RuPaul Drag Race’s River Medway stars as Disney’s Ariel in London’s new West End performance

By Chloe Louise For Mailonline[1]

Published: 17:26, 15 December 2023 | Updated: 17:26, 15 December 2023

RuPaul[2] Drag Race's River Medway is starring as Disney's Ariel in a new West End performance.

River, whose real name is Dexter Clift, stars in the critically acclaimed musical parody Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea.

The show first hit London's Southwark Playhouse Elephant on December 8, and will continue until February, 17, 2024 every night aside from Sundays.

The new performance is a spin-off from Disney's iconic story, The Little Mermaid[3].

It tells Ursula's side of the fairy tale as the show will allow the Disney Diva to give her take on what really happened all those years ago under the sea.

RuPaul Drag Race's River Medway (pictured at the musical's press gala on Thursday) is starring as Disney's Ariel in musical parody Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea

The show hit London's Southwark Playhouse Elephant on December, 8, and will continue until February, 17, 2024 every night aside from Sundays (pictured: The Little Mermaid Disney film)

River, 25, will star alongside Shawna Hamic (Orange is the New Black, 1776 on Broadway) as Ursula, Thomas Lowe as Triton, Allie Dart as Sebastian, Jamie Mawson as Eric, Julian Capolei as Grimsby and Corrina Buchan, Jack Gray, Jamie McKillop and Milly Willows.

Ticket prices start from GBP25, and despite it being originated from a Disney movie, the age guidance is 16+.

According to the Unfortunate Musical site, the performance contains strong language, partial nudity, scenes of a sexual nature and flashing lights.

River, from Kent, starred as a contestant[4] in the third series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2021.

The TV star, who won one challenge, was eliminated in the show's sixth episode as a double elimination from RuPaul along with Choriza May.

Chatting ahead of their show debut, River said that Hannah Montana has acted as an inspiration for her drag routines, adding: 'I've always been obsessed with her and now when I think about it I loved the transformation.

'By day, she was a schoolgirl, living a completely normal life, and then by night she's a popstar, with wigs, make up and outfits. That's drag! And that's how I feel in drag.'

When asked to described themselves for the competition: 'My drag is camp, feel good and shallow.

It's not that deep! Don't take it too seriously babe. I am 50 percent white British, 50 percent Singaporean and 100 percent a cross dresser.'

River, from Kent, starred as a contestant in the third series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2021.

The TV star was eliminated in the show's sixth episode as a double elimination

References

1. ^ Chloe Louise For Mailonline (www.dailymail.co.uk)
2. ^ RuPaul (www.dailymail.co.uk)
3. ^ Little Mermaid (www.dailymail.co.uk)
4. ^ contestant (www.dailymail.co.uk)