BOYLESQUE DRAG FESTIVAL

At the Gloria Theater, the 6th Boylesque Drag Festival unfolds a pointedly curated stage on which over thirty international DragKings, DragQueens and non-binary performers each present their own interpretation of body, gender and performance. The festival is anchored in the ColognePride weekend and combines the aesthetics of burlesque with contemporary discourses on queerness, self-determination and social attributions. Between live singing, lipsync, cabaret elements, artistry and sensual-ironic boylesque, a space is created that consciously breaks up and artistically questions traditional images of beauty and roles. The collaboration with partners such as CSD Berlin and OUTtv points to the supra-regional character of the format, whose Cologne edition ties in with the city's variety tradition as well as current queer movements that seek visibility and critical reflection in equal measure. Reserved seating and an evening show structure give the audience the opportunity to experience the aesthetic density of the performances in a concentrated way and at the same time gain an insight into an artistic cosmos that interweaves humor, political awareness and performative virtuosity.