Interview: 'This Show is for Anyone Who Has Ever Wanted to Celebrate the Festive Season in Their Own Way': Ginger Johnson on GINGER ALL THE WAY! at Soho Theatre

Ginger Johnson, the recent winner of series five of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, is currently at the Soho Theatre “for a wild night in by the festive fireside” with her new show, Ginger All the Way!, which will include a range of Christmas classics done in a camp fashion with “more ham than a boxing day buffet.”

BroadwayWorld had the opportunity to chat with Ginger Johnson about their upcoming show at the Soho Theatre. We discussed how they first got started in the worlds of theatre and drag, the creative process for Ginger All the Way and how performing drag on stage compares to performing on screen.

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How did you first get involved in the worlds of theatre and drag?

I've been showing off in front of anyone who'll watch since before I could string a sentence together - puppet shows behind the sofa, magic acts in my local library, school plays, am-dram, youth theatre...  I did all of it! I first discovered drag while I was at university studying performance.  At the time, I think I really fancied myself as a serious actor that did serious plays for serious people, but I struggled with taking myself seriously enough to do it.  I've always gotten a kick out of making people laugh and drag gave me a platform to do that.  It also meant I didn't have to rely on other people to cast me in a show - I WAS the show. That was 15 years ago. Since then my journey as a performer has come full circle, with most of my shows now existing in theatre spaces. It feels good!

What inspired you to create Ginger All the Way?

I wanted to make a show that celebrates the kind of festive entertainment that I really love; camp, silly, and a little bit weird around the edges. I started off by binge-watching lots of classic TV Christmas specials by people like Morcambe & Wise and Victoria Wood.  I'm also a bit of a panto mega-fan, so there are definitely elements of that in the show as well.

What has the creative process for the show been like?

I've been working with my amazing Musical Director, Sarah Rose, and the fabulous Liv Morris (one half of cabaret superduo Bourgeois & Maurice) to write some new songs for the show, which has been a lot of fun!  I love collaborating with other artists and I am lucky enough to have known both of them for a very long time, so we've had a real blast throwing ideas around and making each other giggle.

What is it like performing on stage in shows like Ginger All the Way versus on screen in Drag Race?

Being on Drag Race is worlds apart from performing in one of my own shows - there's no audience to bounce off in the TV studio, for a start!  I'd also like to think that people who come to see me perform live are far too busy having a good time to be judging the height of my hemline. I have, however, made sure to include some fun 'Easter eggs' for Drag Race fans along the way.  Barbara Cartland is rumoured to be making an appearance, alongside a few other silly surprises from across the series.

What do you hope audiences take away from Ginger All the Way?

I think a lot of the traditions and narratives that surround the festive period aren't really built for Queer people, many of whom don't have the same kind of families and relationships as those stories tell. It can make it hard for us to relate to the 'Classic Christmas' that often gets the hard sell from October to January. This show is somewhat of an antidote to all of that. I want people to leave the show feeling like they can throw all of that to the wind and create new traditions and tell new stories that reflect who they are and how they experience the world in all their wonderful differences.  And that doesn't just go for LGBTQ+ people - this show is for anyone who has ever wanted to celebrate the festive season in their own way - when the party is at Ginger's house, no one is left outside.

How would you describe Ginger All the Way in one word? 

Unhinged.

Ginger Johnson: Ginger All the Way runs until 6 January 2024 at Soho Theatre.

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