'Talent doesn’t have a class, it doesn’t have a race or an agenda. The fire these dancers have is from somewhere deeper'

In a dance studio somewhere in the city centre, a pole dancer, a singer and a burlesque performer are all practising their routines in the same room together. Rather than the potential set-up for a low-effort joke, it’s all part of the early stages of what could be one of the most riveting shows to come to Manchester in years.

For three nights this month (June 20-22), the House of MCR show will, quite literally, take over Aviva Studios, the home of Factory International, with an explosion of dance, music, vogue, performance and everything else you could possibly imagine.

Curated by Ghetto Fabulous pioneer Darren Pritchard with the assistance of actor and playwright Rikki Beadle-Blair, the show has been described as something that’s been a long time coming - and it’s the biggest project that Darren says he has ever worked on.

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“The planning stages for this have been going on for about three years now,” Darren tells the Manchester Evening News amidst rehearsals for the huge-scale production. "This is the fruition of all our other shows. It's a fully realised vision of all of that in the best possible way."

With more than 20 years of experience, it's clear Darren knows how to put on a show. Having helped vogue outfit the House of Ghetto evolve into the Ghetto Fabulous collective, who can now be regularly seen on stage dancing with artists including Fatboy Slim and The Blessed Madonna, he has also contributed to the likes of Black Pride MCR at Manchester Pride and hosted catwalk extravaganza events on a national scale.

But, despite all of that, Darren, who grew up in a council flat in Hulme, says he still can’t quite believe the level of attention that the House of MCR show has been receiving. Chances are that you will have already seen a billboard poster at your nearby tram stop or outside your favourite bar, whilst a trailer with high-scale production values also recently debuted to a positive response.

It’s a world institution, isn’t it?,” Darren says of Aviva Studios. “Maxine Peake has just been there, so has David Hoyle, and we’re on the week before ANOHNI and the Johnsons. To be in the same mix as those legends is just unreal to me.”

At its heart, Darren explains that the House of MCR show will be a culmination of all of the projects he’s worked on and the experience he’s learnt from that. Featuring 27 artists, ranging from a broad spectrum of performance, it is also likely to be the biggest celebration of Queer, Trans, and Intersex Black People and People of Colour (QTIBPoC) talent in the country.

“It’s a seminal and historical moment, for sure,” Darren explains. “As people of colour, we are always a minority but this show is unapologetic. It’s a massive show that gives us that space and kudos. Manchester just feels like the right place for something like this. I don’t give a damn, I do not think that this show could have happened anywhere else - just because of that Manchester spirit.”

And Darren is also keen to highlight that the show is not just about Manchester artists - it’s about artists who have found themselves in the city through different journeys and experiences. “I’ve specially curated the cast with who I think are the best of the best,” Darren explains. “Of course, it’s all subjective but the talent level is exceptional. Every performer has made it through circumstances that just didn’t want them to be able to be who they are.

“But not all of the artists are from Manchester. Some have found their home and a safe space here - there are a few who have come from quite difficult places. I know every single person’s back story and to be celebrated in this show and on that stage is just going to be a phenomenal moment for every single person.

“When I first started, I was struggling to find performers, but there’s been a massive explosion of Black, Asian and Trans talent. Now, it’s like I lift a rock and there’s a new QTIBPoC artist emerging.”

Some of the artists taking place, in addition to Darren and Ricky, include Jalebi Bebe, Joshua Adedoyin, Tolu Ajayi, Saki Yew, Bola Olagunju and Lucky Roy Singh. There will also be a band, and a string quartet from the Untold Orchestra, to add to proceedings too.

“Some of the dancers are coming off big, big shows whilst others have never ever had a chance like this before,” Darren explains. “What makes a show like this so special is that you will never really tell who has years of training.

“Talent doesn’t have a class, it doesn’t have a race or an agenda. The dancers and the fire they have is from somewhere deeper than within themselves, it’s a release.”

The cabaret show will be divided into different sections - all offering different takes on runway performance: 'We dress, we sing, we dance, we strip, we lip sync and we are family'. And the winner of each category will be chosen by the audience.

'The ‘We Dress’ category will have outfits designed by the performers who have realised their looks with the support of students attending the Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University, led by Gavin Douglas. These seven students will then be working closely with the costume department during the show.

Getting to the point where a show like this can take place, Darren says it has all come through hard work and graft. “Ghetto Fabulous has pretty much danced with every big DJ in the world,” he explains. “But that started because I didn’t want to be the only one and I wanted to have people who looked and sounded like me, a queer black man, on the stage.

“It’s a hard industry and navigating it as queer black people is really tough. We have had a lot of members come out as non-binary and discover their gender fluidity through Ghetto Fabulous. The people who walked in on the first day are not who they are today - they found themselves through this. I always say we are the biggest dysfunctional family ever, I will cuss any of them but let anyone come for them and we’re all like vipers.

“We have also had artists, like The Bollywitch, tell us that the work we’ve done through Ghetto Fabulous and Black Pride MCR has inspired them. The House of Spice, who now do the Queer Asian Takeover, started life at Black Pride MCR. It’s only through all of the groundwork that we’ve done to establish ourselves and fight for what we’re worth that we are able to be in this position now. And we get paid for what we do.

“I am pure executive realness; we get some of the best gigs but it’s about getting paid for what we do. And, in actual fact, it’s not just about being in queer spaces. Our allies have kept more food and water in our dancers mouths than queer spaces have just because of the way things are.

“Now we’ve got some standing and support, I’m in a position to fight for what we do. Our name is no longer in Times New Roman size ten on the poster, you best be scaling that up to at least a 36 now.”

House of MCR takes place at AVIVA Studios from June 20 to 22. Tickets, from £22, here.