Kate Butch : Wuthering Shites
Extravagantly queer and dramatically hilarious, Kate Butch runs up that stage at Norwich Playhouse theatre with live singing and a superb performance.
Street lights highlighted the worn path outside the Playhouse theatre, an otherwise self-effacing building I often frequent for a nice alcoholic drink. Tonight, though, I arrived hopeful that I’d leave the small theatre next to the bar drunk on laughter and, spoiler alert, I did.
The corridors of the Playhouse theatre were crammed with excited attendees for 'Kate Butch: Wuthering Shites', a jukebox musical. For some, this is their first time beholding Kate Butch in all of her eccentric grace, and for others, they might recognise her from series 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. However, I’d wager a good amount that a small selection attended thinking this was the actual Kate Bush - not to be mistaken for Butch - coming out of rural hiding to throw a jukebox musical comedy act on a random Thursday. Nevertheless, we were all here for a good show and, I must say, we were not disappointed.
The opener for the night was trans comedian Ciara O’Connor who had the entire audience clutching their stomachs with her wit and ridiculously funny one liners. Her charm reflected throughout the entire crowd, the self deprecating humour setting you off before she’d even finished a sentence which hilariously prepped and hyped us for the rest of the night.
Not long after Ciara, cheers filled the theatre for the dramatic entrance of Kate Butch as she appeared from behind us - face beat to the heavens wearing a bright red dress that ever so gracefully fluttered down stairs as she made way to the stage in wonderful layers of tulle. After a musical number - a loose rendition of a Kate Bush song - she introduced her story and main character, Kathy, which might sound familiar if you’re a casual fan of Kate Bush, or perhaps Emily Bronte. The story follows Kathy and her rather chaotic life, one of which Kate Butch builds using misunderstood lyrics alongside reenactments and renditions of the songs and oftentimes unconventional videos from Kate Bush in an utterly amusing fashion.
As we journey along this eventful story about poor Kathy, Kate uses this as an opportunity to crowd work and recruit the audience to play some very vital parts in her story, one of which included an officiant and a homewrecker. I have to be honest and mention how glad I was not to be at the front, for if I was chosen as the homewrecker who fisted - yes, you read that right - Kathy's marriage into ruin whilst she was in a coma, this would have been a very different review. Of course, I’m joking, however, I do fear my lack of stage presence would have ruined the show.
Ending the musical with a laughable cease and desist from, whom we’re to believe was Kate Butch herself, and a couple of classics, most notably Wuthering Heights, the show finished with a round of loud applause.
Now, if you’re not a megafan of Kate Bush’s music like myself, you’d still find yourself laughing along to some of the ridiculous and dramatised references throughout the performance. Enthralled by the innuendos, fabulous covers, attempted octaves and a story based on lyrics that have been hilariously taken out of context, I’m sure you’d still have a blast like I did.
