Currently Australia’s most famous drag queen, Courtney Act, is one of this year’s Fringe Ambassadors, and presented a cabaret of cover songs.

Presented by Working Management

Reviewed 18 February 2018

Courtney Act is currently Australia’s most well-known drag queen. The glamorous alter-ego of performer Shane Jenek was in the top three of RuPaul’s 2013 Drag Race in the USA and recently won the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother. Courtney Act is also one of this year’s Fringe Ambassadors, alongside comedian Joel Creasey.

Janek is a triple threat: he’s quick-witted and funny, he can sing the house down, and he is gorgeous as both a male and female.

Under the Covers had a very limited Fringe run and was a show allowing Courtney to present her own cover versions of well-known songs, along with one original. Musical accompaniment was a combination of an on-stage keyboardist and pre-recorded music.

She discussed her time on Celebrity Big Brother a lot, and changed outfits almost as much. Unfortunately, a lack of rehearsal time meant she had to refer regularly to a running sheet but this is where her true professionalism shone through, openly making it part of the show.

Drag queens are notorious for their interaction with their audiences and, while Courtney Act is no exception, she did so with grace and never set out to embarrass or harass anyone.

Humour abound from start to finish, and the star-struck audience showed their appreciation for the final show on Sunday night. It’s a shame there are not more performances scheduled to meet the growing number of fans this entertainer seems to amass with each passing year. The fandom is well earned.

Reviewed by Rod Lewis

Twitter: @StrtegicRetweet

Rating out of 5: 4

Venue: The Box, Garden of Unearthly Delights, Rymill Park, Adelaide

Season: Season has ended