# River Medway (drag queen)

Dexter Clift (born 8 April 1998), known professionally as River Medway, is an English drag queen who is best known for competing on the third series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2021.

## Career

In 2021, River Medway was announced as one of the drag queens competing in the third series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. During her time on the show, River Medway's runway look inspired by Thomas Fletcher Waghorn gained comedy attention on social media. She also discussed her mother dying from COVID-19, and revealed that she received a call for the show not long after her death. River Medway was eliminated from the competition following the Snatch Game episode, alongside Choriza May after a lip sync to "Shout" resulted in RuPaul deciding to eliminate both of them in a double elimination.
In 2022, River Medway embarked on the RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Official Tour alongside her fellow cast members. Later that year, River Medway joined the cast of the show Death Drop: Back in the Habit, alongside Drag Race alumni Victoria Scone, Willam Belli, and Cheryl Hole. The show played at the Garrick Theatre followed by a UK Tour in 2023. In October 2023, it was announced River Medway had been cast as Ariel in the parody musical "Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch". The show played for 10 weeks at Southwark Playhouse and embarked on a UK tour to 20 cities in 2024.
In July 2024 River Medway was announce as the Mistress of Ceremonies in House of Cleopatra due to play at Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer.
In November 2024, River Medway will appear as Jem in the world premiere of Here & Now, a jukebox musical based on the songs of Steps at The Alexandra, Birmingham.

## Personal life

Dexter Clift was born in Medway, Kent. The name of his drag persona comes from the River Medway that flows through his hometown.
On July 25th 2024, Dexter was awarded with an Honorary Doctor of Arts (HonDArts) by the University of Greenwich recognising his outstanding commitment to the Medway area and exceptional representation of the LGBT+ community (as River Medway).

## Filmography
### Television

| Year | Title | Notes | Ref |
| 2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race UK | Contestant Series 3 (6th/7th Place) | |

### Stage

| Year | Title | Promoter | Locations |
| 2022 | RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Official Tour | Voss Events / World of Wonder | Ipswich, Oxford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Southend, Manchester, Sheffield, Blackpool, Llandudno, Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Basingstoke, Portsmouth, Plymouth, London, Derby, Bristol, Bradford, Aberdeen, Southampton, Stockton, Brighton and Newport |
| 2022 | Death Drop: Back in the Habit | Trafalgar Entertainment/TuckShop | Garrick Theatre |
| 2022-23 | Death Drop: Back in the Habit [UK TOUR] | Trafalgar Entertainment/TuckShop | Bromley, Dartford, High Wycombe, Cardiff, Crewe, Brighton, Sheffield, Leicester and Aberdeen |
| 2023 | Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch | Wildpark Entertainment | Southwark Playhouse - London |
| 2024 | Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch [UK TOUR] | Wildpark Entertainment | Salford, Liverpool, Aberdeen, Crawley, Bradford, Leicester, Birmingham, Peterborough, Oxford, Glasgow, Cardiff, Blackpool, Southend-on-Sea, Exeter, York, Bromley, Nottingham, Newcastle upon Tyne, Southampton and Wolverhampton |
| 2024 | House of Cleopatra [Edinburgh Fringe] | Alchemation / Nathaniel Hill | Edinburgh Festival Fringe |
| 2024 | Here & Now (as Jem) | Steps / ROYO / Pete Waterman | The Alexandra, Birmingham |