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Desmorphia is the first full length solo show from award winning comedy song writer Desmond O’Connor. Celebrating the songs that have gained him an excellent reputation on the worldwide burlesque and cabaret scene, Desmorphia delves into the dark and quirky world of O’Connor’s writing, throwing forth an array of colourful and fascinating characters, whose secret desires, hidden dreams, burning passions and dirty secrets are expertly revealed through witty, wordy and melodically exquisite songs.

The evening is presided over by the instantly recognisable White Devil character that O’Connor created to host his critically acclaimed, sell-out cabaret show And The Devil May Drag You Under. Before long, though, we meet the shy, retiring Latin teacher who lurks behind Desmond’s flamboyant stage persona, and by popular demand we are re-introduced to the post-punk, part-panda character through whom Desmond launched himself upon an unsuspecting public. Finally, the dazzling world of fluorescent, nineties club kid hedonism is reborn as O’Connor goes off on an outrageous musical tangent that will end the evening on an explosive note.

Cleverly interwoven into the show are the performance skills of talented comedy actor Jim Devereux and stunning cabaret songstress and gifted comedienne Sarah Louise Young. Jim, playing an aspiring performance artist and musical comedian, desperately battles for the attention of his dismissive host, whilst Sarah Louise, playing a repressed yet secretly sexualised, phenomenally driven singer on her way to the top, can’t help revealing just a little too much about her hunger for fame. Their ambitions, aspirations and insecurities are brilliantly revealed through ongoing dialogue with Des and thrilling guest spots in his show within the show. As we look a little deeper into the traits that each character reveals, we begin to realise that O’Connor’s sidekicks bear more than a few similarities to their host; similarities that he is not entirely comfortable for them to reveal.

Desmorphia is a culmination of many years of hard work on the part of O’Connor and his team. All three artists have been honing their acts, refining their skills and playing to hugely appreciative audiences over the course of the burlesque and variety renaissance. Tackling the themes of identity, artifice, self promotion and self-loathing, Desmorphia peels off the mask before slapping on the make up; slips out of the disguise before getting into costume. What is real? What is not? Who can be trusted and just how much do we really know about O’Connor, Devereux and Young by the end of the evening?