Cabaret

Massive glitter ball explosion of thanks to everyone who took part in Time Out's take-over of the Royal Opera House's Deloitte Ignite Festival over the weekend. It culminated with Un Ballo in Mascara, Jonny Woo's celebration of all thing gender-bending, cross-dressing, cabaret and chaotic.

Jonny Woo debuted his hilarious collaboration with Bourgeois & Maurice – 'Don't Google Me, Mother' – and the Crush Room saw the likes of Dusty Limits, La John Joseph in that paper dress, the ever-brilliant Scottee, a green-painted Dickie Beau, Fancy Chance doing a stunning new routine, and many, many others.

Highlight of the night was the vogue ball, though – quick thank you to all of the judges, including Beth Ditto, Gareth Pugh, Mary Portas and my co-judge, Andrew Logan. Horse Meat Disco's gorgeous boys kept the hall full to bursting, too.

Biggest thank you? To everyone who came down. It was occasionally chaotic, often surreal but surely one of the best things I've seen all year.

Many a sore head on Monday (turns out you can't drink wine like water, although I really did try) so thank God for these great photos I spied on Flickr taken by AbsolutQueer Photography. Simone Baird

Who Patti Plinko and Her Boy

What Addictive, bourbon-soaked theatrical cabaret.

Why The small stage, as it is, is decked out like someone’s back yard after one hell of a party. On bamboo screens hang fairy lights, a religious portrait of Mary and faded black and white photographs, a Mexican mask is propped against the wall, liquor bottles sit by instruments. The lights are down, there are three people seemingly passed out in crumpled heaps as the audience gingerly steps over and past. And then it begins. Patti might be a wisp of a thing, but she sings like a hell cat – all purrs, growls and deranged screams – and looks like wild amounts of fun on a night out: her hair’s tousled, her tea dress is coupled with battered cherry Doc boots. ‘Her boy’, as the anonymous guitar player is called, is barefoot in a black car mechanic’s jumpsuit and mirrored sunglasses and the receiver of many adoring looks; new for 2009 and also in black is the violin player who completes the trio. A dreamy, dark, bourbon-soaked show full of fire and attitude, Patti Plinko is an unmissable chanteuse . Simone Baird

Until Aug 31 at Assembly, 10.05pm

Who Sweeney Todd: His Life, Times and Execution!

What Gothic retelling of the life, times and execution of the famous eighteenth-century barber with puppets, song and plenty of slapstick tomfoolery.

Why There are several musical interludes as well as a shadowy gothic aesthetic in this reinvention of ‘Sweeney Todd’, the Georgian barber of Fleet Street who sliced and diced his customers before handing their bodies over to Mrs Lovett and her pies, but that’s where any Tim Burton comparisons should start and end. Sweeney Todd, in Finger In The Pie’s retelling, is less of a man bent on a corpse-building rampage and something of a gentle and shy clown. Gin-drinking puppets – both shadow and marionette – feature prominently and with skill (the company have worked with Jim Henson puppeteers, and it shows), comic turns and even a bit of juggling: an strong performance by a promising young company.  

Until Aug 31 at Gilded Balloon, 2.15pm, and then at Jackson’s Lane Theatre London, September 5 & 6. See listings