Henri J Rex, variety cabaret artist, brings new show Come Over Your Auntie to Camden Fringe!
“Join Agony Aunt, Gilly Tuppence, as she finally brings her Radio Show to a Live Studio Audience! A one (wo)man Character Comedy Show pushing the limits of satire, whilst exploring the depths of dark comedy.
This show is what would happen if Alan Partridge and Jill Tyrell had a baby and then let it out loose into the world. You’re not just watching a show, you’re in it, apart of it, in the universe of this show. Be prepared.”
Where: Rosemary Branch Theatre
When: 28-30 Jul
Ticket link: https://camdenfringe.com/events/come-over-your-auntie/
Henri stopped by for an interesting chat about the show.
What’s your show about and what inspired it?
Come Over Your Auntie on the surface level is a surrealist take on a Radio Agony Aunt who’s seen better days in her career whilst satirising modern day politics.
However, it goes much deeper than that, I explore themes of morality and social commentary of the contemporary life of the industry, whilst you see a full story arc of Gilly Tuppence completely unfold before your very eyes.
It was inspired by my love of Dark Comedy & Absurdist Theatre as well as my passion for Politics. I wrote this almost 10 years ago as a Radio Comedy and when adapting it for Fringe Theatre… not a lot has actually changed in the world and is still more than relevant than ever.
This show is also heavily inspired by events and relationships within my own life and childhood, too. This show is like pure therapy for me.
Why should someone book to see your show and what might they expect?
People should expect big shocks and uncomfortable laughter. They should 100% be ready and strap themselves in for a wild ride of not knowing where any of this is going and the dirtiest jokes on the Fringe!
Come Over Your Auntie is a multi-genre show! It’s a One (Wo)man Show. It’s a Character Comedy show. It’s Queer Theatre.
It’s *IMPORTANT* Theatre. It’s Drag. It’s Stand Up (almost). It’s Improv (somewhat). There’s nothing else like this on the Camden Fringe.
Most importantly… it’s REAL, in many, many senses.
How did you make your start in the business?
I, personally, have been very lucky and privileged with my upbringing. I was essentially given a life of performing arts from birth onwards.
I am a New Wave Traveller who has lived on a holiday park, worked in a showbar, my entire life and I’ve been in and around cabaret, performers and entertainment teams my entire life.
I saw my first drag queen when I was 4, my uncle was a magician and my family often took me to the Hippodrome Circus in Great Yarmouth or to the Norwich Theatre Royal on a semi-regular basis.
I have been performing as a semi-professional since I was 3 or 4 everything from hula hooping & circus skills and musical theatre all the way through to what I (mostly) do now; drag, cabaret & magic.
Between my upbringing and a lifetime of knowing cabaret performers from all over the Globe to working with people such as Rikki Beadle-Blair and Andy Nyman – all of which… has just been chance… I have just been incredibly lucky with my career and what I’ve done in my life.
Almost everything was self taught skills or skills passed down from other cabaret artists over 20+ years. But everything has all been me. I don’t actually have any money, and neither do my family.
My mother raised me as a working class single parent in the early years childcare industry, my grandmother retired early and my grandfather (now retired, too) was a market trader making and selling bicycles and their parts.
I’m a gay, trans, Jewish & disabled young man, who’s a self employed performer and artist who lives in a caravan in the middle of nowhere.
Every single cabaret show I’ve ever starred in, written, directed or produced has been off my own back and I’ve done/created myself with little to no financial help at all or even any physical help either.
I have worked with and for many “big name” people, events or projects etc. But that’s due to people recognising my talent, work and effort over my career, apart from being paid for my work,
I have been very lucky and fortunate to have the upbringing I had, even though the circumstances around it and what led us to that situation were negative.
Do you have a favourite type of venue to work in?
I have been very fortunate to have a career that’s spanned across TV, mainstream Theatre, Off-West End Theatre, Fringe Theatre, Showbars, Pubs, Holiday Parks and Circus, so I have a really great knowledge of what most places are like and what I can recommend to people for work.
I think it really depends what kind of performer you are and what kind of Show you’re putting on.
However, in saying this, I, personally, love and miss working in Circus A LOT. It was some of the most stressful and strenuous working conditions, but I loved the shows SO MUCH.
I also love a Showbar, because that’s my absolute bread and butter and you can put on anything in a showbar/cabaret Bar…
You can produce any events you want from drageoke or a burlesque brunch to jazz & piano shows to fringe theatre and most venues don’t mind what you do as long as it brings in punters and sells drinks.
Whereas, a theatre has to ensure that a production is high quality to sell tickets and keep the venue afloat.
Most Fringe Venues or showbars are often 2SLGBTQIA+, kink and alt cabaret/show friendly which is really good news for me EVEN if I’m not doing a show that’s heavily themed to something like these three things,
I at least know that I and my cast are more than welcome to be there as people and performers and we’re not going to be told to censor our identities or art.
So at the moment, I very much am enjoying small community venues or theatre-pubs like The Rosemary Branch Theatre, I really do feel safe and welcome there.
What’s next for the show?
At this stage, I actually have no solid idea.
I have a very busy August and then September is my top surgery, so I’ll be resting throughout September till mid-October.
I want to perform it around Norfolk and Suffolk and let my friends get an opportunity to see the show at least once (or maybe even more!). I know a few pubs and venues that’ll love to host this kind of show.
In the winter, I actually want to get the fringe theatre version of Come Over Your Auntie recorded and edited for audio so I can distribute it for YouTube/Spotify/etc.
I’ll also be writing up the rest of the series, and actually creating a proper Come Over Your Auntie comedy podcast.
So that’s the plan… to actually create the Gilly’s show for real.
And if we go on… and tour or do more London or Fringe shows? That’ll be a bonus.