The Simple Life & Death: Paris Hilton Parody Debuts at Pleasance

A night of mysterious murders. Who will wind up dead and who will be s’living?

Packing a punch this winter, The Simple Life & Death is set to make its fantastic world premiere,  placing a murderous spin on Paris Hilton’s iconic noughties reality show, The Simple Life. As Paris  Hilton and Nicole Richie reunite for their exciting 20th anniversary relaunch, things suddenly  don’t seem so simple when the lights cut out and a dead body is found! Playing heavily on pop  culture from the 00s, audiences can expect a host of exciting celebrity guests: the secrets will be  out at the live show!

Striving to dispel the idea that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are dumb, blonde bimbos, this  classic murder mystery show will put this perfect pair to the test, as they try to catch the killer. A  queer cabaret that is part-panto, part-sketch comedy, the girls must examine the body, gather  evidence and interrogate the suspects, all while trying to stick to the schedule for “The Simple  Life: Reunion Special” filmed in front of a live studio audience.

In this brand-new campy, glam murder mystery, writer and founder of The Bitten Peach, an  incredible Pan-Asian cabaret collective, ShayShay (Mulan Rouge and The Witches of Oz; The  Vaults; Peach Paradise: Redefining Asian Drag, Netflix) will shine as Paris Hilton. Starring  alongside them will be comedian and internet sensation Fizz Sinclair (Newsrevue, Canal Café;  Mulan Rouge, The Vaults), as Nicole Richie and all other characters.

This hilarious and heartwarming story will be presented through a trans lens. Led by a trans  creative team, a transwoman and non-binary femme, the production will explore the overlap of noughties pop culture as Paris and Nicole can be said to be a deeply iconic duo to many  burgeoning trans femmes during the 00s. This whimsical production will serve as a positive,  empowering representation for the trans community.

Writer ShayShay comments, Over the past few years, the UK media has seen a huge rise in the  number of transphobic headlines. We have seen a huge rise in anti-trans rhetoric. The UK is  literally nicknamed TERF island. As trans writers, we wanted to create something fun,  outrageous and seriously silly, with trans people in starring roles!

Fizz Sinclair comments, As a trans woman, I often feel drowned by negative statistics, and how  scary & serious the world can feel everyday. I got tired of fighting trolls on the internet and trying  to convince the world that transwomen are not the enemy, and instead, decided to just do what I  do best… be a bit of a class clown. So, I joined forces with ShayShay and we wanted to combine  all the things we love: 00’s pop culture, bad jokes, good jokes, cabaret, comedy… and create  something that we would love to see, love to be in, and something we thought the stages of  2024 needed: iconic blondes solving a murder.

Writer/Performer: Shane ShayShay Konno (they/them) 

Performer: Fizz Sinclair (she/her) 

Paris Hilton: Shane ShayShay Konno (they/them) 

Nicole Richie: Fizz Sinclair (she/her) 

Twinkerbell: Danielle Adéyínká-Uche (she/they) 

Notes: Age restriction 16+, content includes: murder, death, sexually explicit  jokes, curse words.

Website: www.shayshay.show/simple-life 

Featured Image: Courtesy of The Simple Life & Death