Paloma au PluriElles
Hugo Bardin's one-man show proves drag can be sharp, subtle, and genuinely theatrical.
Hugo Bardin created seven women entirely in his head, and then he became all of them. That's the whole premise of Paloma au PluriElles, his debut full-length stage show that started in Brussels and got recorded for French television in 2026. Each character is fully realized — not a sketch, not a cameo, but a complete person with her own voice, wardrobe, and reason to exist. You might recognize the Fanny Ardant–inspired figure working the César Awards, or Lolashiva, the wellness guru preaching to her "she-wolves" during a vegan retreat. There's also Viviane Vivier, a casting director so absorbed in her work that the comedy practically writes itself. But what's striking isn't just that Bardin plays all seven — it's that he doesn't wink at the audience while doing it. He inhabits each one completely.
Rating: 6.5/10 on IMDb | Genre: Comedy | Available on: france.tv, france 4, and streaming services (check Movie OTT's where-to-watch tracker for your region)
Why Hugo Bardin matters — and how Paloma got here
Bardin won Drag Race France season 1. That victory gave Paloma the platform to move beyond club nights into actual theatre. The Brussels run at the Théâtre de la Toison d'Or drew strong enough audience response that word-of-mouth spread organically across social media — the kind of buzz you can't buy.
ACT4 Productions partnered with France Télévisions to record the show for broadcast. Alexandra Clément directed the television version, which aired in prime time on France 4 before landing on france.tv and expanding to other streaming platforms. It's not a film release, so there are no box-office numbers to cite. What matters instead is that French public television decided this deserved prime-time slots — which tells you something about how seriously they're treating drag performance as legitimate culture right now.
The 6.5 rating on IMDb feels low for something this precise and committed. But recorded stage shows tend to score conservative on that platform anyway.
The writing is what separates this from typical drag comedy
Here's what Elle France noticed in their review: funny, subtle, and pertinent. That combination is rarer than it sounds. Bardin could play everything big — the format practically invites it — but he's equally comfortable with restraint. A pause. A glance. A line that lands differently the second time you process it.
The seven characters are tied together visually by a recurring black corset, a minimalist staging choice that keeps focus on performance rather than spectacle. That's deliberate. According to Le Mensuel, the show uses these personas to comment on contemporary society, feminism, political correctness, and youth culture. Néfertiti, the social-media–native character, is probably the sharpest example — she feels current rather than like an easy target.
The Lolashiva sequence is what I keep thinking about. It manages to be both a pitch-perfect parody of wellness culture and something weirdly affectionate. That's hard to pull off without tipping into mean-spiritedness, and Bardin doesn't tip. The comedy has teeth. It just doesn't draw blood unnecessarily.
Where to actually watch it
Paloma au PluriElles is available on major streaming services in France and expanding internationally. The easiest way to find it in your region right now? Check Movie OTT's streaming widget — it updates as platform availability changes. Don't assume it's geo-locked just because it's a French public television production. Recorded stage shows travel more freely than standard drama series.
Streaming windows for live performance recordings can be shorter than those for theatrical films, so worth checking sooner rather than later.
FAQs
Who is Hugo Bardin? Hugo Bardin is the French drag artist who performs as Paloma. He won Drag Race France season 1 and used that platform to develop this debut full-length stage show, which he wrote and performs entirely by himself.
Where was it filmed and when? Paloma au PluriElles originated as a live stage show at venues including Brussels' Théâtre de la Toison d'Or. It was recorded for television in 2026, broadcast on France 4, and is now available on france.tv and other streaming platforms.
How many characters does Bardin play? Seven distinct female characters, each one original and fully developed. Among them: the Fanny Ardant–inspired figure, the wellness guru Lolashiva, casting director Viviane Vivier, and the social-media character Néfertiti.
Should I watch it if I've never seen drag theatre before? Yes. This is exactly where to start if you're curious about drag taken seriously as actual theatre — real writing, real craft, real character work. It's funny without being cheap. Sharp without being cruel. If you liked character-driven comedy or anything that pokes at wellness culture and contemporary feminism, you'll find something here.
Is it family-friendly? It's adult comedy, but not graphic. Sexual content is implied rather than explicit. Probably fine for older teens, but the humor assumes adult sensibilities and knowledge of celebrity/wellness culture.
Watch next
If you liked Paloma au PluriElles, look for other French drag and performance comedy on Movie OTT — the platform's been expanding its live performance catalogue significantly. Recorded stage shows give you the energy of live theatre without the ticket price.