Brighton’s famous drag queens add extra sparkle for rail passengers during Pride
Information but with pizzazz.
Words: Attitude staff; pictures: Provided
Heading to Brighton Pride this weekend? Well, keep your ears open and you may hear some informative travel messages delivered with some extra pizzazz.
To celebrate the event (5-7 August) Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has enlisted the help of Lola Lasagne and Miss Jason, two of Brighton’s most iconic drag queens to help keep things moving smoothly.
Who’s ready for some set times?
All you need to know for your Pride Saturday at We Are Fabuloso supported by Yahoo!
Main Stage, @LegendsBrighton stage, @DIVAmagazine dance tent, @BrutLondon dance tent, @cocoabuttershow stage – over 100 LGBTQ+ artistshttps://t.co/34XySC0739 pic.twitter.com/JmWINtjC7Q— Brighton & Hove Pride (@PrideBrighton) August 3, 2022
The pair will be using their unique and recognisable voices to make all-star announcements reminding people of the event and to check the details before they travel, as well as about the queuing systems at Brighton station on a no doubt busy day.
GTR has confirmed it will be running an enhanced service across Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink over Pride weekend, with extra staff at Brighton station to help festivalgoers travel safely.
Stephen Richards, who performs as Lola Lasagne, comments: “I regularly travel through Brighton station, so the chance to record my own PA announcements was too exciting to turn down! People from all over the UK travel to Brighton for Pride weekend and these messages help to welcome everyone to our glorious hometown.”
Jason Sutton, who performs as Miss Jason, adds: “Well you know us drag queens – never ones to turn down an opportunity to get on the mic! It was so much fun running riot at Brighton station for the day and recording our own announcements.
“Huge thanks to GTR for letting us do our thing and for all their help in getting people to and from Pride.”
With thousands expected to pack Brighton & Hove for this year’s @PrideBrighton celebrations, we’re urging people to plan their journeys in advance.
We’re also asking people to avoid travelling by car if they’re able to.
More information 👉 https://t.co/SSq2T8DnrB pic.twitter.com/izk3ud41CE
— Brighton & Hove City Council (@BrightonHoveCC) August 5, 2022
Ryan Massen, Southern Station Manager at Brighton and part of GTR’s Pride-planning team, said: “Brighton and Hove Pride is an event we look forward to every year at GTR and we can’t wait to welcome it back to the city next weekend. We’re doing lots to help people travel safely by train and we thought, ‘What better way to spread our travel messages this year than with the help of two well-known and much-loved drag performers?’
“If you’re waiting for a train in the southern part of our network, then listen closely to station announcements from Monday 1st August as you may just hear a voice you recognise! Lola Lasagne and Miss Jason have been fabulous to work with and we can’t wait to see them at the event.”
Brighton Pride returns this week for its first in-person event since 2019 and anticipation couldn’t be higher for the annual parade through the city centre on Saturday (6 August) and the subsequent two-day festival in Preston Park.
Global superstar Christina Aguilera is set to follow in the footsteps of Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue with a hit-packed headline set on Saturday night, with Ella Henderson, Raye. Bimini, L Devine, and Tia Kofi also set to perform on the main stage throughout the afternoon and evening.
For further information on train services across the weekend, please visit Southern – Brighton Pride.
The Attitude September/October issue is out now.
