Charlotte Thornton reviews The Gigantic Gay Late Night Game Show, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 8 March 2026.
The Gigantic Gay Late Night Game Show is the rowdiest entry in the Court Theatre’s 2026 Rainbow Festival calendar. In an interview with Flat City Field Notes back in February, Festival organiser Tim Bain said the 2026 edition would be lighter than the previous year: it’s “about the positivity, the silly, the chaos, the carnage.” The Gigantic Gay Late Night Game Show has all of these and more.
The audience is welcomed into the Stewart Family Theatre by the superb Darlene Mohekey as Marilyn Monroe (by way of Gwen Stefani). Mohekey splits the audience into three teams: Doms, Subs, and Switches, which serves the additional function of arranging the crowd into the best seats. Across most of the 13 rounds, a Dom, a Sub, and a Switch compete to earn points for their respective team. As it happens, the Doms are usually the first to volunteer, the Subs need a bit of encouragement from their friends, and the Switches take their time to decide.
At the keys is musician Criss Grueber as “Randy Fingers,” who provides the perfect soundtrack to the proceedings while slowly discarding his shirt. Court Jesters legend Dan Pengelly is “Pierre the queer compère,” whose warm manner and snappy asides feel right at home on the set honouring Oscar Wilde. The Gigantic Gay Late Night Game Show runs at a breakneck pace and relies largely on its audience participants. The chaos could easily devolve into madness, but Pengelly is a brilliant emcee who keeps us on track. Somehow, he maintains a French accent for the entire hour.
A few of the rounds are mini talent shows. When asking for volunteers, Pengelly gently encourages the singers and dancers of the crowd to put their hands up, which facilitates the most exhilarating audience participation I’ve ever witnessed. These are not your typical audience volunteers. The room is filled with theatre kids who shine upon invitation and remain respectful of the performer-audience relationship. As the show wraps up, Pengelly says The Gigantic Gay Late Night Game Show mostly works because its audience is so talented. I must agree, though it wouldn’t work at all if the hosts and crew weren’t also nailing it.
The rest of the rounds are a mix of crowd-friendly games and sex-themed challenges fit for a hen night. There’s a sex position guessing game and an eating (out) contest which goes hilariously sideways. I’m reminded of the Court’s 2021 production of Ladies Night in the Addington Shed, which went down a treat and might have shined even brighter if performed in the central city. The nearby bars and restaurants on New Regent Street are natural crowd warmers. I’m hoping The Gigantic Gay Late Night Game Show acts as proof that there is demand for casual late-night theatre in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Destination shows, like Isaac Theatre Royal musicals or the Court’s mainstage fare, are worth a trip into town, but a healthy nightlife scene is sustained by short, fun, affordable events which can act as stops on a carefree Saturday evening.
My favourite round is “It’s a Date,” where Pengelly blindfolds an eligible bachelor and sets them up with an audience member of the crowd’s choosing. The whole thing unfolds so perfectly that I’m now extremely invested in the love lives of two strangers. Dan Pengelly, you have a gift. I humbly request a full matchmaking show.
The audience participation is secretly very wholesome. Pengelly encourages us to join in the fun, but he reminds us that we don’t have to participate if we don’t want to. The spirit of “consensual competition,” as Pengelly calls it, makes the audience feel safe throughout the night. By the last few rounds, people are eagerly bursting onto the stage.
The audience gets a few breathers in the form of musical performances. Upon her entrance, Mohekey treats us to a live rendition of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” with pitch-perfect breathy vocals and Monroesque gestures. Between rounds there is a special appearance by drag king/national treasure Hugo Grrrl, the star of Hugo’s Rainbow Show earlier in the day. His lip sync starts with James Brown and erupts into Cher in what might count as the gayest moment of the night. The finale performance is by Mohekey, who transforms from high femme Marilyn Monroe into butch drag king character Justice and raps a medley of white boy hip-hop classics. These moments all mess with gender and presentation in a silly and joyful way. Here you’re safe to be yourself, and safe to play around with being someone else.
This format has legs. Strong, shapely legs. It works great at the Rainbow Festival, but it could easily become a Valentine’s event. With some tightening up and a few aesthetic tweaks, it could be adapted to suit Halloween, or the holiday season, or just any other Saturday. I hope it finds its way back to the Stewart Family Theatre and earns a devoted fanbase.
(Fittingly, it was the Doms who came out on top.)
Flat City Field Notes 