Everyone knows Patti Boo Rae is a shoo-in for the coveted Candy Cane Crown. That’s why, this year, she’s competing unopposed – or so she thinks.
Review by Stephen Gilchrist
At my great age I can trace my association with ‘Drag’ back to the 1960s, or even further back if you include Arthur Askey as a regular Palladium panto dame. A few notches up from panto were pubs such as The Black Cap in Camden Town which was presided over by Marc Fleming, a big, heavily-built Jewish drag-queen who sang standards in a strong baritone voice and claimed an intimate friendship with the late Queen Mother and whom nightly, delighted the punters with a chorus of the music hall song “Why Am I Always the Bridesmaid”. And then there was everyone’s favourite, Danny La Rue who brought glamour to drag while never letting you forget that behind the pancake was a man, with his catch phrase “Wotcher mates!” which he would deliver in a gruff voice as he came onto the stage .
Decades on, and so we come to the exotic world of RuPaul’s Drag Race the American reality competition television series, which documents RuPaul in the search for “America’s next drag superstar”. The competitors immerse themselves in their persona.
And this, too, is the world of Patti Boo Rae, a glamourous, almost impossibly so, drag queen originating from Tennessee but currently based in the UK, whose current Christmas show, Little Miss Christmas, chronicles, both in the present and in retrospect on video, her almost psychopathic craving for the coveted Candy Cane Crown for the fifth year in a row. You see she now considers herself a regular shoo-in as Queen of the Christmas tree in this annual pageant, and will brook no competition!
Patti Boo’s alter ego, Coggin Galbreath has written the ninety minute show, directed by Ryan Hay, which is a delightfully off centre presentation in which our colourful narcistic hostess, lip- synchs, sings a variety of Christmas songs (exceptionally well), engages charmingly with the audience (me included!) and is clearly a commendable actress, not least in what may or may not be a deliberate homage to the beloved American entertainer, Red Skelton, whose famous “Guzzlers Gin” comedy sketch was filmed in “Ziegfeld Follies” (1945). In this show Patti Boo requires take after take for a video promotion of an ad for a vegan ‘North Pole Non Egg Noggin’, in an effort to get it right. Of course, as the repeat takes are attempted, the more she drinks and the drunker she gets.
Since this is a cod beaty competition Patti Boo appears in a variety of costumes and wigs, some gorgeously elegant, others somewhat unlikely but always showing off her impossibly long legs. She even does a striptease. In swimwear, she presents another homage, again deliberately or not, I know not, but this time to Bette Middler’s 1980’s “Divine Madness” impersonation of Shelley Winters in the “Poseidon Adventure” acting out her underwater swim. There is also a funny five minute standup from special guest, British trans comedian Sam Nicoresti.
The show is comedic slick and pith, and incorporates an effective and well stage managed soundtrack, quick changes, amusing video interludes (videographer,Timov) and audience interaction. The show is finally tied up with a true Christmas bow with a touching and genuine ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’
In truth, it is a strange show, more than a drag show, more even than a cabaret, but an outstanding example of performance art by an exceptionally talented performer all delivered in the Christmas spirit. Go! You’ll love Patti Boo! I did!
Little Miss Christmas
Southwark Playhouse Borough, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD
Wednesday 10th December 2025 – Saturday 3rd January 2026
7:30pm
Box Office Tickets will be available from
https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/little-miss-christmas
Website pattibooproductions.com
alphabettitheatre.co.uk
Running Time 90 minutes (15-minute interval)
Age Guidance 14+
Performer Patti Boo Rae (she/her)
Writer Coggin Galbreath (they/them)
Director/Dramaturg Ryan Hay (they/them)
Videographer TJmov (he/him)
Social media @pattiboorae
@alphabetti_theatre
@ry_nh_y
@tj.mov
@c0ggin
@swkplay