REVIEW: DERRIÈRE ON A G STRING @ KING'S HEAD THEATRE

🎭 Derrière on a G String

📍 King's Head Theatre, 116P Upper Street, London, N1 1QP

🗓 Tuesday 12th May 2026

⭐️ 5 Stars

CAMP, CHAOTIC, AND EXTREMELY CHEEKY!

I had no idea what to expect walking into the King's Head Theatre last night, but what I was given was a full-throttle, unapologetically fabulous, homoerotic night of pure, unadulterated joy. It's Matthew Bourne meets Mr. Bean, but make it incredibly theatrical and drenched in glitter. There is a rapid-fire programme of no fewer than 20 different routines. This is a sketch show on steroids, and it completely redefines the art of camp. It is an absolute bottomless brunch of a production, and every single crumb was devoured.

The whole premise is total genius. The company takes high-brow classical heavyweights - we’re talking Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, alongside Bizet's Carmen suite - and drags them kicking, screaming, and pirouetting into utter absurdity. They find the absolute comedy gold in the most mundane everyday tasks. Making a bed? Hilarious. Catching a bus? A camp masterpiece. Waking up with morning wood? Uproarious. It is high art meeting high-energy silliness in the best possible way.

The madness kicks off strong with a "day in the life" of an everyday man set to The Barber of Seville, and that manic momentum does not drop for a single second during the 80-minute runtime. It is relentless, it is exhausting just to watch, and it keeps everyone completely gagged from start to finish. The real beauty of the whole thing is that there are zero words - unless you count some top-tier gibberish. Everything relies entirely on physical storytelling and facial expressions that deserve their own West End billing.

The entire company is flawless, frankly. Sammy Moore leads the pack and is just pure magnetism on legs. Seriously, eyes just track him across the stage like a hawk; it's impossible to look away. Alice O'Brien is another total standout, showing off some lethal comedic timing by milking a running joke with one unsuspecting audience member all night long. Rest in peace to that front row. Honestly, talk about being in the line of fire!

But let’s be real, this isn't just mindless silliness for the sake of a laugh. These performers can seriously dance. The sheer physical talent, stamina, and athletic prowess of Cam Tweed and Ryan Upton was breathtaking. They are serving look after look, they are serving technique, and they are executing some remarkably tight choreo while keeping the comedy razor-sharp.

Alfred Taylor-Gaunt's direction and choreography is utterly superb, filling every inch of that stage gloriously. Creatively, the stars aligned for this one. Emily Bestow’s incredibly versatile set keeps things moving at a cracking pace, while Reuben Speed’s costumes are a total treat. Toss in Andrew Ellis’s spectacular lighting, and the whole production gets lifted straight into the stratosphere.

There will not be a funnier, more joyous, or more camp night out in London this spring. It is hands down the most fabulous thing on stage right now. This show has got plenty of nerve, and it isn't afraid to show it.

DERRIÈRE ON A G STRING is playing until Sunday 7th June, and I highly recommend that you buy a ticket immediately! CLICK HERE to book now, but are you brave enough to book the front row? That's the "splash zone." Expect high-energy performers to get very up close and personal. Consider yourselves warned!

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair, and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Derrière on a G String was gifted by Kevin Wilson Public Relations who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Sammy Moore; Cam Tweed; Ryan Upton; Alice O'Brien; Courtney Cyrus; Ena Yamaguchi

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 20 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Scenes of a sexual nature; Nudity; Violence; Blood and gore; Vaping and drug use

AGE GUIDANCE:

18+

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