Made in the summer of 2015, Bratpack have been entertaining on the weekly at Davie Street ever since. Drag queens Charlee Jem, Gia Metric, Valynne Vile and Jane Smokr are now into season three of the show. Just over a month ago they recruited their newest member, Synthia Kiss, through a succession of weekly challenges.
Five harlots, a sprinkle of tinsel and an inflatable Santa in tow, the stage was brimming with festive spirit.
Opening with The Waitresses’ ‘‘Christmas Wrapping’’, Charlee Jem took to the centre and lip synced her way through the set, gesturing to the audience animatedly, her baby pink cardigan swinging in unison.
The group pointed out, ’’We had to start off with a shitty group number!’’, prompting guffaws from the crowd. A passing reference to the big freeze in the city, ‘‘Hell froze over’’, drew furious nods of agreement.
First act of the night Jane Smokr dived straight in, clad in a minute, cocoa, suede dress and thigh-high matching boots, a flimsy set of reindeer ears upon her blonde bob. Kelly Clarkson's ''Run Run Rudolph'' pulsated through the speakers. Smokr thrusted her form energetically on the dance floor, prompting some onlookers to hand her $5 bills. Coyly, she slid them into her rack.
Vancouver’s entertainer of the year, Gia Metric then strode in to Lady Gaga’s ‘‘Christmas Tree’’, swinging her waist-length, flaming hair. Lights dimming an iota, the tone shifted from upbeat to suggestive. ''Ra pa pam pam’’ shimmying her chest in unison to the lyrics, she beckoned to the audience spurring them on to cheer merrily. Wrapping up her performance by dipping to the ground seductively, the squad were quick to point out her availability, ‘‘She’s on Kijiji and she’s on Craigslist!’’.
Charlee Jem in full swing.
Chief queen, Charlee Jem was next up and launched into a medley of songs. The former Miss Cobalt 2012 mimed to The Sound of Music hit, ‘‘My Favourite Things’’. Fuchsia ball gown billowing, the stage fan generated a breeze around her. Piano chords submerged the room, as ’‘Let It Go’’ from Disney’s Frozen erupted. Jem impetuously let her hair go, it tumbled from a chignon. She tore off layers, revealing a snow white jumpsuit, face contorted with emotion, completely immersed in the moment.
An interval followed and the Grinch awaited to be unleashed upon The Junction. Leading into a performance of South Park’s ‘‘Dead, Dead, Dead’’, Valynne Vile exchanged Christmas cheer for Christmas fear. Sporting a sexy Mrs Clause costume, grin theatrically on display, she mouthed the hook directly at onlookers throughout.
Soon after, bounding in to the Lizzie Mcguire theme tune, newcomer Synthia Kiss and her twinkle toes appeared. Flexing her feet she gracefully pirouetted outwards to the beat, Hilary Duff’s sweet vocals guiding her. Re-enacting a series of sound bites from the popular noughties show, her flow of entertainment was almost outshone by her attire. Abs on show in a sequinned crop top and skintight leggings displaying shapely calves was a distracting sight.
From left to right Jane Smokr, Synthia Kiss, Charlee Jem, Gia Metric, Valynne Vile, Kendall Gender.
The surprise of the evening arrived in a enormous parcel, conducting a ripple of anticipation. Season one O.G member of BP, Kendall Gender jumped out to a round of applause and dropped an impressive improvisation of Xtina’s ‘‘O Holy Night’’. Her comeback victory was both dirty and brilliant, writhing against the tiles in her white leotard paired with stiletto boots, she mimed her heart out.
United, the six of them closed with ‘‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’’, laughing all the way as they paraded off the platform. Jesus Christ, they had sleighed.
(Images via Chase Porter).