Komedia Brighton – 13th April 2025
5 stars
Wuthering Shites is not your usual take on the Brontë classic. Fantastic drag performer Kate Butch, of RuPaul’s Drag Race fame, brought together the world of Wuthering Heights, the iconic music, costumes and videos of Kate Bush and a good amount of irreverent humour for an unpredictable and hilarious show.
Performed at Komedia Brighton, this one-person jukebox musical included parody, stand-up comedy and musical theatre.
The show drew heavily on the music of Kate Bush with performances of some of her best-known songs including Babooshka, Running Up That Hill, The Man with the Child in His Eyes and, of course, Wuthering Heights. Some are played for laughs, others are performed with real vocal strength, showing off Butch’s musical range as well as their comedy skills.
There was a lot going on stage and that was all part of the charm. The energy was sky high and the audience lapped it up, thanks to Butch’s quick wit, charisma and confident stage presence.
The show is fast-paced and packed with jokes, some clever, some cheeky, all getting big reactions from the crowd.
Fans of Kate Bush found a lot to enjoy with nods to her music videos, lyrics and general mystique woven throughout. But you didn’t need to be a superfan to have a good time. There were plenty of pop culture references, sharp one-liners and more than a few moments of chaos to keep everyone thoroughly entertained.
This inventive and funny show has clearly been made with a lot of affection for both its source material and its audience. Wuthering Shites is an unpredictable ride and if you are open to a literary classic and the songs on an iconic artist being turned completely on their head, it’s well worth seeing. There’s nothing quite like it.
