Tom Ratcliffe and Gigi Zahir’s comedy Fame Whore premieres at the King’s Head

The premiere run of Tom Ratcliffe and Gigi Zahir’s outrageous, fast-paced dark comedy Fame Whore, laced with irreverent humour and cabaret songs, continues at London’s King’s Head Theatre until 29 October 2022 (press night is 11 October).

Presented by Sarah Allen Productions, it’s a really fun piece, but it’s also pretty hard-hitting – covering our need to be recognised in the increasingly fractured world of social media, and juxtaposing this with the onslaught of hate so often directed at minority communities in the very forums in which they seek to find solace. Fame Whore holds a mirror up to our desperate desire for relevance, and the lengths we may go to get there.

Tom Ratcliffe is the multi-award-winning writer Velvet and the Lustram Award winning Edinburgh Fringe 2022 hit  Wreckage. Gigi Zahir, aka Crayola the Queen, who stars in Fame Whore, is a multi-disciplinary drag artist, actor, singer, writer, producer and MC.

Becky knows what she wants, she knows what she needs, and she knows how to get it.

When drag artist Becky Biro is told she needs a larger following to be considered as a contestant in the next series of international TV hit ‘The Drag Factor’, she can just smell success. And my god she knows she’s earned it. Every back-room pub performance, every night-bus home, every expensive wig and plucked eyebrow. Becky Biro has worked for her success and she’s not going to let it slip away from her based on a somewhat paltry Insta count.

If Becky needs more followers, then Becky is going to get them. And she will do whatever it takes to get there, then reap the rewards of her inevitable stardom.

Director and writer Tom Ratcliffe is joined in the creative team by Sophia Utria (assistant director), Naomi Denny (stage manager), Bethany Gemmell (assistant stage manager), Jac Cooper (sound designer), Hugo Dodsworth (lighting designer), Ruth Anna Phillips (movement director), Miss Jake (costumes), Mark Fenton (backing tracks), Frances Ashton (projection realisation), Holly Revell (photography) and Jayd Kent (videography). The producer is Sarah Allen and the assistant producer is Harris Albar.

Sofi Berenger, producer at the King’s Head Theatre, said: “LGBTQ+ work is at the heart of what we do at the King’s Head Theatre and so we’re absolutely delighted that Fame Whore is premiering with us. Tom Ratcliffe and Gigi Zahir are fantastic artists and we can’t wait to be working with them in the building.”

Fame Whore premieres at the King’s Head Theatre, Islington from 5-29 October 2022 before embarking on a small East Anglian tour.

Gigi Zahir/Crayola the Queen (lyricist/performer) is a multi-disciplinary drag artist, actor, singer, writer, producer and MC. Gigi trained at The Stella Adler Studio of Acting from 2013-16. During an internship at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park (2016-17), Gigi discovered an unshakeable love for drag, and subsequently, cabaret, which has led them down an unexpected but highly rewarding artistic path.

Over the years, Gigi has performed in pantos at Above the Stag, Her Upstairs and The Vaults, and has been commissioned to create several solo shows including a children’s drag show for the Reading Fringe Festival. Gigi regularly performs at The Glory and The RVT. In 2019 Gigi received several nominations at the QX Cabaret Awards including Best Host, Best Producer and Best Ongoing Cabaret. Gigi recently starred in Wildcard’s Tempest at London’s Pleasance Theatre.

Tom Ratcliffe (writer) is an award-winning, internationally produced writer/actor and is co-executive director of Wildcard. He is under commission with Harlow Playhouse. Tom’s play Evelyn recently ran at the Southwark Playhouse and Mercury Theatre starring Rula Lenska. Writing credits include: Wreckage (Summerhall), Evelyn (Southwark Playhouse/Mercury Theatre), Velvet (UK and Ireland tour/Pleasance Courtyard), Circa (Theater de Meervaart, Amsterdam/The Old Red Lion) and Gifted (Pleasance Theatre). Tom was awarded the JB Priestley Award for Writers of Promise in 2020. He was shortlisted for the Old Vic 12 in 2016 and has been longlisted for the Verity Bargate, Theatre503 & Papatango playwriting awards. Short plays have included runs at Theatre503, Old Red Lion Theatre and St James Theatre.