The inspirational rise of drag kings: ‘We are smashing down doors left, right and centre!’

Drag queens enjoy mainstream success, yet their masculine-dress allies remain an exciting subculture. With so many artists now making waves, that may be about to change

In an east London pub, the Glory, Adam All is pulling bras out from the pockets of his purple suit as he sings on stage. Cheeky, fun and dapper, he wears a glittery waistcoat over a gold satin shirt, his pink bow tie matching the shade of his rectangular glasses.

All is a drag king; that is, usually a cisgender woman, transgender man or non-binary person performing in male or masculine drag on stage. This can include singing, lip-syncing and dancing. While drag queens have broken into the mainstream, largely thanks to the success of RuPaul's Drag Race, their kingly counterparts have been confined to a more underground existence. Tonight, we are in a basement.