Little Lark of London

“It was the way of the vamp that saved me, and it could save you too”

Dr Adam Perchard and Richard Thomas: Interview With the Vamp is an “Epic queer song-cycle” that focuses on the life of Dr Adam Perchard and how they became a vamp, with Richard Thomas accompanying Perchard on the piano and asking them questions that lead into the next segment of the show. From the opening number, the audience is encouraged to learn more about Perchard, with them telling us to “Jump into my brain” and follow them on their journey of self-acceptance. 

Our goal for the night? To learn “what it is to be a vamp.” We are introduced to the concept of vamping, which Perchard describes as camp improvisation with a Gothic twist. Perchard tells us the story of how they first became a vamp themselves, finding who they truly are through glamorous costumes and over-the-top performances. 

But this isn’t your average cabaret show. Perchard is one of those people who it seems like has lived a thousand lives in one lifetime, working as a university lecturer, cabaret performer, comedy writer, nightclub host (while writing a PhD on Islamophobia) and even an opera star! An unbelievable story involves Perchard performing in St Moritz, telling people’s fortunes using chrysanthemum petals. There is also a poem mixed into the show entitled “Meanwhile, The Gays,” an amusing yet thoughtful piece of work that mixes the joy and fears of queerness. 

The comedy in the show is fantastic, especially the musical performances! One song focuses on Perchard’s hatred of hyperrealistic cake, which leads to a joke about thinking their boyfriend was a cake, cutting into and eating him and ends with the questioning thought, “Maybe I’m a cake as well.” There are some amazing one-liners sprinkled into the show, with my personal favourite being when Perchard says, “You say bump, I say how high?” Another great one is the way the show as a whole is explained as having “So many layers. Such a lasagna.”

Along with funny moments, there are also some darker ones in which Perchard details moments in their life where they questioned their purpose. A song tells us about Perchard having a nervous breakdown while teaching English at Queen Mary London, with Perchard singing, “Referencing, I’ll show you how / Somebody please kill me now.”

Thomas is a brilliant pianist, accompanying Perchard’s gorgeous vocals while still establishing a voice for the music, making for a lovely duet of sorts. Unfortunately, when asking the interview questions to Perchard, Thomas is seemingly reading off of a paper on the sheet music stand of the piano, making things feel a bit less genuine and more scripted than one might expect from a cabaret. 

Ultimately, Dr Adam Perchard and Richard Thomas: Interview With the Vamp is a fanciful and heartfelt look into the life of Dr Perchard, taking audiences on a satisfying emotional journey in which we are taught that we have to be our own monsters, leaving the garden of childhood but still keeping that playfulness in our hearts. 

Dr Adam Perchard and Richard Thomas: Interview With the Vamp ran from 10 to 13 July at Soho Theatre. More information on the run can be found here.