Meet the competitors in the Nottingham Drag Pageant 2025. Queens and kings slug it out in a feast of jaw-dropping costumes and laugh out loud humour. But there can only be one and who will win the coveted crown...?
Describe your drag in 3 words:
Cynthia D’Allure- Glamorous, dramatic and alluring.
The Myst- Sensual, mysterious, buffoon.
Basil Thrust- Camp, dapper and sexy!
Tok Dabard- Authentic, butch, and comical.
Doxxie Phisher- freaky. computer, b*tch.
What do you think makes the Nottingham drag scene unique?
Cynthia- The Nottingham drag scene is unique in the sense that is so much diversity within the drag styles that exists here, everyone brings something so different and authentic to the table with their drag.
It’s also such a welcoming and supportive scene, when I first moved to Nottingham late last year, everyone I met was so lovely and accepting and it really pushed me to try new things and refine and develop the way that I do drag.
The Myst- The Nottingham drag scene is unique because of its diversity with our performers more than other places I feel we have open arms to all drag styles and that’s the way it should be! All drag is valid!
Basil- I think what makes the Nottingham drag scene so unique is the sheer variety of alternative drag performers and events. Theres something for everyone, whether you like drag brunches, gameshow style cabarets or poetry!
Tok- The authenticity and variety - it's such a beautiful scene full of amazing people. Everyone is constantly ready to lend a helping hand. I've seen drag artists jump to the aid of newbies. You can really feel the love and passion within this community and I'm so incredibly honoured to have a place in it.
Doxxie- I think being in Nottingham introduced me to more flavours of drag than I'd ever really seen up-close before. Sure, I'd heard of the glamour of Drag Race but only really seen the type of drag you often get in small towns like Chesterfield. Nottingham was my first time even meeting a King, as well as plenty of other alt performers, where my cyber-drag fit right in!
Who is your biggest drag inspiration and why?
Cynthia- There isn’t just one person I can pinpoint that inspired my drag the most, I get my inspiration from so many different places. Whether it be pop culture, film, fashion references or my own personal life experiences. Though if there was one queen I could say is THE pinnacle of my inspiration it would have to be Sasha Velour.
The Myst- My biggest drag inspirations are high energy drag performers who know how to serve all different types of lip-syncs. Performance is most important to me so queens like Alyssa Edward’s, Laganja Estranja, Anetra and Latrice Royale really inspire me.
Basil- Ooh, where do I start!? I was super inspired by all the alternative drag artists on the Nottingham scene. Particularly the kings of course! When I first started going to drag events, I used to be in awe of local kings and things such as Beta Max, Draven, Axolotl Full Throttle, Manly Mannington, Hunter Gatherer and Oedipussi Rex. I remember Kings who came to perform from outside of Nottingham such as Titan Reigns, Jamie Fuxx and Chiyo.
I really think drag kings add so much to the scene, they work HARD to be represented and are often the biggest political advocates. I will forever be inspired by that determination.
Tok- I've drawn a lot of my drag inspiration from the culture I grew up with. Drag in Malaysia was often used as a medium for story telling within our communities. Many years ago it was a key feature of slap stick comedy before slowly disappearing due to rising extremist policies aiming to shut it all down. However, despite these policies that have pushed the community even further underground, the art of drag persists.
As a 'kampung' (village) kid myself, my drag is an homage to all the small town artists. The kind of folks that are simply just the friendly queer next door you happen to know through a friend of a friend. The ones that continue to uphold our tradition of story telling through drag regardless of how big or small their local community is.
Doxxie- My inspirations come from every local performer I've ever seen disgrace a stage, I love this community. My cheek vents are loosely inspired by Hoso Terra Toma's fangs,
Not to mention, my big sister Benthic Zone inspires me to do bigger and better things with every show we run together. Love you, Sis!
My biggest competition in the pageant is genuinely myself
Time for some tea- who do you think is your biggest competition and why?
Cynthia- Not to give a pageant answer…but to give a pageant answer. My biggest competition in the pageant is genuinely myself. My mindset for the pageant is to go in there, showcase my drag to the best of my abilities, challenge myself and have fun while doing it. Working through nerves and self-doubt is something every artist deals with and it’s just because I’m passionate about what I do, so as long as I carry on with that same mindset and give it my all, that’s what counts.
The Myst- I think everyone is gonna put Climax because she just won a competition. I’ve also got 1 comp win. I’m looking out for Cynthia Dallure and Basil thrust. I think these drag artists have a lot of personality and will show that fabulously
Basil- Climax just won S7 of The Next Drag Superstar UK so I think she's going to be hard to beat! But also, I'm really excited to see what Tok Dabard does for his performance. I love that he incorporates puppetry into his drag.
Tok- Everybody! Have you seen this line up?? They're all such incredibly talented creatives and entertainers. It'll be a pleasure to share a stage with all of them.
Doxxie- I would say Tok Dabard, as the only other artist in this competition that I've seen using a puppet!
Finally, and most importantly: why do you think you're the next winner of NDP?
Cynthia- I believe that I am the next winner of the drag pageant Nottingham is because, again, I am so passionate about my art and what I do! I have so much true, genuine love and admiration for drag, it has given me so much self-confidence, it drives me to be creative and to be 100% authentically myself at all times. Without drag I genuinely don’t know what I’d do with myself haha. So to win the pageant would mean everything and it would allow me to push my drag to even greater levels than what it is now. I would be giving back to the art form that has given me so much.
The Myst- I think I’m the next winner of the NDP because with my performances and looks I can tell a beautiful dragged up story while looking absolutely stunning and acting like a complete fool! Even though I look gorgeous as hell I’m definitely not afraid to be messy and stupid. I’ve waited a long time for this chance, I’m gonna make it count.
Basil- Because I'm cute obviously, have you seen how short I am? They'll have to make my crown in a size 'borrower'. I also think my skills in costume and stage design will be an advantage, yes this boy can sew!
Tok- Well I'm the bard of Nottingham's dreams of course!
Doxxie- I think what I do is barely considered drag, so I come at this competition from a very unique angle. Maybe I won't win the pageant itself, but I'll go home a winner just be meeting my fellow competitors + having the honour of sharing their stage! (←The suckup answer.)
The Nottingham Drag Pageant took place at the Nottingham Arts Theatre on Friday June 20th 2025.
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