Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap episode 4: Ballroom blitz

This week in Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 episode 4, the queens head for the beach where Madison has a screaming, crying meltdown after trying to call out BB for stealing her wigs again. BB and Wade/Ina prepare for Miss Sovereign Western Cape by having their meet & greet interviews with the judges, including BB’s drag mother, Fabian/Emogan. And if you’re crying “rigged!” wait till you see who wins Madison and Wade/Ina’s ballroom event, which forms the heart of the episode as the queens strut the runway and woo the crowd as their favourite pop divas. 

Stream Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 on Showmax now. New episodes on Thursdays. 

Here are our top 3 "wow" moments from Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap S1 episode 4.

1. Beach, beach, beach

The queens jump in a van together to head for Cape Town’s Llandudno beach but instead of hitting the sand, they head straight for the rocks, literally and metaphorically. Not content with wrecking Kat’s birthday party, BB and Madison get into the whole fight about Madison accusing BB of stealing her wigs again. But don’t skip the scene!

This fight might be over stale drama, but man, the dynamic will make you squirm if you’ve been hurt by someone in your family and tried to call them out on it, only for everyone to treat you like the problem since you’re making a noise and that makes them uncomfortable. At heart, people are conditioned to keep the peace and smooth things over, rather than being fair or just. Wade/Ina tries to help Madison by warning her that nobody is going to listen when she’s screaming and cursing and telling people she doesn’t like them. And he’s right. But so is Madison when she accuses BB of saying something one moment and flipping it the next. Go on, try to work out what BB actually says on the beach! 

2. Package for Maxine

The girls have been joking for two episodes about how Maxine gets into body for drag. So prepare to be gooped and gagged. Veon/Manila jokes that Maxine looks like a mummy with her whole body bound in tape. Karl/Kat asks how Maxine even breathes. And Wade/Ina quips, “Girl, my days of taping like I am packed for Durban express is over!” 

It’s the perfect comparison as you see Fabian/Emogan taping Maxine’s waist as if she’s a suitcase you don’t want anyone to break into. Seeing her on the ballroom runway in her Selina pop diva outfit, you’d never suspect the stickiness and suffering happening under that snatched waist. Maxine, bestie, how does the tape come off afterwards?

3. Strictly ballroom

The bulk of the episode is dedicated to Wade/Ina and Madison’s ball. And there’s plenty to pick over, whether you’re a reality TV fan playing drag detective (like, why are there just 20 people in the audience and why are the only contestants the cast of the show?), a pop diva fanatic looking to see if the queens did justice to her, or just a drag fan looking for ballroom energy and a real showdown (which it certainly delivers). 

Our Ballroom host is Chenal LeCap, while the judges giving either 10s or cuts include drag legend Terry Fortune. Maxine is red sequined jumpsuit Selena, Carl/Kat is red and champagne Diana Ross (is Kat’s same hair as in the past three episodes?), BB Vahlour serves Lady Gaga’s Artpop, Fabian/Emogan embodies Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation era, Wade/Ina draws on Madonna’s Vogue era and her Sex book, Madison delivers the sleekest Kelly Rowland, and Veon/Manila gives us Britney Spears in Toxic and Circus. 

The moment to see, though, is when Chenal calls BB and Madison to go up against each other on the runway. After BB tries to throw her cape/bedsheet over Madison’s head – as if she’s putting her budgie to bed for the night –Madison uses it against her, twirling the cape like she’s tossing pizza dough (but drag and sexy) and turning it into a stunt moment. Winner, Madison. Chop, BB. 

Looks of the week

What happened in Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 episode 3

Carl/Kat confronted Maxine about calling him a liar, while the Knysna/”old hos” argument continued to drag along. BB tried out wigs for the upcoming Miss Sovereign Western Cape Pageant at the Drag Cartel while chatting with Jayde Kay. Wade/Ina and Madison announced that they’re hosting a ball and went to check out a venue, where Wade/Ina and Madison joked about the other queens. Maxine and Fabian/Emogan reached out to Madison to bring her into the community by visiting the District Six Museum to introduce her to their history, the real “old hos”, and queer icon Kewpie. Wade/Ina spoke about his financial struggles, and we got a taste of a gleefully Ina Propriette act. 

Stream Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 on Showmax now. New episodes on Thursdays. 

Catch up quick: Read our Beaulah Who’s Who, the Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 episode 1 recap, the Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1, episode 2 recap and the Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1, episode 3 recap.