There’s singing, dancing, jokes, clowning and some very pointed impressions, including a take on Shirley Temple and Joan Rivers
Jimbo is taking the art of drag to the next level with the Jimbo’s Drag Circus live show.
Touted as the “weirdest show on earth,” the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 8 serves 90 minutes of fully made-up mayhem featuring the many outrageous characters from Jimbo’s colourful imagination.
There’s singing, dancing, jokes, clowning and some very pointed impressions, including Jimbo’s take on Shirley Temple and Joan Rivers.
“There’s not a lot of drag performers out there with a full touring set. With a full, big show like this. This is something that hasn’t really been done on this scale before,” said Jimbo, who designed the show-stopping looks and composed original music with Andrew Feels. “I love to push people’s expectations and exceed their expectations.
“It’s really what I have been dreaming about for so long, to have my own story and to play all the characters. I play six characters. I do improv. It’s so amazing to be able to put together all the things I love to do, which is a little bit of everything.”
The Canadian Tour, which kicked off mid-May in Toronto, lands in B.C. with shows in Kelowna on June 9, Vancouver on June 11 and two final stops in Jimbo’s home of Victoria on June 12 and 13.
“That’s what I love about drag. I’m extra, I’m the most. And in drag, you can be extra, and that’s what my tour is, the culmination of years of dreaming, thinking, scheming, working and collaborating,” said Jimbo, who grew up in London, Ont.
Jimbo, as Jimbo the Drag Clown, began collecting a following of fans when she finished fourth in Canada’s Drag Race in 2020. She then sashayed her way onto the U.K. Versus the World Drag Race stage and finished seventh. Those early middling results didn’t discourage, and Jimbo went on to win Season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars last year.
“I’m the first queen of the franchise to compete in three different countries,” said Jimbo.
With the crown securely on her head, Jimbo cracked on and started to build a live stage career. But before leaving the Drag Race nest, Jimbo did get some words of advice from the queen of all queens, RuPaul.
“Remember to be grateful. Remember to be kind. And just remember all of this is a gift and you’re out there in the world and you’re meeting people. It’s important to remember it can go as fast as it comes. And so remember to be grateful and remember to look around and take it all in while it’s happening,” Jimbo said RuPaul told her after her win.
Now that Jimbo is headlining a fully turned-out show, does she have advice for young drag performers?
“My advice is always that drag is difficult. It’s hard. It’s expensive. It’s exhausting. So you really need to find those things about drag that fill you up,” said Jimbo, who moved to Victoria 15 years ago. “Make sure you’re not doing it for other people.
“Make sure you’re not going, oh, I should look like this because this is what others look like. My success came from me being authentically myself and for me creating space for myself in the world.
“So that’s what I encourage other people to do, is find that thing about yourself that brings you joy, that sets you apart. And then focus on that.”
Talking over Zoom from her tricked-out studio Jimbo shared that she was feeling casual that day. And by ‘casual’ think Dolly Parton meets a feminine Beetlejuice crossed with a 1960s high-end casino cigarette girl.
“I’m pretty relaxed right now,” said Jimbo, who was in full makeup with a black-and-white striped skirt and a bosom-enhancing corseted top. “I don’t have a crazy hat on, and I am not a thousand degrees, and I can move around.”
Behind her was a rack of brightly coloured clothing. But, upon closer inspection, one garment stuck way out: an authentic Cowichan sweater.
Jimbo put the sweater on, hugged it close to her body, and talked about the Knit with Purpose Collective that created the piece. That led to a discussion about wrapping the tour in front of a hometown crowd.
“I get to bring the show home to this incredible community here of people who supported me. A lot of the people here were at some of my very first shows,” said Jimbo. “There are those that have followed me since way before I was on Drag Race, so I can’t wait for them to see the growth, all the work and to really celebrate all the artistry that has gone into this show.”
While sporting a deep fan base, Jimbo knows there are some people who still can’t wrap their heads around drag. But she remains positive when asked about people protesting things like drag queen story hours.
“What I’ve actually seen is there is more support for drag and for artistry and for queer people than there is against it,” said Jimbo. “There has been a lot of education. And a lot of people are starting to open their eyes to other ways of being, and knowing that people’s individual truths are real. We need to listen to people when they say ‘this is who I am, and this is how I’d like to be loved and respected.’
“Drag is an art form that really is just about self-expression. And it’s about seeing somebody in their element, and in their joy. And just sharing in that, even for a minute.”