Wayne Billany (aka Miss Kitty) and JoJo the infamous duo from Newcastle Upon Tyne’s Pure Entertainment Group are on the road again to entertain thousands of holiday makers! Starting their lengthy summer tour in Southport Pontins, these two are no newbies to life on the road as they have become seasoned favourites on the holiday/club circuits with their high energy comedy drag act. This summer alone they have over 40 venues booked across the length and the breadth of the UK.
For as long as I remember I have loved to watch drag performers, from the pantomime dames to Foo Foo Lammar, Dame Edna Everage, Lilly Savage, Betty Legs Diamond – this flamboyant world has always caught my attention. Remembering the drag performers in history that changed our world such as Coccinelle, Marsha P. Johnson to our latest RuPaul have all paved the way to allow performers to perform and entertain millions whilst dressed in drag.
Top Hat & Heels caught my attention in 2022 whilst at a holiday camp and I have been hooked ever since, so when I saw that they were performing in Southport we took the opportunity of watching the comedy packed show again and we were not disappointed.
The duo has managed to bring a show together that is full of energy, comedy, music and plenty of glitz and glamour suitable for both adults and families. With numerous fast costume changes Miss Kitty and JoJo take you on a journey of a mixture of musical theatre and disco anthems, this show is extremely interactive and inclusive making it much more personable.
With a medley of music from Tina Turner, Dianna Ross, Erasure, Abba, Jon Bon Jovi, Oasis and many more they soon had the audience up dancing and enjoying the show. The holiday makers were clearly engaged as they enthusiastically interacted and were delighted by the duo which was unquestionably evident by the number of people on the dance floor.
My personal favourites where undeniably the musical theatre numbers where Miss Kitty and JoJo delivered an electrifying performance from the musicals ‘Grease’ and ‘Mary Poppins’! One of the most symbolic tunes for many drag performers is the fantabulous song and lyrics of Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ – Top Hat & Heels chose Shirley Bassey’s rendition which played for Miss Kitty’s finale where we watched emotionally and poignantly as she transitioned back to Wayne.
Top Hat & Heels are clearly crowd pleasers and have fine tuned their act to maximise the entertainment value, they also have a substantial following on social media of over seven thousand followers indicating their popularity. Their reviews are a testimony to this outstanding show and how previous audiences have enjoyed and appreciated what they do on the entertainment circuit.
Working the circuits does come with a gruelling schedule and many hours on the roads which is exhausting, however both Wayne and JoJo make it look so easy and effortless with their copious amount of energy and enthusiasm.
Keep shining fellas and doing it ‘your way’ as you undoubtedly have the winning formula. I wish you well for your forthcoming schedule and hope to see you in Wales at the end of August.
Check out Top Hat & Heels venues for the summer season and if you’re near you would be foolish to miss out on this phenomenal comedy drag show. https://www.pure-entertainmentgroup.com/speciality-acts/top-hat-heels
Reviewer: Katie Leicester
Reviewed: 26th July 2023
North West End UK Rating: