An exploration into Margates queer nightlife through CAMP’s monthly musical comedy night. Hosted by drag queen Dame James and co-host Elz. After their latest performance, a campy take on Oliver, I sat down with Dame James to speak about his experiences in Margate.
CAMP, a gay bar in Margate, sits tucked away on an otherwise unassuming street. Neon lights spill from the venue, casting a pink hue over the faces gathered outside. Laughter echoes as friends smoke and chat. Inside the bar is packed, every seat taken, bodies pressed close. In front of a makeshift stage, the crowd waits. As I reach the bar, drag queen Dame James and co-host Elz burst out of the back room without warning and launch straight into song. Their latest musical comedy night has begun and tonight they’re taking on Oliver.
James aka Dame James moved to Margate in 2015, arriving from southeast London with “a suitcase, IKEA bags and a dream”. James initially came to the seaside town to work as a creative producer for Dreamland, but when he was made redundant a few years later, he turned to drag.
“I had the opportunity to run my party at the sundeck. It was called Meat Raffle, a queer-inclusive day party. I wanted to host it, so I thought fuck it, I’ll do drag! From there Dame James was born.”
Dame James
It was initially hard for the drag queen to break into the queer nightlife scene, “it is still difficult but especially when I first started. Club nights and events were few and far between and offering minimal fees. The scene was small and very DIY!”.
Dame James has since carved a strong place for himself, now being best known for his nights at CAMP.
“We challenge ourselves to create a full musical in an hour with two people, minimal budget and a lot of audience participation.”
Dame James
At several points in the show, innocent bystanders were pulled from the crowd, hurried onto the stage, and thrown into hilarious DIY costumes before being ushered into impromptu songs or dropped into scenes from Oliver.
The show came to be due to James’ close ties with the bar; “I had a strong relationship with Camp.. generally hanging around like a bad smell”. The comedy night has since become a regular fixture consistently selling out, most likely due to the chaotic energy and major sense of community it creates.
As the night went on I found myself chatting with a woman who had just moved to Margate; soon a couple joined and the conversation pivoted to the venue itself “It just feels really friendly” one of them said. There was a good atmosphere and everyone seemed to feel it.
The playful energy didn’t stop with James and Elz’s onstage antics, it spilled straight into the crowd. From the moment the performance kicked off, they were playfully roasting the audience, melting away the boundary between performer and spectator.
When the DJ missed a cue, it wasn’t awkwardly brushed aside, instead, it became part of the joke, met with laughter and cheers from everyone. Moments like that could be seen happening all across the room, with strangers striking up conversations like old friends. Everyone was engaged, and despite the DJ missing cues and things occasionally going off script, the night unfolded exactly as it should, with everyone clearly having a great time. As James puts it
“There’s a feel of familiarity and nostalgia with our shows. Most people have seen the musicals we’ve performed, so it’s very accessible, doesn’t require a lot of brain power.”
Dame James
He adds “The world needs some escapism right now and hopefully we can provide that for an hour or two.”
James spoke about how when moved to Margate “We only had one gay bar offering a very specific style of entertainment so it was difficult to break through.” Margate’s queer nightlife has since expanded, with events like Queer Cuntry, and venues like CAMP now being central to the scene. James was able to get involved early on by “Just by having a go, working hard, saying yes and being easy to work with hopefully”. He credits the nightlife’s growth to the town’s openness
“Margate was so welcoming. It felt like the best parts of London coupled with the area I’m originally from, Scunthorpe, making it feel like home.”
Dame James
Margate’s queer nightlife has always attracted the bold and the inventive — people like James, who’ve helped shape it by showing up, saying yes, and putting in the work. As one local performer put it, “The oppressed creatives and freaks always seek each other out and create wonderful communities and spaces.” That sentiment is clear when looking at venues like CAMP, which continue to draw a steadily growing loyal community.