Digital drag shows help British queens continue working during the COVID-19 pandemic

Image: Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash.

It’s been almost a year since the coronavirus pandemic forced cities into lockdown, with bars and venues shut down across the UK. While big-name drag performers could partially rely on the sales of their merch, local drag queens have had to take their performances online to keep afloat.

The streaming platform Twitch has become a major go-to for drag performers in the UK. Unlike Facebook and Instagram Lives, the recent Twitch Soundtrack feature allows drag queens to use copyrighted music during a broadcast. Not to mention, drag received its own tag on the platform last year, allowing fans to browse different performers and their shows.

While there’s no replacing the intimate atmosphere of live gigs, drag artists have been exploring the new format while doing their live acts in front of web cameras and inviting other queens to join the stream. Despite technical and organisational challenges, many artists appreciate some unexpected benefits to virtual drag. “A lot of new people started drag this year,” says Lin Gerie, Lincoln-based comedy drag queen. “I think it’s given them a chance to find confidence before they come out to a club.”

Lin Gerie at The Scene Lincoln. Image: courtesy of Lin Gerie.

Although some digital shows sell tickets through Eventbrite, the majority of local drag queens, including Lin Gerie, have to work for free and rely on Venmo or PayPal tips. And while drag performers continue bending norms during the pandemic, the support of local communities remains the key element of digital drag in the UK.