
Bishopsgate Institute x Guildhall School: The Blu Palace Ball
This event will take place in person.
Kookie Blu presents: The Blu Palace Ball
Kookie Blu invites you to embark on a magical journey with her fabulous friends as they explore one of the most celebrated Drag Balls, which debuted legendary Queens in West London’s Porchester Hall from the 1960s to the 80s.
The Blu Palace Ball is a performance evening based on the photography of Robert Workman held by Bishopsgate Institute. Workman documented entertainer and drag icon Jean Fredericks on London’s Drag Ball scene. This will be a night to remember, so wear your best gown and enjoy the drama.
Practical information
Tickets are £12/£6 and available in advance and on the door.
What inspired The Blu Palace Ball
Inspired by the Institute’s collections, this event will explore themes such as beauty, freedom of expression, gender, history, the world of queer ballroom, and drag Kings and Queens.
Collaborating with several artist from multiple diverse creative backgrounds, this exciting performance draws on inspiration from archive materials such as the “Female Mimics”, The Miss World Board Game, issues of Gay News and 100s of images from Robert Workman’s photographic collection, creating a space which is free from judgement and full of creativity.
Image caption – (c) Cleo Elizabeth Thomas. Image of performer Kookie Blu.
How we’re keeping you safe
August 2022 update: Keeping you safe and healthy is our number one priority.
If you test positive for Covid-19 or are asked to isolate and are not able to attend your class or pre-booked event, please contact the Bishopsgate Box Office for further information (enquiries@bishopsgate.org.uk). Please do not come to the Institute in person if you have symptoms or have tested positive.
Bishopsgate Institute has a thorough cleaning schedule in place and we clean the most populated areas more often. You will find hand-sanitising stations throughout the building as well as touch-free drinking fountains.
Find out more about how we’re keeping you safe.

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Need to Know
Metadata
- Time
- 19:30 - 22:00
- Price
- £12/ £6 conc.
- Day
- Saturday
- Duration
- 150
- Venue
- Bishopsgate Institute
Meet the Artists

AKingPhoenix
AKingPhoenix is a London based multi-instrumentalist, specialising in drums and percussion. Playing various genres of music from jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Pop, Latin, Soul to experimental.
She is worldly travelled, having the opportunity to perform across England and Europe with various bands and artists from a young age. Absorbing the multi faceted of music and creatively interpreting it, making her the creative she is today.
She also delves into educating the younger generation through teaching and classes all across London through the music youth charity Kinetika Bloco. This furthering them onto perform variety of performances across England.
Instagram: @Akingphoenix

Asher
Asher is a dark songstress. They are a singer, music producer, video maker, photographer and collaborator. They have captivated audiences not limited to just their own mother, as they also have 4 cats!
Their voice soars through intimate power and relentless softness, with songs about freedom, representation, and even drastic hook up stories... They have worked with many artists and communities across the London scene and internationally, as well as a solo artist
Instagram: @AsherFynn
Photo by @Carl_Doghouse ; for @QUEEFYCabaret

Bev
Bev is an alien queen from the Planet Bloo. Their quirky creativity is out of this world and is expressed through dancing and movement expression. Bev is another being from galaxies away trying to make the world a better place with their signature blue face.
Instagram: @thatqueenbev
Twitter: @thatqueenbev

David Gonzalez
David is a Dancer, choreographer, movement director and teacher from Barcelona, Spain. He has trained around the world in Hip Hop, Locking, Popping but he is known because of Waacking. He is continually seeking new ways to expand himself and inspire others with his creations.
He is active in the international waacking community and has won battles internationally. Currently he is helping to bring the waacking community back to London! And Nowadays he is regularly teaching Waacking and choreography class at The Hub studio.
He has been involved in different works from relevant choreographers in the industry such as Mecnum Giasar and Parris Goebel.
Instagram: @davgonest
Join David Classes: @thehubstudioslondon

Emma Hadley-Leonard
Emma Hadley-Leonard graduated in 2021 from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in BA(Hons) Professional Acting. She has taken on a wide range of historically renowned characters from Lady Macbeth and Macbeth in separate productions ranging to Hedda Gabler, and worked alongside prestigious theatre directors in main house productions at the Bristol Old Vic, having also performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017. Emma is a trained vocalist across musical theatre to more classical and folk work. While studying at BOVTS, Emma was the recipient of the Mike & Jan Gale Dance Award & the Award for Creative Flair. She is currently working on her debut semi-autobiographical show that originated from a scratch night performance and its remarkable reception in Bristol back in 2019.
Contact:
office@rebeccasingermanagement.com
emmahadleyleonard@gmail.com

Imale (Aurora)
Aurora an intergalactic oddity exploring the wonder of beingness in human form. Exposing the fallacies in the social and personal scripts we follow by creating new reference points through art and performance. They are inspired by dreams and icebergs.
Instagram: @_neverendingquest

Kookie Blu
Kookie earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She moves freely within her multidisciplinary practice, creating content, writing and directing plays, music, video and theatre, visual arts, her experimental nature also explores important themes from capitalism to Afro-futurism, an ambassador for imagination and creativity.
She delves into everyday life for inspiration, being brought up in a diverse community and having that exposure to different genres of music, fashion, and culture has allowed her to draw from these experiences and intertwine them into her works illuminating contemporary culture in a distinctly original fashion.
Instagram: @kookeipops

Leon Hazlewood
Leon trained at the London Studio Centre studying Performing Arts. As a professional dancer, singer and actor, Leon’s theatre credits include Showboat, A Night at the Cotton Club, Hollywood and Broadway – UK National Tour with Wayne Sleep and Bonnie Langford, Bullies Ballerinas UK tour, Aladdin, River Dance – specialist Tap Dancer.
Leon’s numerous appearances on TV some credits include BBC TV, The Late Late Show and the Brit Awards. He has also appeared in various pop videos by artists such as Boy George, Shakatak, Nick Lowe and Gabrielle. Leon is also an accomplished Dance Teacher and Choreographer, whose work includes numerous Dance-in Education projects throughout the UK. As a freelance Dance Tutor Leon has taught and collaborated on Jazz Dance pieces in the UK, South Africa as well as the Netherlands. Leon has choreographed for The London Studio Centre summer show and Kinetika Bloco.

Liv (they / them)
Nonbinary diva and drag artiste, Liv is known for their work on stage and within their LGBTQ+ communities.
In 2019 Liv began hosting Drag Balls for the glorious, ever-growing LGBTQ+ scene in Norwich, with a focus on community and inclusion. They have since awarded over twenty category trophies to various winners, some of whom have gone on to become fierce performers and artists in their own right.
In 2021, alongside fellow Norwich Drag icon, Moth, they founded The Norwich Drag Pageant to provide rising stars with opportunities to develop their drag careers further and be part of the legacy of the Norwich Drag scene.
Liv is an associate artist at the Norwich Arts Centre where they host their events. Working together since February 2018, they have supported more than fifty artists with live performance opportunities.
Alongside performing in various locations across the Midlands, East Anglia and London, Liv is originally from Nottingham and is proud to be a regular feature on the Notts drag scene.
Instagram: @liv_presents

Marlowe Mitchell
Marlowe (he/they) is an interdisciplinary artist who recently graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, with a final piece exploring horror and queerness, which he wrote, directed, and composed music for.
His work is grounded in researching the vast, intersectional history and culture of the transgender community, stretching from creating oral histories of transmasculine experiences in sports alongside On The Record, to exploring and creating work based on stories of gender non-conformity pre 20th century. He is also very interested in creating learning opportunities for people to engage with intersectional queer culture, volunteering at London Friend, where he co-moderated English classes that invited deep dives into global stories shared amongst participants.
Currently he is working on getting his first feature length screenplay about football and transmasculinity produced.

Miss Terri Boxx
"What's in the Box??" Miss Terri Boxx could bring you something spooky, something that's cute and sexy, or a combination of all three. Whatever it is, you'll probably be confused and most definitely thrilled!

Robyn
Robyn earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Hair, Make-up and prosthetics for performance from the London College of Fashion (University of the Arts London) and during the time since starting her degree in 2013 has been thrown into every aspect of the make-up industry. Her opportunities have included completing a collaboration project with Game of Thrones for HBO while studying at LCF, worked multiple times on London fashion week, worked on rimmel London adverts, 2 years MAC Cosmetics experience as a retail artist, 1 year as a lead artist at Charlotte Tilbury to just start. Due to Robyn’s gender identity, she left London after her degree and returned to her hometown up north to pursue her transition, during this time Robyn has been teaching make-up, hair and special effects at a college to adult learners.
Robyn has experience with all avenues of make-up but specialises in theatrical, dramatic and advanced makeup such as drag make-up, prosthetics, theatre make-up etc.
Instagram: @Robynxwesley/ @Robynleahartistry

Shar Cooterie
Shar Cooterie, Queen of the Deli, will serve you up a little sweet, a little sour, a little sass and a lot of power. With a veritable smorgasbord of comedy, personality and powerhouse vocals on the menu, Shar hopes that you enjoy her unique flavour of Honey Roast Glam.
Instagram: @sharcooterie

Sufia
Sufia has a background which spans from working in the creative arts to Education. Having filmed behind the scenes on film sets to creating her own visual poems during lockdown, she has long utilised the arts as her own personal outlet alongside working with young people to do the same. She was selected to make a short film as part of a collective of series of visual poems that explore discrimination and exclusion in the UK, released on behalf of the Film & TV Charity & Smoking Bear Productions. She has been creating and writing since, alongside working as a Mentor and Youth Worker in schools from the coast to the city. Working with communities from an array of stories and backgrounds to speak truth through the arts has always felt like the greatest part of the creative journey, and one she cannot wait to be a part of at the Bluball this Summer. <3

Veronica Maldonado
The self-proclaimed LatinX queen of the queers, the Volcano goddess, and Colombia's SECOND biggest export - she is the one and only: Veronica Maldonado
London Drag Cabaret sensation, comedian, telenovela actress and part-time hand model, Veronica is a knockout with her quick wit, charming smile and ability to make you feel good about yourself- but only if you've been nice; otherwise, she'll throw you into her volcano of shame!
Veronica is Loud, Opulent, Charismatic and Audacious - she is the Colombian sensation!

Wofai
Stage ONE Bursary Recipient and General Manager at Gate Theatre, Wofai is a Creative and Executive Producer, an established model, and sometimes poet.
With a focus on executive acumen, bid writing and script dissection, he is passionate about interdisciplinary projects that push boundaries and challenge societal norms. After taking part in Young Vic’s Introduction to Directing Programs (2016) he was hand-picked for their Springboard scheme.
Other experience: Dear Elizabeth '22 (Gate Theatre @ Teatro Technis); Part of the Main '19; China Plate Optimists ‘17; AD @ VAULT Festival ‘17; UpShot #50Uprise (From Behind Us) et al
Instagram: @wofai.je
Twitter: @wofaije