Celebrated British drag queen and singer Divina De Campo will star as The Amazing Karnak in the upcoming return of the smash-hit musical Ride the Cyclone. Following a record-shattering, completely sold-out UK premiere run in 2025, the critically acclaimed production will return to the Southwark Playhouse Elephant from Friday 19 June to Saturday 22 August 2026.
Divina De Campo achieved national fame as the runner-up on the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and has since built an impressive theatrical resume. Known for a commanding four-octave vocal range, her previous stage credits include playing Mary Sunshine in Chicago, an award-winning turn in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and a featured role in The SpongeBob Musical.
Expressing her excitement about joining the show, Divina described the piece as a hilarious and tongue-in-cheek musical with incredibly catchy songs and a side-splitting story. She added that she was overjoyed to finally take the stage at the Southwark Playhouse after years of attending shows and presenting awards at the venue.
Written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, the musical follows six teenagers who find themselves in limbo following a fatal roller-coaster accident. Granted a final opportunity to return to life, they must each step forward to argue their case for a second chance. The darkly comic, 90-minute production is directed and choreographed by Lizzi Gee, with musical direction by Ben McQuigg.
The musical has proven to be an unprecedented box-office phenomenon for the Southwark Playhouse, repeatedly breaking the venue's record for the most tickets sold within a 24-hour period. To meet the overwhelming public demand, producers Kevin McCollum, Morris Berchard, and Jack Maple have announced that an additional batch of seats has now been put on sale.
Divina will join the previously announced cast members portraying the St Cassian’s Chamber Choir, including Josh Butler, Grace Galloway, Robyn Gilbertson, Bartek Kraszewski, Jack Maverick, and Kayna Montecillo. Standard tickets for the strictly limited summer engagement start from £20.
