The first sections of the evening saw Ceri Dupree walk onto the stage as her own drag persona. Dressed in a gorgeous green gown, matching green boa and massive wig giving very classical camp entertainment. I do have to admit that the Rumney Conservative Club is not a venue that I associate with drag shows. Ceri Dupree had clearly considered this fact and catered her act to go over with the audience that came out in droves to see the iconic entertainer. She spent the majority of the time on the stage commanding the attention of every person in the room while telling hilarious cat crude jokes and camp songs. This was proven through the song “One of the Girls (who is one of the boys)” which was a fabulously camp song about the duality of presenting as a female caricature but also secretly being a man about all the drag (which was made very clear at the end of the show.) One of the highlights during this section of the show saw Ceri retell fairy tales with a crude twist which had the audience in hysterics throughout!
One of the more eccentric impersonations in the entire set was Ceri Dupree’s performance as the divisive, current reigning queen Camilla Parker-Bowles. Wearing an exaggerated horse riding get-up complete with a blue sequin and whip, Ceri made a point to emphasise the obnoxiously posh caricature with hilarious facial reactions throughout. The majority of this impersonation was used as a vehicle for telling a fictional story of having plastic surgery on an intimate part of the female anatomy. This led into a unique song about being a “country girl at heart” which the audience absolutely loved!
Almost four years ago I attended and reviewed a stage adaptations of the iconic 80s sitcom Hi De Hi at the Cardiff Open Air festival (which you can read about at https://getthechance.wales/2019/06/28/review-hi-de-hi-everyman-theatre-by-rhys-payne/) In this review I talked about how the wonderfully talented Sarah Green nailed the impression of Maplin’s announcement person. During this show, Ceri Dupree also decided to also channel her inner Ruth Maddoc (who is sadly no longer with us) as she showcased her own impersonation of the iconicly Welsh Gladys Pugh from the original TV show. Not only did Ceri absolutely nail the accent but also came prepared with a plethora of props including that yellow blazer, a xylophone for announcements and hilarious quiz questions/jokes which made for a very entertaining performance. Each section of the performance was well throughout with carefully structured gags which kept the audience engaged and laughing the whole time.
We at Rhys Reviews are still truly saddened by the passing of the incredible Tina Turner last year. The iconic singer was the creative mind behind some of the most incredible tracks to ever grace the music charts with one in particular (which we will talk more about later) being one of my favourite songs that are still blasted at Karaoke clubs around the world. Ceri Dupree decided to offer her own, unique tribute to the late singer as showcased a Tina medley and donned a gorgeous fringe dress and the most ridiculously large brown wig while running around the stage busting out some of Tina’s most well-known moves! The audience went absolutely wild for Ceri’s rendition of “River Deep, Mountain High” as they roared the lyrics of the energetic track at the performer. I think my heart actually stopped when I heard the iconic motif of my favourite ever song ‘Proud Mary.’ This song will always have a soft spot in my heart as it is the anthem of the first-ever pride event we went to in Cardiff and Ceri really nailed this beloved track! One of my favourite vocal performances of the entire performance however was the rendition of I did it my way which was absolutely a treat for the ears!
After a series of hilarious impressions crammed full of crude jokes throughout, it was such a welcomed change to hear a flawless vocal performance as we hinted at a more emotional undertone of the evening. The closing sequence of the entire event saw Ceri Dupree take to the stage and deliver an incredible rendition of I Am What I am by Gloria Gaynor. Those who know me in real life will know that one of my favourite things to do during half term is to attend karaoke night in my local gay bar. If I feel particularly confident and/or tipsy I will take to the stage to deliver an attempt at I am what I am but I can only dream about sound even just half as good as the iconic Ceri Dupree! Not only did the vocals themselves sound absolutely wonderful with every audience member roaring the lyrics at the performer but also Ceri decided to add a very interesting twist to the actual performance of the song! After spending the entire night being fabulous and channelling some of the most iconic (mis) leading ladies, Ceri used this song to strip back on all theatrics/costume/make-up etc to deliver a very moving performance of the song. Standing on the stage in black jeans and a black t-shirt (a total contrast to all the gorgeous costumes we had seen throughout the audience) and singing about being yourself was just so emotionally powerful to watch.
Overall, Ceri Dupree is a queen who clearly understands the needs of their audience and has mastered the art of classic crude and camp entertainment. They had the audience in hysterics throughout the evening with their incredible impressions and the vocals showcases sprinkled throughout provided a nice little change to the evening. I would rate this show 5 out of 5 stars!
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