Barbara Brownskirt is the comic creation of Karen McLeod. The character first began as an improvisation at the alternative arty-party club MOONA, an experimental performance art night for gay ladies (and their friends). MOONA encouraged the notion of fun as a force for good and was co-hosted by Karen and the visual artist and DJ Jane Dinmore.
Having attended art college in Cardiff, Karen's background is in performance art, film and writing. After studying the film Victor/Victoria starring her heroine, Julie Andrews, she became inspired to perform as a drag queen, impersonating men impersonating women. This didn't quite go to plan, but soon Barbara Brownskirt sprung from the idea of being the opposite of male to female drag. Hiding her hair, wearing pop socks and a shapeless cagoule, Barbara is the antithesis of glamour and rejects signifiers of her sex.
The character of Barbara soon became established at MOONA, and she quickly became popular across the London gay cabaret and comedy circuit.
Upcoming performance dates here.
The Sunday Times “Rik Mayall meets performance art.”
Carol Ann Duffy "I loved it!"
VICE Magazine "Indefatigable, prolific and utterly unpublishable, Barbara is rubbish, but she doesn't know it."
Crystal Palace Festival
photo: Pawel Gawronski
As Poet-in-Residence at the 197 bus stop on Croydon Road in south-east London, Barbara is anorak wearing and unlucky-in-love. Writing and performing unintentionally appalling poetry, Barbara is highly prolific, yet hugely unsuccessful. Barbara has been described as ‘affecting, sad and touchingly unaware’ to the extent that her poetry becomes genuinely moving.
Barbara Brownskirt regularly works with Polari LGBTQ+ literary salon at London’s Southbank Centre and its accompanying ACE funded national tours. She can be found at Duckie, the live art co-operative, Brighton Festival, Camden People's Theatre, Liverpool’s Homotopia and Birmingham’s SHOUT Festival. Her full length sell-out show Who Do You Think You Are? Barbara Brownskirt. The show went on to a successful run at the Assembly Theatre for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In early 2020 Barbara performed with performance collective 'Mothers Ruin' at Manchester’s Turn On Fest, and artists Tom Marshman. Over the years she has been commissioned by Liverpool Pride, London Pride and performed at Latitude and Wilderness Festivals as well as working alongside artists Scottee and Ursula Martinez.
Barbara Brownskirt regularly works with Polari LGBTQ+ literary salon at London’s Southbank Centre and its accompanying ACE funded national tours. She can be found at Duckie, the live art co-operative, Brighton Festival, Camden People's Theatre, Liverpool’s Homotopia and Birmingham’s SHOUT Festival. Her full length sell-out show Who Do You Think You Are? Barbara Brownskirt. The show went on to a successful run at the Assembly Theatre for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In early 2020 Barbara performed with performance collective 'Mothers Ruin' at Manchester’s Turn On Fest, and artists Tom Marshman. Over the years she has been commissioned by Liverpool Pride, London Pride and performed at Latitude and Wilderness Festivals as well as working alongside artists Scottee and Ursula Martinez.
