsa?), a singer-songwriter and guitarist, sang a song they wrote. AJ Lewis, in a gothic Black veil, offered a gorgeous cover of Beyoncé’s ‘Sandcastles’. The fourth and final performer lifted the mood with an electrifying cover of CeCe Penniston’s ‘Finally’. It was fabulous but they kept saying, “And I just cannot hide it,” even when the line was supposed to be, “My feelings can’t describe it.”

The first two performers battled it out with ‘Secret Love Song’ (Little Mix featuring Jason Derulo), with both having to learn the A and B parts of the show and then, “shuffle the dice, shuffle the card – I’m mixing a lot of metaphors here!” Ultimately, the first performer, who got the better part of the song, won.

There was then an interval, which was strange because the event was scheduled to finish soon. Originally, we were told that the event would be two hours long, then two and a half, but the second act started 2.5 hours after it began. The event was not too long, per se, but frustratingly longer than advertised. This resulted in me missing the last bus back to Burnley – fortunately, I’ve got family in Manchester who I can stay with. An interval might have felt needed but when an event is running so late, perhaps an interval is not the best idea. In fact, without the interval, I probably would have made the last bus, but alas; I had to be in Manchester the next evening anyway!

Singer Tolu Ajayi opened the second act, before Rikki perfomed Prince’s ‘Kiss’, with four Ghetto Fabulous dancers, donning red lingerie, prancing around the stage and finishing the performance on it.

The first category of Act 2 was WE STRIP (formerly called “Sex Siren”). Burlesque artist Coco Deville – one of very few women in the show – continued the red theme with her provocative striptease.

She was followed by a bondage-wearing, non-binary, pink-haired, Black-skinned champ.

The penultimate performer was Xavier Thomas, aka MR BLAQUE, who is, hands down, my favourite voguer; I always look forward to seeing him perform. His skill and zeal are next-level. He wore white undies that left little the imagination but then removed them to reveal a white thong, giving the front row a right eye-full.

Lastly, Rajan Das – one of few South Asian performers in the show – went full diva to a remix of Tyla’s ‘Water’ and Doja Cat’s ‘Wet Vagina’. He tossed his locks, shook his booty, and drenched himself. He left us all wet.

Everyone in this category deserved to win but there can only be one winner, and it was Coco.

The penultimate category was everybody’s favourite: LIP SYNC. Tequilla thirst (with Kaan and another backing performer) kicked things off with an electrifying performance to Miley Cyrus’ ‘Flowers; a sensual Saki Yew followed with Tyla’s ‘On and On’; another performer embraced their Caribbean heritage with Spice’s ‘Jealous’ (and we were all jealous of their killer body); Shanika Sunrise shook their body to ‘Body Do’ by Chlöe; and Ceecee Noir went butch queen for Whitney Houston’s ‘I’m Your Baby Tonight’.

The inevitable battle was between the Ceecee and Caribbean Queen, with the latter taking the crown.

The final category was WE ARE FAMILY – which saw a few members of the cast walk the stage with their family. Rikki revealed that his mum is a lesbian.

AJ LeRoy walked with his fabulous grandmother – and whilst this was a non-competitive category, they totally won!

The entire cast then took to the stage – whilst only five won categories, they were and are all winners.

House of MCR is a sensational celebration of queer Black and brown talent. It’s a sanctuary for a community that society labels sinners. It’s a safe space that is also sexy AF. Welcome to the House of MCR.

House of MCR runs at Aviva Studios (South Warehouse) until June 22.

Photo: Jody Hartley