![](https://www.sardinesmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Craig_Revel_Horwood-OnSale-FEATURE-1680x1080-1.jpg)
Show: Craig Revel Horwood: The All Balls and Glitter Tour
Society: Orchard Theatre, The (professional productions)
Venue: Orchard Theatre. Home Gardens, Dartford, Kent DA1 1ED
Credits: Presented by So Comedy & Broken Robot Productions by arrangement with Gavin Barker Associates. UK Tour.
Type: Sardines
Author: Aimee Collins
Performance Date: 31/03/2022
Craig Revel Horwood: The All Balls and Glitter Tour
Aimee Collins | 02 Apr 2022 14:25pm
An evening with Craig Revel Horwood implies glitter, jazz hands and of course, brutal honesty!
The first act certainly brought glitter and jazz hands as Craig’s drag alter-ego ‘Lavish’ took to the stage to begin telling his life story, from his first steps in drag as a young boy at home in Australia, to his first professional roles in West Side Story and La Cage Aux Folles, to treading the boards in the West End in Miss Saigon and on the UK tour of Cats.
Lavish’s duets with pianist Ben Goddard were, for me, the highlight of the first act – their harmonies in Last Night of the World (Miss Saigon) and I Know Him So Well (Chess) really showing Revel Horwood’s vocal talent. They then returned in the story to Craig’s childhood, Lavish singing Sister Act (from Sister Act) to express the close relationship that Craig had with his sisters.
But, for me, this show really began at the end of Act 1, when Lavish kicked off the heels, wiped off the make-up and removed the wig. I Am What I Am was a truly fitting song for Craig’s reveal and was an impressive end to Act 1. The poignancy of the moment when he stood centre stage, mid transformation was the true message of Craig’s solo show.
The second act saw Craig continuing to take us on a journey through his life and impressive career – the highlights and the struggles – in an honest and heart-warming way. He talked fondly of his time on stage in Crazy for You, treating the audience to a tap number from the show to I Got Rhythm. He then donned a heavy military coat and sung Empty Chairs and Empty Tables from Les Miserables – the role he never got to play professionally.
Then came what the audience were waiting for… Craig’s Strictly story! He revealed that he initially thought the idea of a reality TV show, where professional dancers attempted to teach celebrities to dance, was “awful” darling! However, he revealed his joy at being back on the show this season – explaining how Strictly has “captured the hearts and minds of the nation.”
Craig brought the show to a close with a tribute to his late father. His honest and heartfelt story of his dad’s battle with alcoholism was concluded with his father’s favourite song My Way – and Craig really did do this show his way!
Although Craig started the show as ‘Lavish’, showing his love of drag, I felt the second act, where we got to see Craig as his real self in a pink jacket and tap shoes, really celebrated the power of self-acceptance and perseverance. This was what made this show fab-u-lous!