DOCTOR LE STRANGE & DOM TOP

After meeting at a party about five years ago, performers Dom Top, 30, and Doctor Le Strange, 33, now make up half of “queer comedy- cabaret quartet” The Sex Shells, writing shows that stick a glitter- nailed middle finger up to heteronormative society

What’s your mission statement with The Sex Shells?

DL: A lot of our work comes from situations that might have been a bit dark. When we started, a lot of it was about chemsex and crazy sex parties. We’ve branched out from that, but I suppose at the heart of what we do is sort of taking failures that people might be a little bit ashamed of and bringing them into the light and sharing that we’ve all got fragile qualities.

DT: We try to educate people on queer issues through the back door, by making them laugh. That describes most of my life!

Why are you perfect kissing partners?

DT: I had to kiss him every night for 30 days when we were doing the Edinburgh Fringe, so he’s accustomed to it now. We’re good kissing partners, we’ve had a lot of time to get it right, and make sure our lips are moist before they touch. No one likes a crusty lip.

DL: There might have been a kiss or two at the party when we first met, too. I know I can rely on him with every fibre of my being and I can always have fun with him.

What do you love most about each other?

DL: His crazy, impish brain; he’s this encyclopaedia of a million different characters, you’re never quite sure which one’s going to pop

out. He’s also got this colossal capacity for joy and taking the piss.

DT: He has a background in musical theatre, he was an opera singer as a child. To have him around is amazing because he can give us a perspective that we just don’t have. He’s an amazing writer as well.

What advice would you give your younger self?

DL: Keep making the cloaks and wearing the dresses, and eating the ice cream if you want. Don’t feel you have to twist yourself into any shapes to make anybody else happy.

What does Pride mean to you?

DT: An opportunity to show people that you don’t have to live in fear. We’re lucky in the UK to have a lot of rights, and we can live relatively safely, compared with a lot of countries. We can be a beacon for people and Pride is an amazing opportunity to give people hope. The Sex Shells play the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 1 August. @ sexshells

@ iamdomtop

@ doctor. le. strange