With a 1960s Austin Powers aesthetic—but with better taste and less sleaze—drag king Adam All has been seducing audiences across the U.K. for more than 12 years. The alter ego of performer Jen Powell, Adam is a gentleman hipster with a heart, a character who can address issues of gender and politics while keeping it funny and fabulous.
When he’s not sharing a stage with some of the U.K.’s biggest drag artists, Adam travels a lot—he’s as at home in Brighton, Cornwall or Newcastle as on London’s Old Compton Street, where he hosts a weekly club night.
So Pink Ticket had to ask him—or, well, Powell, who identifies as a nonbinary lesbian—for tips on where to go and how to go there.
You did an April Fool’s joke a few of months ago where you supposedly released a single with two of RuPaul’s U.K. winners, Tia Kofi and Blu Hydrangea. How did you all become prankster buddies?
I’ve done a couple of shows with Tia, before and after her first appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and I was providing support for a show in my hometown [Southampton] with Blu. But in 2022, we all worked together on a campaign for Meta—Queens of the Metaverse. That was actually about designers using the Metaverse and some pretty cool software to design clothing that was then made for us to wear and had virtual embellishments. All very high tech and fancy. We did a big gala showcasing the finished outfits.
In the fake song, you played the spoons.
I don’t play the spoons. I have a BA in Contemporary Arts with a focus on music and visual arts, so I wrote more at uni, but that was quite a different thing—mostly jazz. I play sax, and have played a ton of other things over the years, from percussion to violin to ukulele. I really enjoy music, and my wife, Apple, and I have always said we would like to get back to writing.
Okay, now let’s flash back to the beginning of your career as a drag king. When did it start, and when was the first time people paid to see you do your thing?
I began dressing in drag consciously at 17, just for parties and sometimes for the gay bars. By 19 I had won a couple of balls, one in my hometown and one at the local gay bar at uni. I had my first gig as Adam when I was 24. A local queen—and good friend—gave me a slot at a newcomers night at the London Hotel (2 Terminus Terrace, Southampton). I did half an hour, a proper gig, and to be honest I’ve not stopped since then. After six months I entered the Drag Idol competition, which is a nationwide talent contest held in various bars across the U.K. I reached the final, the first king ever to do so. But it took a few more years and a lot of hard graft to turn drag into a full-time job.
When you’re not on stage, where do you like to hang out in London? We’ve covered some of London’s LGBTQ+ scene. Are there places that are especially welcoming to lesbians and nonbinary people?
London is so hugely varied and, of course, has a lot of opportunities for a performer, but one of my favourite things about London is how green it is. It’s a garden city, actually one of the greenest on Earth, crammed with parks and gardens and secret green footpaths that weave through the boroughs. I really enjoy exploring here—there is always something new to see.
As a lesbian, there used to be hell of a lot more for us. At the moment, specific places are limited. I work every Wednesday at one of England’s last remaining lesbian bars, She Soho (23a Old Compton St., London), which is a nightclub right in the heart of Old Compton Street. But there are loads of events, get togethers, clubs—you name it. They’re all over the place, if you are prepared to look.
What are your favourite London venues to perform in?
I also work regularly at the Phoenix Arts Club (underneath Phoenix Theatre, 1 Phoenix St., London) in the West End. That’s a lovely place to perform, though it’s not a gay bar. I also love the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (372 Kennington Ln., London) a great deal. It’s a great space with a lot of history. I like the bigger stages, of course. I have had the opportunity to perform on stage at the Piccadilly Theatre (16 Denman St., London), the South Bank (River State, National Theatre, London) and the Gillian Lynne Theatre (166 Drury Ln., London), as well as the main stage for Pride in London (Saturday, June 29, 2024), right in the middle of Trafalgar Square—quite the honour.
What are your favourite cities to visit in the U.K.?
We travel quite a bit for work. Each city has its own unique charms. We always have fun in Cardiff, and we always get smashed in Birmingham. Newcastle is crammed full of talent and
is loads of fun, and we were all over Cornwall last year for Pride. There is so much beauty down there, spectacular scenery, and they have a lovely [queer] scene, too.
What are your favourite places to visit outside the U.K.?
My wife and I went to Japan on our honeymoon, and I fell in love with Kyoto. It’s such a special city. For drag, Thailand has the best shows I’ve ever seen, so Chiang Mai, for sure. Athens, Greece, is a really grounding place. I found it so easy to slow down there, but we like the islands, too. Rhodes is great for its dramatic scenery and history, and it’s only a short hop from a few of the best smaller islands.
Many of your outfits are spectacular, with lots of fabric and structure. What are some of your packing strategies? How lightly can you pack?
When I’m travelling for work, I can’t really take the bigger costumes, as some of them are too delicate. But I do like to bring as much colour as possible, so my suitcase is literally full of suits and is normally pretty heavy as a result. Top tip: folding! Learn some tricks to keep your colours flat and the creases where they should be. A portable steamer is never amiss.
What’s some travel advice you can give as a nonbinary person? Any tactics and strategies you’ve developed?
This is tricky. I guess the main strategy I’ve stuck to is to avoid places that don’t have great gay rights. It’s always worth double checking what the laws are like before you go. I can’t hide who I am easily without making myself very uncomfortable. It’s also worth remembering the native language where you’re headed may have a very different pronoun structure that is difficult if not impossible to translate, or where nonbinary options are not available, so don’t expect it to be straightforward.
I always choose patience and kindness first. I’m in someone else’s hometown, home country, I’m a guest and I aim to show respect. So I’m always much less rigid about how I prefer to be addressed and just take it how it is. After all, it doesn’t change who I am, and it’s only temporary; however, I also don’t change how I present myself.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
