With a sub-heading of “A new queer parody musical”, what better entertainment for a Thursday in the middle of Pride month? We are so fortunate in Oxford to have an inclusive and welcoming space like the Old Fire Station, where we get to see a diverse range of shows from all corners of the country, opening our eyes and our minds to a variety of different perspectives and walks of life.

A Northern Tr*nny Hootenanny (I’m already sold with the catchy title – I keep saying it to myself like some kind of queer mantra) is an award-winning one-man show passionately performed by Hunter King bringing an allegorical twist to his own real-life transition. With a content warning at the top of the show “gender dysphoria, transphobia, bullying, strong language and really bad puns…”, it was the suffix “and optional (but encouraged) audience participation” that really sent my anxiety soaring. However, there was no need to worry – King immediately put us at ease with his introduction to the show, creating a ‘safe space’ for all.

The show itself is a giddy mix of joyous Country-tinged Disney parodies, belted out with gusto by King’s moustachioed milkmaid, dreaming of a better life as a cowboy in small-town Northern England, where being different is not encouraged. Certainly not by our milkmaid’s parents. With a standout performance from Bessie the best-friend cow, and some fantastic, perfectly timed, off-stage voiceover work, King takes us on his unique journey of transformation, invoking the Canal Street Drag scene and transphobic bumps along the way.

In the Q&A after the show King explained how he initially developed it to be as age inclusive as possible, to help start conversations about gender identity and trans-rights among audience members (especially transgender children and their parents). Beyond the jovial songs and madcap stage antics, King is an eloquent and educated speaker on the subject, and I left the performance with a fire in my belly to become much more proactive in my allyship across the LGBTQIA+ community.

This is an absolute gem of a show, currently touring the country – I highly recommend you seek it out.