Scottee and Friends bring brand new queer circus cabaret to Circus City

If there is one defining characteristic that knits together all of Scottee’s work, from drag, to theatre, dance, performance art, and cabaret, it is that as an audience member, you will leave the show knowing that it will not leave you. So often confronting, visceral, and emotionally raw, Scottee is undoubtedly amongst the most vital and authentic voices working today.

His company Scottee & Friends were formed in 2014, bringing together theatre makers and performers and forming ‘essentially a bunch of fat, queer, common femmes and fags who make stuff that makes you think and feel’.

After two weeks in development, their new work-in-progress show Kerfuffle will be presented on Friday and Saturday at The Mount Without, amongst the events rounding off what has been a triumphant return for Circus City. It is billed as ‘a new variety confessional that invites you to sit more comfortably, take up space and let your hair down surrounded by pals’.

“We’re making this queer circus show,” Scottee told Bristol24/7 during rehearsals. “I guess it plays with the idea of expectation of what queer performers should do on stage and also what queer circus performers should do on stage, so we question the ideas around spectacle and risk. It’s a sort of cabaret, it’s a bit weird and we quite like it.”

Making the show in Bristol has been a logical step for the company, who have brought a variety of work to the city over the years. “We brought a dance show here called Fat Blokes, that was at Trinity; I’ve had work here as part of Mayfest, and my solo show Bravado was here too. What’s always really lovely about coming through Bristol to show work is that audiences are really keen, which is really nice.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA5wPr2bcMY

Coming back to live work after an enforced break due to the pandemic has been challenging, but as Scottee points out, it’s partly why Kerfuffle feels so timely.

“It’s been quite testing. Not only in making sure that we’re all safe making it, but also in just trying to get the message out to audiences, because people are still quite afraid. We spent a very long time being kept away from each other, and I guess that’s why it felt like this was a good show, and a good moment for the show, because queer people have been kept away from their chosen families and our spaces have been closed for so long.”

“We feel the queer community is slightly fractured,” he ventures. “There’s a bit of housework to do, I think. We wanted to put that to an audience – the question of how we leave this moment, and leave it well.”

Previous work by Scottee. Photos: Holly Revell

Looking ahead, Scottee is upbeat about how this new show may evolve beyond Circus City. “Kerfuffle is just the first incarnation, and we’ve made the show over two weeks, but we’re looking forward to how it might play out in the future,” he reflects. “There will be a lot of circus trickery within it, but not necessarily the version of circus that some of your readers will be used to. With all that in mind, I’m very excited.” He leaves us in buoyant mood, for a rehearsal room, and a sandwich.

Kerfuffle takes place on Friday and Saturday at 9pm (with an additional performance at 6pm on Saturday) at The Mount Without on St Michael’s Hill. For tickets, visit www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/checkout/kerfuffle-by-scottee-and-friends-ltd

Main photo: Holly Revell

Read more: Interview: Scottee on Fat Blokes