TuckShop has announced the cancellation of their all-drag production Category Is: Macbeth, which was due to run this spring at London’s Emerald Theatre. The ambitious 1980s club-set adaptation featuring Drag Race UK winners has been halted due to slow ticket sales and rising costs.

Category Is: Macbeth, an innovative reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy set in 1980s London’s queer nightlife, will no longer go ahead. The production, directed by TuckShop creative director Chris Clegg, had been scheduled for a spring run at the Emerald Theatre. Its cast included Drag Race UK winners Ginger Johnson as Macbeth and Kyran Thrax as Lady Macbeth.

The staging intended to relocate the Shakespearean narrative into the city’s drag and club scene, featuring music from 1980s icons such as Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, and Pet Shop Boys. This approach aimed to highlight the intersection of drag culture and Shakespeare’s work within a distinctive historical and cultural backdrop.

Chris Clegg shared a statement on social media explaining the cancellation was prompted by slow advance ticket sales compounded by rising production costs, creating economic challenges that made the project unsustainable. He expressed gratitude to the cast, crew, and supporters who contributed their efforts, highlighting the difficulty of producing theatre in current conditions.

Clegg praised the involvement of Ginger Johnson and Kyran Thrax, describing them as “phenomenal” collaborators, and regretted that the rest of the cast would not have the opportunity to perform. He called on audiences to continue supporting independent theatre by attending new productions and sharing their enthusiasm online.

Despite the cancellation, TuckShop are progressing with other projects, including the next season of their drag competition The Crown and a future production titled The Diana Mixtape. They also plan to return with Gals Aloud, Spice Gals, and their annual Drag Panto, which will celebrate its sixth anniversary in the West End.

Ticket holders for Category Is: Macbeth will receive automatic refunds within 14 days, with no action required on their part. The cancellation underscores the financial precariousness facing small-scale, innovative theatre companies amid ongoing economic challenges.