One of my most recent lockdown obsessions is Ru Paul’s Drag Race. I live for its weekly release on Netflix, as well as the UK version on BBC iPlayer. So, when I saw that the biggest drag performance act in Lisbon, Portugal were now online for everyone to access I could not give them my money fast enough!
I invited my friend Jenny to join me, as this seemed like an experience better enjoyed with friends, and she was more than eager to buy a ticket too.
Now, there’s a little clue in the name, but Drag Taste are much more than your average drag performance. They combine their love of food and drink with a live show. The specific experience we chose was titled Sangria and Secrets, and not only were we getting two hours with the beautiful queens, we were also learning their secret Portuguese sangria recipe.
In more normal times they sell drag queen cooking parties and boozy brunches, and if I’m ever in Lisbon again, I can guarantee they’ll be at the top of my to-do list.
Before the class we were sent a message asking if we wanted to be Popcorn guests or Apron guests. The message explained that there are two options for the night, you can get involved in making the Sangria along with the queens (Apron, the recommended option), or you can sit back and enjoy the show (Popcorn). Obviously, I was going to get stuck right in and make the sangria.
The ingredients list was extravagant to say the least, but everything came with alternative options if these weren’t possible to get. I’ll admit, I opted for a cheap Prosecco over Champagne, and an unknown brand of travel-size orange liquor over Cointreau, but alcohol is alcohol, right?
The Experience
I’ll start off by declaring that I was not prepared for the high production value of this night. After giving everyone 10 minutes to arrive, the Drag Taste countdown ended and the show started in a flurry of lights, dancing, smoke and their own rendition of P!nk’s ‘Get the Party Started’.
The camera was then turned to our host for the evening, who took time to greet everyone individually and build a rapport with each of us. Next came a surprise challenge to go and find anything in the house to make our outfit more fabulous; this could be wigs, hats, make up or a colourful item of clothing.
Luckily for me, my girlfriend’s sister is a huge fan of novelty dress-up items, and I was able to adorn myself with a florescent pink wig, a funky straw hat and heart shaped sun-glasses. I’m proud to say my get-up impressed our hosts massively.
Our guides then explained that they did not want to see any thumbs up or clapping on the call, and they definitely did not want to hear the word ‘yes’, “because ‘yes’ is very straight and we are very gay” they explained. Instead, they demonstrated how to show our approval with a finger wiggle and a “YASSS QUEEN”.
When we’d got that technique down, it was time to crack on with the cocktail making. Now this was way more than a cook-along; the queens were sure to keep it entertaining with constant innuendos, rude jokes and even a midpoint musical number.
After spanking the mint and doing a rhythmic dance to crush the cinnamon, we combined all our ingredients for the sangria syrup, boiled it down and left that to cool while the queens encouraged everyone to rub their citrus fruits to soften and make them easier to juice.
This involved rubbing lemons and oranges on your own body, or your partners (if they were to hand). It was all absolutely bonkers, and we enjoyed every second of it.
After combining our three types of alcohol, various fruits and sangria syrup, it was time to sit down with a huge glass of very strong and very delicious sangria and enjoy more of the performance. This involved a queen hanging from the ceiling, climbing on a metal frame and an energetic dance routine from 8 drag queens.
Next, we were taught how to toast to good health in Portuguese, before a unifying rendition of Frozen’s ‘Let it Go’ that saw everyone dancing and singing at full volume (luckily the mics were off). Finally, the evening ended with a Q&A, giving us a chance to learn more about our fabulous hosts for the evening.
I can confidently say that this was the best night in I’ve ever had alone in front of my computer. The experience is £30 per ticket, plus extra for the cocktail ingredients if you choose to make it.
For me, this would be something great to splash out on to celebrate a birthday in lockdown. You can see where the money goes, supporting a whole team of performers, camera operators and who knows who else working behind the scenes to make this the top quality show that it is.
Jenny loved it so much, she’s actually already bought another ticket to see the show again, which speaks volumes!
