Ben Delacreme Is… Ready to Be Committed at Leicester Square Theatre

BenDeLaCreme famously made her mark on Ru Paul’s Drag Race when she removed herself from season three of All Stars, despite being a firm favourite to win. DeLa knows who she is, rejects convention and plays by her own rules. She is all the more engaging for it. Returning to the UK after her well-received The Return of the Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show, Live!  she is now of the mindset that she needs to settle down and tie the knot. The only trouble is, she needs a potential spouse first! 

One of the drag queen’s opening lines suggests the audience lower their expectations, but these were more than surpassed: the room was enthralled by the artist’s captivating, high-octane performance, complete with the wit and sass the star has become known for.

Welcoming audiences into her somewhat chaotic, hilarious world for a one-act show, DeLa has the crowd laughing out loud and breaking into frequent applause throughout. Her fourth solo show proves she is one of the best in her field, demonstrating excellent comic timing as well as impressive physicality. DeLa also directs, writes and produces, and it’s clear a great deal of energy and passion has gone into the creation of the production. 

With the idea of and pressures associated with marriage at the heart of the show, DeLa also addresses her fear of dying alone, the trials and tribulations with the hook-up app Grindr, and celebrity culture. It’s an unpredictable ride of an evening that flits between human drama and the more surreal. Of course, we are gifted singing, dancing, even some rapping, costume changes and over-the-top fabulousness – all the things we’d expect from a queen of this calibre. 

DeLa remains on-stage for much of the performance, her energy never faltering as she delivers an amusing, but also, at times, poignant show that’s heartfelt with an ultimate feel-good factor. The audience reaction more than confirms how much an evening like this is needed during the turbulent times in which we find ourselves, and the star was evidently gratified by the response she received. It was more than justified. Those in search of a unique and memorable evening of joy and laughter should get themselves to Leicester Square Theatre in time to see the remaining London shows.

Jonathan Marshall

Ben Delacreme Is… Ready to Be Committed is on at Leicester Square Theatre from 7^th June until 12^th June 2022. For further information or to book visit the artist’s website here.