Henry Queen of Squats is a high camp jukebox stand-up hour in which Henry Moss unpacks flashbacks from his days as a young ballet dancer to now planning his wedding and asks is this enough of an emotional throughline?
Henry Queen of Squats is part of Soho Theatre‘s upcoming Soho Rising 2024 festival, a celebration of new work created by comedians, writers and performers who have taken part in their Writers’ Lab, Comedy Lab or Cabaret & Drag Lab programmes. Buy tickets for the show here at Soho Theatre on Thursday 8th February.
The show follows your life from young ballet dancer to planning your wedding – what should audiences expect to crop up along the way?
Henry Queen of Squats is a love letter to all the fierce women who have shaped me. In addition, expect marketing gays, performing arts training trauma and belting in a comfortable key. With my spiritual guides, Carrie Bradshaw and Dame Judi Dench, I ask ‘can you have it all?’.
How do you manage to balance humour with jukebox hits in your ‘high camp jukebox stand-up hour’?
My stand-up style is like having a scandalous gossip with a good friend… it’s peppered with pop culture references from off-Broadway to off-the-rails Britney – if that means I have to burst into a Glee sequence mid-story, so sue me!
How does TikTok differ to performing on stage, and how do you find transitioning from short-form to long-form comedy?
With TikTok, the editing needs to be fast like an energy drink commercial, with bold captions, all while looking casual and hot. In contrast, the ancient gargoyle art form of stand-up comedy is all about eye contact, stage presence and the added health benefits of not being on our phones for 53 minutes.
I’m having the time of my life competing with 24-year-olds on TikTok but there’s nothing quite like the bungee jump thrill of live stand-up comedy. PS I can’t wait to meet my incredible followers in person after the show!
How have you found being part of Soho Rising Festival 2024 and the other programs Soho Theatre has to support new artists’ work?
It’s been a dream come true, after 19 Lab sessions and 73 networking coffees I am finally here at Soho Theatre! I have learned so much from the incredible mentors and loved being a part of the Lab community. The Soho Rising festival team has been so wonderful to me, I have lots to write in my gratitude diary tonight.