Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?
Well hello there, stranger! My name is Ryan Patrick (RP) Welsh, aka The 8th Best Legs in San Francisco, and I’m a very tall, very queer, and very mouthy broad. I’m a theater and cabaret artist who's been performing in SF for the last 9 years in various groups, most notably the San Francisco Neo-Futurists, Peaches Christ Productions, and Baloney, SF’s Gay All Male Revue. I’ve also been a lady of the evening for the last 8 years of my life. That means I’m a hooker, in layman's terms. I have a fabulous personality, dazzling sense of style, and incredible sense of humility.
How would you describe your show?
Sex, Camp, Rock ‘N Roll is a raw, bareback look at my life as queer, non-binary horndog & sex work in a thrilling 75-minute evening of story, song, and sensuality. Thoroughly humorous, wildly entertaining, and surprisingly vulnerable,our musical cabaret is a veritable rollercoaster of a show. Featuring everyone’s favorite ditzy diva duo, The K*ntz! (Ruby Day & Sharon Shao), and our killer band, The Gruntz!, prepare to leave the show expanded & opened in ways your most endowed lover could never.
What is your favourite part of your show?
I really enjoy the 2nd half of the show when there’s this nice deep breath from the high energy, sexy onslaught of the first 30 minutes. It’s always a thrill as a performer to lead an energetic shift in the room and feel the audience get on board. I get into more of the nitty gritty of my story and sing three gorgeous tunes that just pack an emotional wallop and let me live out my torch singer fantasy. I find it incredibly cathartic.
If your show had a theme song, what would it be and why?
Self Control by Laura Branigan. It’s the opening number from Sex, Camp, Rock ‘N Roll because it perfectly embodies my spirit as a performer & the energy of the show. “I live among the creatures of the night. I haven’t got the will to try and fight against a new tomorrow, so I guess I’ll just believe it, that tomorrow never comes.” Our show is but a moment in time but when we’re in it, it feels as though the world we’ve created may never end.
Are there any particular themes or messages you hope the audience takes away from your performance?
Life is an incredible mixture of laughter, desire, and heart-wrench. We experience all three in uneven ways that can be riveting, confusing and devastating but there’s unique beauty in each of our experiences. There’s power in investigating all these tender parts of yourself and learning to express them. I hope that people feel they can express themselves more truthfully after seeing the show. Also I hope they realize how incredible my legs are.
Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe? What differentiates it from other festivals?
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the most storied & iconic fringe festival in the world and it deserves to have San Francisco’s most storied & iconic pair of 8th Best Legs to mar that reputation. Also, I’ve got big dreams for this show and myself as a performer and I know that The Edinburgh Fringe is the right place to make connections and meet the people who can help to make those dreams into a reality. We’ve been dazzling audiences with this show on and off in the Bay Area for two years, honing it into a better and better version every time. Now, she’s ready for the big leagues and this run is a pivotal step!
How has your background, upbringing and education had an impact on your artistic career?
Luckily, my family has always been very supportive of my artistic endeavors. My grandma studied accordion at The Manhattan School of Music and taught herself piano & organ. My grandfather sang & acted in college and sang in church, thus every holiday was filled with singing around the piano. I studied musical theater in college which certainly helped, but I really grew as an artist after college by hanging out in piano bars. I blossomed as a singer and performer there, because it was fun and not competitive. The San Francisco Neo-Futurists were also instrumental in teaching me that I am a capable writer, director & collaborator, because every week we had to create new work for our show, The Infinite Wrench. On top of that throw in my love of nightlife, queer culture, and sex and pretty much you have all the elements that have shaped my artistic career.
Can you describe your creative process and how you develop your ideas into a full-fledged performance?
Honestly, so many of my best ideas come to me when I’m stoned and just putzing around the house. I start to make myself giggle and write some thoughts down to develop further later. I’m also constantly saving songs that I want to sing in the future, sometimes as they're written or dreaming of a new arrangement. The first step is pursuing what delights me and/or makes me curious, then the pieces start to fall into place. Sex, Camp, Rock ‘N Roll has seriously benefitted from my collaborators from the start, Ruby Day & Sharon Shao, aka The K*ntz! They are incredibly talented singers and actresses and we have so much fun creating with each other. We’re always making ourselves laugh and are willing to try new stuff and cut things that aren’t working. Our collaboration has made this particular process the joy of my life and Sex, Camp, Rock ‘N Roll into the spectacle that it is!
What is your favourite thing about performing for a live audience?
Besides the look of sheer terror on audience members' faces when I’m at a microphone, I most love conducting an audience’s emotional journey from the silliest to the devastating-est. I love hearing genuine laughter at my clowning around and feeling people lean in at intense moments. We all temporarily merge into one organism and feel with one another. It’s thrilling.
What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you while performing?
Well this wasn’t officially during the show, but after a performance of The Rocky Horror Show last year at Oasis in SF, an audience member literally shit themselves and all over the floor!I often jazz my friends up before a show saying “the audience is going to shit themselves!” and then it actually happened, so this taught me I’m a witch.
What's the most challenging or unconventional venue you've ever performed in, and how did it impact the overall experience?
Last year I was asked to sing five songs for The SF Leather Cultural District Anniversary party. It was a fun party but the venue was cavernous and only had two rows of chairs set up, so only a few people sat and the rest were situated standing by the bar at least 100 feet away. This also meant that many people weren’t really paying attention to the stage and just chatting, which is weird when you’re trying to sing something grounded. Luckily, I ended with my signature bombastic “Bring on The Men”, which includes muchhhhh crowd work, so I was able to run around the room and provide my usual dazzling self.
Who are some of your artistic influences, and how have they shaped your work?
Number 1 is Bette Midler. Specifically, Bette Midler performing live in concert. I think The Divine Miss M is a singular talent on stage, bringing an unmatched range & dynamism to her shows. She is THE entertainer. I’m also heavily influenced by Carol Channing’s sense of comedy, Elaine Stritch’s generosity of vulnerability, and Judy Garland’s love of singing. These great women have shown me powerful ways to show up as a performer which directly influences the work I create. I love to create work that allows me to play that range.
Is there a piece of feedback you've received from an audience member or critic after a performance that’s stuck with you?
A friend sent this to me on Instagram after seeing my show last year. “Just wanted to say thank you for allowing me the opportunity to enjoy the spectacle that is you. I had no idea what I was getting into, and I was not prepared for how incredibly raw and honest that was going to be. Between the silliness and raunchiness was a through-line of vulnerability and emotion that was so palpable and incredibly motivating. You almost made me want to come out to my parents, and I’m straight as fuck.” I received many notes like that from people who saw the show, which really touched me and surprised me. It’s what motivated me to continue to self-produce this show again and again including the financially daunting task of The Edinburgh Fringe. Beyond being a joy to perform it also resonates with people which makes all the labor worth it.
We also raised over $20,000 from 162 friends & family who donated to our crowdfunding campaign to help cover some of the cost of bringing 8 people internationally. To me, that’s feedback from my community that they support me, believe in Sex, Camp, Rock ‘N Roll and want it to have further life in the world.
Is there a show you’re excited to see when you’re up there?
I’m really excited to see All The Fraudulent Horse Girls, and the musical adaptation of Drop Dead Gorgeous, which is one of my favorite films of all time!
What do you hope to learn or achieve from your first Fringe experience, and how do you plan to apply it to your future work?
We will perform Sex, Camp, Rock ‘N Roll 21 times with only two days off! I plan to properly take care of myself so I can get through such a challenging run, which means minimal partying and practically zero drinking. I’m a girl who LOVES the party, but this show and run is so important to me, that I need to honor saying “I’d love to but no thank you.” That can be surprisingly hard for a good-time-charlie like me. I plan to bring that discipline with me as I shift away from sex work and towards becoming a full time performer.
What would you say has been (potentially) the most useful piece of advice you’ve been given about taking a show to Edinburgh Fringe?
It’s going to cost more than you think.
How do you plan to balance performing and exploring the vast array of other shows and events happening at the Fringe?
We’re a late night show, around 10:30 pm, so there are lots of chances during the day to catch shows. We’re also performing for 3 weeks, so I think once we figure out the rhythm of performing at night, we’ll feel more confident in how much time we have to see stuff during the day. Unfortunately, there’s a bunch of stuff I’m interested in that runs at the same time as Sex, Camp, Rock ‘N Roll, but I suppose that’s what our two nights off are for!
When and where can people see your show?
You can catch Sex, Camp, Rock ‘N Roll at TheSpaceUK @ Niddry St
Aug. 2nd - 10th (22:35), Aug. 12th - 17th (22:55), Aug. 19th - 24th (22:35).
And where can people find you online?
Instagram (best) & TikTok are @beltingdowntheoctave. Also my SUPER FUN mailing list which you can sign up for at my linktree. linktr.ee/ryanpatrickwelsh
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