LUCHA BRITANNIA founder Garry Vanderhorne (in black t-shirt, centre) with some of his wrestlers (photo: Roger Alarcon)
Can Lucha Britannia, wrestling show with fetish roots, survive?
MAY COVER STORY: With roots in London’s legendary fetish-friendly Resistance Gallery, comedy wrestling cabaret night Lucha Britannia made it through the loss of its original home as a result of the pandemic, to resurface at Shoreditch venue Village Underground in July 2023. But the cost of living crisis now affecting every corner of London’s cultural life threatens to make Lucha’s Friday May 10 show its last. Banner image: Rob Brazier
Friday May 10 marks a pivotal moment for Lucha Britannia, the UK’s only comedy cabaret masked wrestling show — which, as many will know, also has very close connections with London’s fetish scene.
The stark reality facing Lucha Britannia’s organisers is that their May event could potentially be the last ever Lucha Britannia show in the capital.
As the post-pandemic cost of living crisis continues to grip London, the vibrancy of the city’s performing arts and cabaret scene remains under threat.
The looming spectre of diminishing attendance and the closure of iconic venues has cast a shadow over the future of London’s cultural landscape. And Lucha Britannia could be the capital’s next casualty.
For more than 17 years, Lucha Britannia has been a cornerstone of London’s eclectic cabaret and wrestling scene, nurturing and breaking new global superstars like Lucha Britannia alumnus Will Ospreay, who now performs with AEW (All Elite Wrestling) to sold-out Wembley Stadium crowds.
Many of the wrestlers who perform in Lucha Britannia do it as a labour of love, working full-time day jobs and then wrestling in their free time. One such wrestler is the tweed-clad Jerry Bakewell, a long-term fan favourite.
“Being a British luchador hardly pays the bills,” he admits, “so most of us have day jobs. We’re putting our bodies on the line and risking our health and wellbeing for the thrill of entertaining an audience.
“Sadly theatre like ours is disappearing due to its being cost-prohibitive. Try shouting at the villain of a West End play you’ve had to pay upwards of £100 to see — you’d get thrown out! But at Lucha Britannia, the crowd is part of the action.”
The impact of the post-pandemic cost of living crisis cannot be overstated, say Lucha‘s principals. Skyrocketing living expenses, coupled with stagnant wages, have left many Londoners with dwindling disposable income.
As a result, attendance at performing arts and cabaret shows has steadily decreased, making it increasingly challenging for venues to sustain operations.
Moreover, closure of beloved establishments has further compounded the woes of the city’s
cultural community. Longtime London cabaret shows like Lucha Britannia and The Double R Club — that, pre-pandemic, had sold-out shows every month without fail — are now facing dire attendance and ticket sales.
Reflecting on the challenges ahead, the event’s founder and creative director Garry Vanderhorne comments: “Lucha Britannia has been a labour of love — a celebration of the eclectic spirit of London’s nightlife which thousands of people have revelled in over the years.
“However, the harsh realities of the current economic climate threaten to extinguish the flame of creativity that has defined our show. We are at a crossroads, grappling with the uncertainty of whether our next show will mark the end of an era.”
Vanderhorne points out that the potential loss of Lucha Britannia would not only be a blow to London’s cultural diversity but also a poignant reminder of the profound impact of economic instability on the arts.
In April 2021, after a year of government-enforced closure owing to the pandemic, Lucha Britannia was forced out of its own home venue, Resistance Gallery, the legendary underground arts club in established in Bethnal Green in 2008.
Two years later, in July 2023, Lucha Britannia found a new central London venue to call home at Village Underground in Shoreditch. But with ticket sales on what seems like a constant downturn the future looks uncertain.
“Social media doesn’t seem to be working any more,” he says. “Eighty percent or more of our followers and supporters don’t see our posts. It feels like the algorithm is against us and we are in a constant fight to keep our posts coming up in everyone’s feed.
“We can’t afford to pay for advertising, so where do we go from here? It’s time to go back to pounding the pavement, back to grassroots action.”
In the face of adversity, Lucha Britannia hopes its loyal supporters and the broader community will rally behind the preservation of London’s cultural heritage, and “enable the vibrant spirit of Lucha Britannia to continue to thrive for years to come”.
For more details and tickets to the May 10 show (prices from £23.60), visit the Lucha Britannia website here:
luchabritannia.com
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