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Get Brake To Fringe 2023
Chester, Cheshire West and Chester, United Kingdom
Aim
This fundraiser aims to help with accommodation and living costs for Cheshire drag king Mr Brake Down and his crew at Edinburgh Fringe 2023!
Cheshire drag king Mr Brake Down is bringing three fantastic shows to the Edinburgh Fringe this year, from the exciting reprise of last year's deeply enjoyable 'Doom & Glitter: A Tribute to Tom Waits' to the new immersive storytelling experience of 'Dragenstein: Tales of Terror' and the all-out extravaganza party atmosphere of 'Drageoke Wonderland'.
In these three totally different shows, Brake showcases the versatility of drag as a performance art, bring queer joy, theatrics, live music and vivacious energy to audiences of all kinds for a total of 34 shows in just 17 days. And you can help this gargantuan effort by contributing to this fantastic fundraiser, which helps to cover accommodation costs and living expenses for Brake and his glamourous assistant Stjerne during their three-week stay in Edinburgh.
Costing Breakdown:
This fundraising platform is solely to help with the cost of accommodation and living expenses during the stay in Edinburgh from July 31st to August 19th inclusive. Every available corner has been cut, including a reduced crew size (of one person, the incredible multifaceted assistant that is Stjerne the Great) and a reduced rate stay at Queen Margaret University via the EdFringe Artists Platform, which is in Musselborough, a short train ride away from the city centre. The approximate costs are as follows:
- Accommodation Fee: £250 per person, per week, for a total of £1500
- Initial Transport to Edinburgh via train: £80 per person approx., for a total of £160
- Transport to and from Edinburgh from Musselborough via local trains: Weekly Flexipass on Scotrail is £19.30 per person per week, for a total of £115.80
- Groceries and sundries for two people self-catering at the accommodation: approx £200
This brings our rough total to around £2000 for two people, even at the cheapest rates and lowest prices the Fringe can offer. Anything we raise to contribute to the cost of living whilst at the Fringe greatly reduces the pressure on us as cast and crew to give the best shows we possibly can, and we appreciate any donation, large or small!
About The Shows:
Doom and Glitter: A Tribute to Tom Waits
In this laid back cabaret filled with vocal impersonations, live singing and bluesy banter, drag king Mr Brake Down pays tribute to the wit and wonderment of the iconic Tom Waits. Gloriously odd and experimental, the show takes audiences on a musical journey through some of Waits's seminal works, whilst Brake expounds on just how much a drag king from South Wales might have in common with the California-born performer. Expect to be bemused in a highly enjoyable fashion by a show that must be seen to be believed!
Dragenstein: Tales of Terror
Drag king horror master Mr Brake Down invites you to a darkly theatrical storytelling experience set to music, showcasing chilling tales. Filled with dark humour and playful thrills, this non-graphic horror experience is sure to give you goose bumps in all the right places. Every show features different stories to send shivers up your spine, from quirky supernatural comedies to steampunk fairytales, historical terrors and futuristic frights. Brake brings vivid characters to life through drag, theatre and vocal artistry in a queer safe space where you can explore the things that go bump in the night.
Drageoke Wonderland
A karaoke night with a difference, this is a dragged-up game show you won’t want to miss. You can expect stunning vocals from drag king Mr Brake Down and his occasional special guests, but the real stars of the show are the ones we find in the audience along the way! Wonderfully different and wildly unpredictable every night, this inclusive music show will have you swaying along to shower-song favourites and cabaret anthems in an explosion of pure comedic musical joy. Have you got what it takes to snatch the Drageoke crown?
About Brake:
Stage presence and creativity run deep in the veins of Mr Brake Down. In another life, his alter ego works as a horror novelist and performance poet, but when the sun goes down and the eyeliner comes out, Brake enjoys some sultry singing and the joys of surprising the waiting crowds with his variety of drag looks.
From cosplay and literary characters to horror-rockers and glitzy Vegas-style costumery, Brake’s wide bevvy of influences come from the far corners of rhythm and blues, classic novels, the goth scene of the early 2000s, musical theatre and, dare he say it, even Eurovision. Wherever there’s a look that can combine a little masculine realness with some gothy, campy fun, he’s ready to try it on for size.
When he’s not up to his eyeballs in foundation and sequins, Brake enjoys travelling the world and bringing its many cuisines home to learn from. A proud vegan and environmentalist, Brake hopes to incorporate his love of music, cooking, the planet and drag into one enormous message of empowerment and acceptance for future generations.
This project successfully funded on 21st July 2023