Review: WASTEMAN, VAULT Festival

The VAULT festival is not Wasteman's first time on the stage - in fact, Joe Leather's production has previously done the bin rounds at Camden Fringe Festival in 2022. Its triumphant return, therefore, is no surprise, given how much audiences enjoyed the semi-autobiographical production's first outing.

Directed by Kat Bond, Wasteman is a show about "making something fabulous in the most unfabulous of settings" as a bin man brings their dreams of being a drag queen to life in their bid to win the coveted title of 'Miss Stoke.' However, when you peel back the glitter and slip off the stilettos, there are some real moments of tenderness within the production - which centres itself around growing up queer, facing difficult truths, and friendship.

Joe Leather is a dynamic performer (in and out of drag), meaning that every minute spent with their character during the one-hour production is well spent. They guide the audience through the story effortlessly, playing a range of dynamic characters when doing so and slipping into song, dance (and the splits) when necessary.

Like all good drag artists, Joe has incorporated plenty of risque humour into the script, allowing them to form a strong relationship with the audience. At some points, it feels as though we're a group of friends sharing stories rather than an audience sitting in the distance. These moments of joyful levity (and the occasional Grindr notification) make the plays' more dramatic notes hit that little bit harder - in Wasteman, laughter is not only medicine but a defense mechanism.

As a fellow northerner living in London, it was incredibly refreshing to hear northern voices - and stories - on the stage. These characters, from bin-men to bouncers, are often left out of popular narratives, so having them form such an integral part of the show is exciting and vital.

What should audiences expect from Wasteman? Northern humour at its finest (and most risque), glitter, stilettos, laughter, tears - basically, a little bit of everything! This is truly a show that you cannot help but fall in love with.

Wasteman is at the VAULT festival until February 16.

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