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PERVERTS: There’s nothing less sexy than dissecting sex


Written by Sarah Fox | Director of Perverts
 



There’s nothing less sexy than dissecting sex. 

Like a joke, once you have to explain why something is sexy (or funny), it stops being titillating. 

If you are unfamiliar to the world of kink and on-site sex venues: welcome! Come on in! It’s not as scary as you might think. As Katie says, it’s mostly like a slightly crap club. In fact, as most venues have quiet spaces, snacks, and chaperones to check no one is getting groped without their consent - I’d say they’re often better than most clubs. 

If you are not new to the ‘alternative queer nightlife scene’: welcome back, perverts. You’re with your people. I hope we’ve created something that feels familiar. You’ll recognise the best and worst bits from the scene (like somehow always running into your ex). 

Perverts is first and foremost a comedy. People go to these clubs to forget the outside world, but let me bring it up for a moment. 

The LGBTQ community is under attack. Right wing protestors picket drag shows and threaten performers. Lesbians face less access to dedicated space than other queer people (there is only one lesbian bar in London!) and butches face discrimination from TERFs for looking ‘too male’. Gay and bisexual men are still not able to give blood in the same circumstances that straight people are. 

As the token cis woman of the company, I’d also like to address the fact that our trans and non-binary audience and company members face additional challenges and discrimination that I do not. Hate crimes against trans people doubled from 2021 to 2022, and the Daily Mail posted 115 articles in January alone about trans people. 

And just like in other areas of life, ableism and racism rears it’s ugly head in the nightlife scene too. This play doesn’t touch on all these things, but the people these things affect are all welcome here. They are present in this club. And our actor Beca has the challenging task of playing all of them! 

Venues where people go to have a dance, a drink, and maybe a spanking or two are crucial to the community in the face of a harsh outside world. But they too are under threat. Historic queer venues have been bulldozed and turned into luxury flats, and councils are taking away licenses of venues that allow such events, which means they become largely inaccessible - held in posh houses in west London, instead of warehouses in east.  

Like I said, once you start to dissect the issue - it’s not that sexy.

Aside from the debauchery and fisting jokes (sorry, Mum and Dad), Perverts is essentially the story of someone trying to let herself feel desire, free from shame. I hope this is something everyone can take away from the show.

 


 

Perverts is returning for another knock-out run after selling out earlier this year!

Plays 20 Jun → 8 Jul, book tickets now from only £10.