Originally conceived in New York more than 20 years ago by performance artist Penny Arcade, Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore! mixes improvisational comedy with erotic dancing and confrontational monologue to address issues of public censorship, prostitution and pornography.

Penny Arcade in Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore! at the Arcola Tent, London Photo: Theodoulos Polyviou

Arcade’s monologues are the meat and potatoes here and she proves an eloquent and persuasive performer, articulating her experience of life, love and death on the alternative gay scene over the past 40 years. Arcade counterpoints her own personal history with a driving political agenda that isn’t afraid to criticise the community that embraces her work.

Crucial to the impact of the show are the company of dancers who inhabit every corner of the Arcola’s temporary auditorium. They provide a prologue of sorts, each one taking centrestage in turn from the astonishingly limber male dancer Andrea Pelone gyrating wildly in ladies underwear to the remarkable pole dancing Sasha Allen. There is quite literally something for everyone.

Ultimately the enduring message of Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore! is about the importance of respecting others and learning to love yourself. To this end, the audience participation is both inclusive and surprisingly liberating.