Kath and Kim drag show cast hit with death threats

The creators of a Kath and Kim drag parody show have been forced to call police after receiving “serious threats” online.

The creators of a Kath and Kim drag parody show have been forced to contact police after receiving death threats online.

The show, Fountain Lakes In Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play, is currently touring the east coast of Australia (including the Sydney Opera House) after a sold out run in Melbourne earlier this year.

“There have been a few hissy fits from far right snowflakes who are very upset that there’s men wearing dresses,” writer Thomas Jaspers told news.com.au.

“Generally speaking, it’s pretty silly stuff … but there have been some pretty serious comments that we’ve had to take a bit more seriously, where people are threatening the safety of the cast.

“Unfortunately in one town we have had to get in touch with the local police who have been amazing and have said that they’ll be on-site for the event to make sure that if they do mobilise, that they won’t be allowed anywhere near the venue or anywhere near the team,” the performer said.

The cast of Fountain Lakes in Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play. Picture: Peter Foster

Jaspers’ message to the haters?

“You don’t have to come. It’s actually got nothing to do with you,” he told news.com.au.

“We’re doing this show for the people that choose to come along to it. If that’s an issue for you, do not come!”

What’s the play about?

Jaspers wrote the play during the pandemic after wondering how Kath and Kim would have coped with the numerous lockdowns in Melbourne.

“Essentially it’s August 2021, and Fountain Lakes has been in lockdown for about a year and a half,” he explained.

“TikTok had just been invented so Kim’s trying to get into TikTok.

“Sharon has been drafted as a contact tracer on account of her alleged stalking tendencies.

“Kath suspects that Kel might be an anti-vaxxer and she’s very worried about that, but she’s also very keen to make sure she’s getting her 30-minute government mandated power walks before the curfew hits at eight o’clock.”

There are four main cast members (drag queens Art Simone and Leasa Mann, actor Scott Brennan and Jaspers) who each portray several characters.

Thomas Jaspers. Picture: Peter Foster

Prue and Trude. Picture: Peter Foster

Rave reviews

Fountain Lakes In Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play premiered in Melbourne in January, with Jaspers blown away by the response.

“It was only supposed to run for a week and … it just went absolutely gangbusters,” he told news.com.au. “It completely sold out, you couldn’t get a ticket.

“I didn’t expect this, but a lot of people were saying that they found it was a great way of processing a lot of the trauma from Covid that they didn’t realise they were still carrying around.”

After the successful run in Melbourne, theatres around the country reached out to Jaspers to request he take the show on the road.

“When we decided to mount this tour, I said to the cast, ‘I won’t be offended if anyone needs to step out [due to their day jobs],’” Jaspers recalled.

“But everyone was amazing. They said, ‘no, we believe in this show, we want to stick with it,’ and they all quit their day jobs to do it!”

What a bunch of foxy morons. Picture: Peter Foster

Kath and Kim’s approval

Jaspers said that Kath and Kim creators, Gina Riley and Jane Turner, are yet to see Fountain Lakes In Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play, but he’s hoping that will change at some stage in the future.

“There’s an open invite for them to attend any of the shows,” he said. “We’d love to have them.

“I have heard through the grapevine that at least some of the cast members are aware of the show and think it’s quite funny.”

Jaspers added that he did not seek permission from the comedy legends to write the show, saying, “this is a parody which is legally allowed under Australian law”.

Favourite quote

We couldn’t let Jaspers go without asking him for his favourite line from the original series.

He replied without hesitation: “De facto, night facto, the fact that they’re facto-ing at all I find repulsive in the extreme!”

Fountain Lakes In Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play is set to tour Albury, Canberra, Sydney and the Gold Coast this month, before returning to Melbourne for more shows

Originally published as Kath and Kim drag show cast hit with death threats