Show that shares it all

If you don't know David Hoyle, better known as The Divine David, here's the story in a nutshell. The Divine David won a cult following in the late 1990s with his acerbic, often crazed performances in which he harangued the gay scene for being a load of rubbish. He got his own late-night Channel 4 show. Then in 2000, he had a mental breakdown and retired.

Fortunately for fans of the self-styled 'avant-garde performance artist's performance artist', Hoyle resurrected his alter ego last year for the first series of Magazine shows, in which he tackled an 'issue' each week with the aid of a few songs, a special guest and some help from the regulars at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. It proved such a hit, producers Duckie have brought it back.

The first run of seven shows had many special moments - although arguably the highlight (or nadir, depending on your view), was when Hoyle booked a male prostitute to help delve into the theme of 'the sex trade'. Said prostitute put on a little show for the audience which culminated in him pulling a metre-long bike chain out of his bum - much to the horror of everyone at the front of the audience. It was an unforgettable spectacle - but is it art? 'It's hard to think how it couldn't be art,' says Hoyle. 'I was thrilled. Some performers give it their all. It's nice when you can share everything with the group.'

With future issues set to include crime and punishment, alcoholism, immigration and dogging, we could be in for some more inspired 'artistic' moments. 'I'm sure by the end of the evening, we'll all be experts in dogging. I'm hoping the audience will be able to go on Mastermind with it as their specialist subject,' he says.

Has Hoyle's time away from The Divine David mellowed him in any way? Does he still stick by the pronouncement that helped catapult him to cult notoriety ten years ago, that 'the gay community is the biggest suicide cult in history'?

'Those things are always in the back of my mind,' says Hoyle. 'There are mental health issues and addiction issues in the gay community that no one wants to talk about. Gay people are under pressure to treat their sexuality like a public relations exercise. Some people seem to think everything's great now - we've got loads of money, live in lofts, just go shopping and tell women they look nice in dresses - so everything's fine. It's an illusion.'

Don't be alarmed, though - tonight sees things get off to a campy start. 'Celebrity' is the theme and mega-boobed Big Brother housemate Lea Walker is the special guest helping Hoyle get to the bottom of things. Let's hope she's left the bicycle chain at home - after all, we've heard what she can do with an egg whisk.

Every Mon until 24 Sept, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 32 Kennington Lane SE11, 7pm, £5.99.
Tel: 020 7737 4043.
www.duckie.co.uk Tube: Vauxhall