Review: DR ADAM PERCHARD AND RICHARD THOMAS: INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMP, Soho Theatre

It would be difficult to describe Adam Perchard as some shy, self-effacing wallflower. They follow up Bunburying (The Importance of Being Dr Adam Perchard) with another autobiographical show, this time with composer Richard Thomas, co-creator of Jerry Springer: The Opera.

With Thomas at the piano throwing some pre-prepared questions their way, the hirsute singer responds through the medium of song. The topics are various: hyper-realistic cakes in the shape of their boyfriend, their experience as a lecturer teaching romantic poetry and marking papers, and the early days of their career at East End queer watering hole The Glory.

Perchard doesn’t wear their academic achievements lightly but isn’t unique in the cabaret world in having a PhD. Dr Laura Murphy wrote her thesis on “Deconstructing the Spectacle: Aerial Performance as Critical Practice” and, with director Ursula Martinez, created the thought-provoking A Spectacle of Herself which appeared at the Battersea Arts Centre earlier this year. The former editor of Time Out’s cabaret section Ben Walters became Dr Duckie after studying the legendary queer company. Australian ecdysiast Lola The Vamp incorporated burlesque into her doctorate. And then there’s the godfather of modern musical comedy Tom Lehrer who - though he never quite finished his doctoral studies - worked for the NSA, claims to invented the Jello shot and took time off from teaching at Harvard to write stone-cold classics like “The Masochism Tango”, “Poisoning Pigeons In The Park” and “We’ll All Go Together When We Go”.

The interview element is one of the least successful parts of the night. The verbal interactions between Thomas and Perchard come across as less ad lib and more under-rehearsed but their musical partnership is an uproarious affair. This is not the former’s first time riding shotgun on a show like this. He has worked with scene stalwarts before including Jonny Woo on All-Star Brexit Cabaret (which featured Perchard) and professional controversialist David Hoyle for another Soho Theatre outing, Merrie Hell.

The doctor doesn’t have the innate charisma of either of those drag icons and is less keen to challenge the state of the world, preferring instead to centre their stories on themself and their experiences. Having said that, that is not necessarily a bad place to start. With a musical style not a million miles from The Divine Comedy, they throw out occasional mentions of coke and cocks as they sing about life as a modern gay but few, especially those acquainted with the likes of Bourgeois & Maurice, will be clutching their pearls.

On the other hand, there are times when sides may be clutched instead. Perchard obviously has wit to spare; after telling one student that they studied Islamophobia for their PhD, the youngster responds “oh, you must really hate them!” They throw out wry lyrics like “my knife met surprising resistance/but when it comes to cake/I’m known for my persistence”. Arch Wildean bon mots and language are casually tossed in, describing one wealthy audience as a collection of “bingo wings and blood diamonds”. Their foray into spoken word with poem “Meanwhile, the gays” has some charming lines but many of the observations were fusty before the pandemic.

Perchard’s lyrics are smart but safe, driving down the middle lane of queer comedy with the seatbelt definitely on. From behind his piano, Thomas adds buckets of verve to the night, driving the songs on with his powerful playing. Its a combination that is highly entertaining without being necessarily particularly memorable. There is a sense, though, that, if Perchard chooses to take the handbrake off, there is some real mileage in this pairing.

Dr Adam Perchard and Richard Thomas: Interview With The Vamp continues at Soho Theatre until 13 July.

Photo credit: Peanut Factory Studio

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