A Cardiff-based collective is launching Twp, a new alternative drag event that enables the crowd to become the performers
It’s time to step into your best stiletto heels, strut your way down to the Moon and get a little Twp-sy at Cardiff’s newest alternative drag event this Sunday.
Launched by the Cardiff-based LGBTQI+ collective, Lone Worlds, Twp will not only feature a vibrant array of performing queens, but also allow anyone in the crowd to take the stage.
Ivy Kelly, the creative producer of Lone Worlds, explained that alternative drag is about allowing artists to explore their own methods of self-expression and empowerment.
“It’s a way for us to give power to the people, to do something a bit different from the past,” she said.
So far, many of Cardiff’s drag events have been restricted by their ability to make money. This has made it difficult for independent creators to experiment with their performance art, particularly as the city is not always somewhere that people feel comfortable to be themselves.
Over the last year, the number of recorded hate crimes based on sexual orientation in both England and Wales increased by 41%, according to a report issued by the Home Office in March 2022. This was coupled with a disturbing 56% rise in anti-trans abuse.
“Twp speaks to the event’s message. To not be afraid, to look stupid.”
Ivy Kelly, Lone Worlds
Lone Worlds aims to foster a safe space in which queer artists can safely thrive. This means that the event will be staffed by people specifically hired to look after those who may feel uncomfortable. The collective also plans to work with any feedback they are given surrounding inclusivity.
The idea of a space in which people are unafraid to be themselves is encapsulated by the name of the show itself. The Welsh word Twp translates directly to stupid.
Ivy described the title as being perfectly minimalist.
“Twp speaks to the event’s message,” she said. “To not be afraid, to look stupid, to look rough around the edges, to make mistakes, to fail.”