Danny Beard on playing by their own rules in Straight Expectations

Danny Beard is embarking on a new solo tour – Straight Expectations – and it’s set to be a wild ride.

The singing cartoon clown has got a lot going on. Since winning season four of Drag Race UK (and starring in her own recap show, The After Shave), Danny has been a panellist on Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live, announced that an all-winners tour is in the works, and even become a host on Radio One.

And on top of all of that, Danny has Straight Expectations in the works.

When they speak to PinkNews, rehearsals are just about to start, but they’ve got the outline of the show all mapped out.

“It’s a scandalous, fun, soundtrack to a perfect night out,” Danny says. “I’ve got my full five-piece live band with me, who are incredible. They don’t know the set list fully yet, but I do, which I’m excited [about].

“It’s glued together with bits of comedy, audience interaction. It’s just a good old-fashioned drag show done to a high standard.”

When we ask for a set-list tease, they say that, this time, they’re doing it for themself.

“There’s definitely going to be an Adele number in there… I’m not going to divulge which track, but it is off her latest album. I’ve always done [tracks] that are people-pleasers. And this is a show where I’m doing all the songs I love.

“In the past, I’ve done songs that maybe I’ve thought: ‘God not this’. I’ve performed it and the audience have loved it, and I’ve just kept it because I know [they] love it. This is the first time I’ve done a show where I’ve done songs that, if I went on a night out, I would be living.”

But Straight Expectations isn’t the only tour Danny will be appearing in: they will be joining the champions of seasons two, three and five of Drag Race UK – Lawrence Chaney, Krystal Versace and Ginger Johnson – for The Winners Tour.

The five-stop tour, which already has a dedicated group chat group, Danny assures us, will represent the very best of UK drag.

“The group chat is low key at the minute,” they laugh when asked what kind of things go down between four winners of a franchise, “but I’m sure once we start getting into the swing of things, it will be [popping].”

Ever the people’s queen, and a fan of drag themself, Danny goes on to gush over their fellow winners.

“I am a massive Lawrence Chaney fan. She is a drag queen I could watch every night of the week and she does a completely different thing to me. I completely respect what she does. And I think all of us together, it’s gonna be gorgeous.

“I would have loved [The] Viv[ienne] to have been able to join us, and I would have loved Blu Hydrangea to be able to join us, but… it’s not my tour, I’m just paid to be there. I will show up give the best show of my life.”

And show up, they will. “Everyone’s got a lot of notches under their belt,” Danny says, adding, “Ginger is a great addition to the winner’s circle.”

When Danny speaks to PinkNews, there’s some healthy debate online about whether drag kings should – after 16 seasons of the flagship show – be allowed to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

For the first bearded queen to be judged by RuPaul and the first bearded queen of any franchise to win a season, the answer is simple.

“I don’t get why it’s not happened yet,” they say. “It’s RuPaul’s show and it’s World of Wonder’s show, and it’s up to them to make that decision. And I think that’s the wrong decision.

“The whole essence of drag, and the whole point of drag throughout history, and now, is that we’ve all been outsiders. We’ve all been voices of our community, we’ve entertained our community.

“Drag was in basement bars and back alleys for years, now it’s got a worldwide stage thanks to Drag Race. [Drag kings being cast] should be the next progression.

“We’ve got Drag Race on every corner of the planet, I’m sure Drag Race Uranus is next. So why not? Why not spice up a format … by letting some of these amazing people, [who] we’ve got already in our community, on to that same platform?”

Danny Beard’s Straight Expectations tour kicks off in September. Tickets and information are available here.