Now I’ve been to drag, and I’ve been to weddings, but I wasn’t sure what to expect as I prepared to attend this entrancing event.

I hadn’t been to Old St Paul’s before this show but man that cathedral is magnificent. The space is lit in typical warm lighting but the architecture mixed in with the moving audience members makes the space come alive. Promptly I am greeted by Booth The Clown and Jak Darling and shown to an available seat and man… The show hasn’t even begun and yet I can see it is going to be exquisite.

On the ticket the audience were invited to dress for the occasion and NO ONE MISSED THE MEMO. Everyone is either in drag themselves, or very gorgeous wedding outfits. A drag persona sits in the row in front of me and I have to stop myself from admiring their drag makeup for so looo…ng. Greens, purples, reds: just colour matched with contrast matched with fashion sense. Keeping in the brain, if that is just the audience’s outfits, I can’t wait to see the performers.

At 7pm the show begins and after a brief mihi by a rep from Heritage New Zealand we were plunged into darkness and engulfed in demonic, I mean, harmonic melodies, Willy Smackntush emerges from down the isle and welcomes us with ‘Take Me to Church’ by Hozier. It’s the perfect set up to intro the groomsmen: Braiden Butter (also choreographer), Homer Neurotic, Robin Yablind, and bridesmaids; Faux Femm, Slay West, Myrtle Montgomery.

Father Willy Smackntush sets the tone, and can I just say, I really love being told what to expect when I attend a performance. He outlines what we can do (e.g. scream to our hearts content), what we shan’t do (e.g. to never touch a performer!!!) and how this event is the “Wedding of the year, nay, the century.”

This one-off celebration of Drag, WEDLOCK: A Drag Wedding, gives you permission to come as you are, to witness skilled, salacious, yet scary performers tear up the stage in a beautiful gothic-like cathedral.

Massive mihi to the couple being wed Vixen Temple, Eddie D’amore. While the entire show is spectacular, the scene these performers share as they are giving their vows have me on the edge of my seat. Eddie D’amore is an opera singer, and performs ‘Nessun Dorma’ – famously sung by Luciano Pavarotti – to their beloved, Vixen Temple. Even now as I write this I’m feeling giddy as I remember this magnificent moment shared between performers. Brava.

Congratulations to Willy Smackntush and the team behind him for producing such a joyous, sexy and endearing event, especially despite having ‘protesters’ looming out the front gate. You and your team are the true MVP’s.

Fave Quote of the night: “Okay Daddy, baptise me!” – Audience Member. 

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer