david-3489 God I really wanted to love this film...but I felt I needed a wash afterwards. The best I can say is that I truly see it as the British "Paris Is Burning", and by that I mean a vivid time-capsule/snapshot of desperately unhappy, dysfunctional people barely covering their rock-bottom self esteem with bucket-loads of glitter. Mental illness, suicide and disillusionment seep from the screen. And possibly worst of all, there is no real camaraderie amongst these drifting souls, only bitching and casual backstabbing.One sad character declares smugly that he f*cked 1,000 people in 2 years in Highgate Woods and then in the next breath tells us how "devastated" he was when he discovered he was HIV positive, and that no one else could possibly know what true devastation is!The dimwit proceeds with the age-old cliché that he saw a past conquest in public with his wife and kids (how very Naked Civil Servant!) when of course the joke, as always, is on the jaded know-it-all.Self-proclaimed "ringmaster" (no pun intended, I think) Jonny, fancies himself a serious thesp, (quoting from the Bard, trying his luck at the Edinburgh festival) but seems to know instinctively he is little more than a clown.The scene in which lesbian drag-queen (don't ask) Holestar decides to set up a Drag Workshop would be hilarious if it weren't so tragic. Like a deleted scene from Little Britain, the workshop attracts just two punters, one of whom has second thoughts, having received a warning from God (really!) Holestar's desperate attempts to drum up trade outside the venue ("Drag, anyone?!") give credence to her earlier announcement that she considers suicide "every day".There is a pervasive cruelty in this film I rather liked. Forcing its six subjects to visit their families and face uncomfortable and unpleasant truths was cringe-making in the extreme. The transsexual's Northern dad is a pathetic, noble character trying to do and say the right things, with not a lot of success. HIV man's mother says with unwitting irony how, when her son came out as gay, her one and only stipulation was that he should "stay away from the woods".Only performer Scottee acquits himself well. Painfully, messily honest, he comes across as likable and actually seems to progress during the film, re-building burnt bridges with his family. He also seems to have a lucid self-awareness that the other 5 sorely need.All in all, a well-made, gruesomely voyeuristic cautionary tale about drifting, disillusioned, middle-aged hedonists. I honestly cannot wait for Part Two (maybe in 10 years' time?) Like ITV's "Seven-Up" series, I have a feeling not all the protagonists will still be with us.

davideo-2 STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning The enigmatic, flamboyant Jonny Woo invites us into the world of him and his contemporaries, in the wild and colourful world of Soho's drag quarter. While older hands, such as him and fellow cross dresser John Sizzle, ponder what to do as the years draw on and they fit the bill less, younger, up and coming sorts, such as Amber, have their own hurdles to overcome. The film follows each of these similar yet distinctly unique characters as they make their presence felt on the scene and fly in the face of those that oppose them.The many outlets of media have certainly been used in recent times to promote equality and celebrate diversity, which only those with some kind of defect would complain about to any great extent. Colin Rothbart's film zooms in on the widely documented and exuberantly colourful world of the drag scene, bringing some of it's characters to life and giving you a feel of who they are and what they're about. While you'll drop your jaw at some of the outrageous antics and get some impression of an 'alternative lifestyle', the film lacks a certain sense of cohesion and fails to form a really effective narrative structure to piece it all together with.It exists in a time of openness and transparency, and is a product of this environment. You will care about the characters very much and enjoy the lifestyle so much you'll want to celebrate it, it's just a shame it couldn't all get put together in a way that keeps your attention focused. ***

axelsee I expected (and was hoping for) a laugh and a close-up view of a lot of parties and a lot of drag. I got all that, but what really makes this film stand out is that it looks beyond the glamour and the fun at the people behind it, their lives and also their hardships. It portrays whole persons, rather than just the characters you see on stage, and so you get to see more than what you are presented with in their shows. You get to see the connection between the glowing public persona and what's behind it. The film raises important questions about what it is that makes these performers who they become, and it carefully tells comprehensive and often very touching stories about their lives. This film gets full marks from me because of its combination of entertainment and insight. Thumbs up!

Alan Wood I love this film so much! Watching this with a couple of friends a few months ago was so much fun with a few sad moments in the film. It really touched me as I knew a couple of people in the film and the ones i didn't know I felt I connected with them once the film had finished. There are some great scenes from parties, makeup, flying wigs and much more. The film takes you on the ups and down of 6 performers on the London club/drag scene and the personal lives. Dressed as a girl is a great window into the lives of some amazing performers! Go see it for yourself, you will love it!!!