Lessons in Camp

These days, drag queens are like Gremlins (drop water on one, they rapidly multiply). There's a lot of Drag Race referencing (reveals, bloody deathdrops, yaaas qkweeen language etc) which is all good and well but a bit of homework is helpful.
I put together a playlist on YouTube of over 350 camp clips, films, people that are worth looking into. Bit of education is always a good thing.

Enjoy
x

Holestar's Lessons in Camp

I won an award, D.R.A.G., swinging and domination....that was 2015

Hello. Hope you had a marvelous festive/silly season. It's been a while since I wrote so here's my annual round up.

Started off 2015 winning Best Drag Act at the London Cabaret Awards. Was surprised to be shortlisted, never mind win. The reactions since have been interesting, especially from others who should probably know better. Despite being a tart in a wig for twelve years, there's still a plethora of misogyny to plough through. 

Once again, I hosted the only official UK screening of season seven of RuPaul's Drag Race at Jonny Woo's new bar, The Glory and did more pub drag performances around the country. Performing a full set to a rowdy bar is a whole new skill set for me but have managed to get it down. I'm unable to do anything alt or arty but get to be incredibly self indulgent and sing pop bangers. Plus it's incredibly fun.

I may have mentioned it before but the film about London's alternative drag scene I co-founded (about seventy years ago), Dressed As A Girl, was finally released to three sold out screenings at the BFI London. It went on tour, a plethora of screenings all over the UK, I even popped to Copenhagen. It's now available to buy on DVD, chock full with juicy extras. The film still needs help with covering post production costs so please help it out by ordering one. Treat yourself.

I appeared in a book with my boobs out and another about drag, DJed at some bizarre events, popped to Edinburgh for Pride, appeared in a six hour project with artist Brian Lobel at Latitude Festival and as the beloved Black Cap closed, my daft pub quiz Let's Get Quizzical went weekly at new queer Camden hot spot, Bloc Bar.

I've just concluded the year playing the evil Ebola Abanazer in Alezzin. After being involved in five adult pantos (staring or directing) I've always wanted to play the villain and it's been an utter joy to mwuhahaha down in Clapham for the past six weeks.

Coming up, well I'm off to Vietnam for an adventure then getting to work on two solo shows. 
First up is 'Holestar Does Prince'. Covering the Prince songbook, how his gender bending brilliance has influenced me and an excuse to sing his wonderful songs.
The second show is something I've been researching for the past nine months, Swinging.

After no personal sexual frissons with gentlemen for twelve years (not because of any willy embargo, just ended up that way), thought I'd give them another whirl (as casual fun with women is very, very tricky). I've learnt a lot about myself and so much about swinging that is unspoken in the British mainstream. I intend to make a sex positive show highlighting those discoveries.

I've also realised I miss the one to one theatre of being a  Dominatrix (gave it up after dislocating my knee onstage at Glastonbury in 2009. A Domme in flats isn't much of a look) so will be returning to that after my adventure. Also hosting bi monthly fetish party Submission at swanky London sex club, Le Boudoir. 

So there you go. It's been a funny old year and presuming 2016 will be pretty much the same.
Bring it!

Have a good one
x

R.I.P. The Black Cap - Thank you George Antony

Sunday 12th April 2015, the iconic Black Cap closed its doors for the last time. Social media has been awash with opinions and theories but as someone who has performed, promoted, directed and DJed there over the past eighteen months, here's an insiders view.

The Black Cap eighteen months ago was a very different place. Numbers were down, it hadn't been turning a profit for years, the manager was caught with his fingers in the till and it was starting to be seen as a bit naff. But assistant manager George Antony saw potential in the old girl and gave her the boost and revamp she deserved. With an enthusiastic knowledge of past and present scenes, he brought in new promoters, DJs, performers and in those past eighteen months, the Cap exceeded its targets and reclaimed it's reputation as a destination for a wide variety of fantastic queer club and cabaret nights. 
But she desperately needed a new frock. The toilets were a mess, the sound system and tech was a source of constant frustration, the dressing room was a dump. The only way for to raise capital for said frock was to redevelop. Plans were designed to destroy the first floor Shufflewick Bar and Regina Fong beer garden to become flats. The ground floor would have been widened and restored to how it was over 20 years ago (when both the bar and club were on the ground floor) and given an entire revamp. The money from the proposed flats would have been enough to secure the loan needed for the makeover.
There were previous planning proposals put forward to build flats on it's sacred ground and I wrote to the council protesting it myself but this was a completely different situation. The venue needed to regenerate to survive at all.
Well meaning but ill informed academics and armchair activists who hadn't done their homework decided no, no, no. How dare they squash yet another LGBT venue? Usually I'd wholeheartedly agree as but this was an all or nothing situation. Redevelop or no Cap. Strong hints were given but ignored. Planning permission denied. It's over. She's gone. Sold. R.I.P. The Black Cap and over 50 years of LGBT and queer heritage.

I've known about this for a while but out of respect for the staff and people whose livelihood depended on working there, I kept my mouth shut. The company that owned the venue, Faucet Inn Limited have done a hideous job with this. They didn't make any public statements until today's official closing announcement. They've kept their lips firmly shut during procedures, not attended planning permission meetings or engaged with those concerned about it's future. This could have been avoided if they'd opened the channels of communication with those who work at, attend and love the place or publicly told people that if she were to get permission to be restored to her former glory she would have survived. Albeit with sound proofed flats above, something that worked for one of their other venues, Comptons.

The old girl's gone but had a cracking send off with the final weekend featuring Myra Dubois night Naff on Friday, my queer disco night POP! on Saturday and Sunday's final event being the ReResurrection hosted by Virgin Xtravaganzah.
The final show was incredible with every performer bringing their A game. It was an honor to be asked to join the lineup and sang something I thought fitting and a nod to London's queer heritage; Soft Cell's Say Hello, Wave Goodbye. It was hard to get through without breaking down as the whole place has become more than a disco, but an incredible family.

As a respectful nod to 50 years of glorious drag heritage, legend of The Black Cap stage, Mrs Moore was invited to close the show, belting out 'I Am, What I Am'. All performers took to the stage to sing Happy Birthday to George, we had a big cry and group hug and a final dance of the bar to Like A Prayer.

To those bitching they weren't asked to perform one last time, this wasn't about you. The night had to go ahead as programmed with only a few knowing the situation (out of respect for the staff and their futures). Mrs Moore respectfully and fantastically represented the heritage of the Cap, so shush.
To the armchair activists who should have read the planning proposals properly, meh.
To Faucet Inn, fuck you.
To gentrification and sanitisation of the LGBT scene and London in general, a massive go fuck yourself.

Black Cap legend HIH Regina Fong (do your homework kids) has haunted the venue for years. The times I've felt her presence was never more clear than over the weekend, she's fucking livid. Whatever generic glass fronted gentrified piece of shit it becomes, I hope she curses your genitals.


To close, there are so many wonderful people to thank in the creative and financial success of The Cap over the past eighteen months but there's one who worked selflessly, enthusiastically and often without sleep. He paid for missing stock from of his own wallet, worked the door, behind the bar, booking events, attending to social media, encouraging new talent, sorting tech, placating stroppy drag queens (cough) and genuinely gave a shit about the very bones and future of the venue and not his ego. George Antony.
She would have faded away without you. You made sure she went out with a fucking bang.
George, thank you. 

x


P.S. For those asking why I didn't release this information sooner, I didn't out of respect for the staff and their futures. They have moved and been given jobs within Faucet Inn. I would suggest going to say hello to them but that would be supporting an underhand and deceitful company, so don't.

P.P.S. Sorry if I've offended anyone other than Faucet Inn.

Misogyny and my definition of queer

I'm a tough broad but I feel like shite right now, rather than wallow, I'm purging to you dear reader.
In the twelve years I've been Holestar the drag artist, I've been the subject of misogyny on numerous occasions. Since winning the London Cabaret Award for Best Drag Act, that misogyny is less passive aggressive, the hate is real.

Last night, after the weekly screening of RuPaul's Drag Race I'm currently hosting, I was called a cunt for being a female drag queen and stealing jobs from gay men.
What saddens me is that this young gay man clearly has insecurities of his own to deal with. He comes to drag with certain expectations where gender is binary and gender roles and expression of those roles are distinct and final. Rather than have a conversation with me about it, he chose to attack.

He also attacked my sexuality, presuming me to be heterosexual. Not that it should matter either way but I'm not. I'm not a lesbian either, or bisexual but pansexual. My longest relationship may have been with a woman but I fancy humans. What I find attractive in someone is not designated by what's in their pants. My gender is queer. I may have female body parts but I have high levels of testosterone coursing through my veins and my ovaries don't function properly. Makeup free, out of drag, I'm frequently mistaken for a man. I don't feel female. I feel and am human, other, queer.

Academics will give you numerous theories but for me, being queer means sexuality, gender and/or lifestyle, is open and fluid. Nothing is final or black and white on the scale of sexuality, gender or life choices. Queer runs the gauntlet between male, female, gay, straight, heteronormative and anarchic bohemian lifestyles.
I'm not queer for politics, it took me a long time to accept that I don't need to be in the boxes that mainstream society expect of me. Growing up, I had no queer heroes telling me I could be whatever I choose to be. Heteronormative society told me to be a breeder, passive, cute, depend on a man, marry young, 2.4 kids, car, mortgage etc. Lesbian and feminist media told me to be angry and I'd be betraying the sisterhood if I even considered the "dark side". Certain sectors of the entertainment world told me I can't be a woman parading around as a drag queen (as I maintain, drag isn't what exists between your legs but the art form, transcending gender).
It it took me a long time to ignore these negative messages and accept who I am. A big old fabulous queer.

I'm no role model in a quest to fulfill my ego by standing on stage, screaming at people to change their minds. You fight fire with fire, you get more fire.  My role is to continue to be me and to be visible. If anyone having difficulty dealing with who they are can take strength from me being open about my queerness, showing off, depression or any of the other twaddle I come out with, then that's marvelous. Virtual hugs all round.
Be you. Be nice. That's it.
We all shit out of the same hole. Crude but true.

As for the small minded, misogynist boy. I hope he can get over his hate and misogyny soon but shan't be welcome to the screenings again.  I've a whole room full of people to entertain. Ain't nobody got time for that!

x

Image by andythenerd.tumblr.com

WINNER! Best Drag Act at London Cabaret Awards 2015!!!

Yes me, I won!!! Shit the bed etc... Being long listed was nice, shortlisted an honor but to win the darn thing is incredibly exciting and humbling.
I honestly wasn't expecting to win so my speech at the awards ceremony at the Cafe De Paris was a baffled ramble so here's one in the form of blog.  How very modern.

"First of all I'd like to thank the judges who judged me on my talent, not what's between my legs. My parents who taught me to keep my feet on the floor and take each day at a time. Excess All Areas, my fellow nominees, everyone in the wider performance community and anyone who has got on stage to make an arse of themselves for the entertainment of others.

I'd like to thank me, myself and I for persevering through a minefield of misogyny for the past twelve years. To the small minded promoters and venues who won't book me because of my gender, stop underestimating your audiences. It's 2015. Get with it.

The biggest and huge thank you to anyone who has helped, encouraged or booked me. Bought one of my pop songs, been to one of my shows, sang or danced along, liked or followed me, read my witterings, wrote about me or supported me in any way.

Without you, I'd still be fantasising about larking around onstage instead of living my dreams. Thank you."

I know I'm supposed to be all louche and indifferent about winning but I'm utterly chuffed. There have been some who have tried to rain on my parade ("Holestar shouldn't have won, she's a woman") well let them. I've got a big brolly and the hide of a rhino. I won for BEST DRAG ACT. I'm a Drag Act. So there.

I've a nice little trophy, the title for a year and the biggest smile on my face. Will it lead to other opportunities? We shall see but to be given the nod for what I love to do in a mans world, I'm a very happy girl.

x

Above image (c) Lisa Thomson exclusively for This Is Cabaret

How to be a Female Drag Queen

After twelve years and the UKs longest performing female drag queen, I've learned a thing or two. I gratefully receive mail from girls who want to branch into it so have written a basic go to. As I've said before, I'm nobodys Drag Mother, but I'll be your Auntie.
Worth having a look at my other blogs How To Be A Drag Queen and Back to School..Drag 101

1. Is it hard to get into drag?
Yes. There are plenty of people who will tell you you can't be a drag queen because you don't have a dick and that drag is only M2F or F2M (particularly those whose only exposure to drag is watching RuPaul's Drag Race and proclaim themselves to be experts). That's utter crap, drag is an art form and has nothing to do with your gender. There are women doing it, bearded queens and trans people doing drag. Now that's progress! Anyone can do drag, just research and respect it's heritage and make it your own.
Drag is expensive, time consuming and you need to be multi disciplined. I'd only advise getting into it properly if you have an insane desire to show off. Or have a rich partner/ parents. 

2.  How do I get gigs?
It's a cliche but it's not what you know, but who. Go to events and clubs, find a group to knock about with and share ideas with, enter competitions, get seen, do free shows. You will do a lot of free shows. And you always will.
Get yourself a strong identity, a very thick skin and something to sell. You'll need a talent, not just a well painted face. 
When I moved from to London from Vienna (where I was doing pretty well around clubs in central Europe), I had to start all over again, it was tough. I sulked a lot and then realised there's no point. Without a (decent) agent to believe in me, I've relied on determination, a love of performing and a bit of hustle to get gigs. If nobody is booking you, create your own, put on a show. Just don't expect to be rolling in a bed of money. Event promotion is tough, few make profit.

3. How do I (insert makeup related question)?
Doing heavy girl makeup isn't drag, you need to pile it on and exaggerate everything. You are attempting to look like a super, over the top, camp cartoonish idea of a glamorous woman, not a cute glittery version of yourself.  My makeup isn't the best but I spend an average 90 minutes, 60 at a push and try to make it bold and neat. The face is the focal point, what humans are instinctively drawn to. Invest in a good base and good brushes. Youtube is full of tutorials. Practice and use heavily pigmented and stage makeup. High street stuff won't cut it. Always clean your face at the end and moisturise, moisturise, moisturise.

4. What about my body?
I don't cinch because women come in a variety of shapes. I've a big tum, no hips and can't sing in a corset but it's up to you. One thing I don't do is get my tits out, it defies the point. Getting your boobs out is burlesque, queerlesque, club kid etc but personally, it's not drag. As a cis/biological woman, you're asking people to question what they think they know about gender. Drag inhabits a complicated space between masculine and feminine, this should reflect in the whole package. The biggest compliment I get is when people think I'm biologically male, even after talking to me. Keep them guessing. Tickle them with a feather, not the whole chicken.

5. Do I need a talent?
Yes, I think so. If you want a career, get onstage and perform. If you have a talent for comedy, singing, magic, dance, storytelling, acrobatics, sword swallowing, circus etc all the better. If not, think beyond a straightforward-beginning-to-end lipsynch and get creative. Chop it up, tell a story, use props, always give it to them hard, attack and commit to what you're doing. Nobody likes a lazy lipsynch.
Don't depend on venues being able to play music from your phone or USB. Burn it to CD (slower the better) and label it with a marker. Buy high res music, stolen stuff from YouTube sounds dreadful on club systems.

6. What should I do about outfits?
Avoid generic high street clothes unless you're going to chop them up, wear them backwards, make them into something else or wear a shit load of accessories. What's the point of looking like any other girl in a generic frock down the disco? You're a queen, stand out.

7. How do I define myself?
I'm a Drag Queen. Not a Faux Queen. Faux means fake and there's nothing fake about me honey. Drag Witch is good. Bio Queen, meh. Hell, you're a human doing drag, call yourself whatever you want. 

8. Wigs?
I tend to go for unrealistic big wigs as I'm trying to portray a cartoon, over the top version, exaggerated version of a woman. I'm also partial to a turban too. I spent the first three years not wearing wigs at all and wrapped a myriad of feather boas around my head, looking like a big feathery microphone. Chuck whatever you want on your head, just wear a damn wig cap. You are creating unrealistic illusion, a fantasy. We don't need to see the daytime you poking out.  

9. Are there problems with misogyny?
Unfortunately yes. You will on occasion get a shady queen trying to tell you you can't do drag. In my experience, these are usually ones without a modicum of talent. Incredibly insecure too.
I recently lost a semi regular gig because of my gender. Despite storming it with the audience, the owners wanted a straightforward man in a dress.  That glass ceiling is a bastard, we still live in a world where misogyny is rife and people underestimate the audiences capacity to have an open mind. If I complain, I'm accused of being a bitch, same if I'm tough in business. Sod them. I keep on trucking, not to spite them but because I believe in what I'm doing. 
Suffice to say, I won't be going to Cellar Door again...

10. Is there drag etiquette?
* When a queen has a crown on (usually their wig), address them by their drag name.
* Backstage areas get messy. Keep your shit together, respect those around you and don't steal. Rude.
* Be confident. Confidence is pivotal but there's a fine line between it and arrogance. No need to be an arse. 
* If you're asked not to make mess onstage, don't make mess onstage.
* Never plagiarize another act. It's tacky and you'll be remembered for the wrong reasons.
* Double air kisses is a standard drag greeting (at a bit of a distance to avoid smushing your makeup).
* Don't be noisy or trying to pull focus when another queen is performing, a bit of mutual respect is appreciated.
* Go hard or go home.
* Have fun.
* Be nice.

x

RuPauls Drag Race UK...not happening just yet.

There's been a good year of speculation about a UK version of RuPaul's Drag Race. Queens have been having minor breakdowns and histrionics at the thought of it happening It's not. Well not just yet anyway.

Rumours have been posted on various websites and fanpages but no official conformation has come from RuPaul or World of Wonder (who produce RuPaul's Drag Race). 

Whenever a 'source' revealed information, drag fans of the internet went berserk. Then a Twitter page started tagging every drag queen in the UK. Again, madness. This was followed by rumour that the show was coming to Channel 5 in September including a picture featuring British TV star and drag hag Jonathan Ross flanked by Michelle Visage and RuPaul. It didn't take much detective work to discover this was a load of cobblers.

1. The photo of Michelle is from her Celebrity Big Brother profile shot.
2. There is no way Ru would not be in the middle
3. Ru wears fancy dresses, not fancy dress.

A quick Google search revealed the same fancy dress sequinned union jack frock in the same pose. Someone has clearly been having fun with photoshop.

Again, you could hear the gullible shrieks of drag delight from Dundee. A supposed trailer appeared, more hysteria.

Finally, Jonathan Ross revealed in Attitude (who themselves fell for the rumour) that while he had approached a few channels about doing a UK version, it hadn't been picked up yet.

So why all the rumours and speculation? Whoever has been spreading title tattle as gospel, honey, the jig is up. You have successfully managed to make my facebook feed full of insane drag fans. You've done a magnificent job of winding everyone up but it's time to give it up. Do you work in PR or the tabloids? You really should. I commend you for an excellent rouse but maybe channel your talents into something worthwhile?

Why do I care? Well I write for World of Wonder who produces the show (I'm currently on #VisageWatch while Ms Visage, the lady of the big bassoms, is in the Celebrity Big Brother house) and have hosted the official UK screening of RuPaul's Drag Race for the past two years in London (and will be doing so again for season 7, details imminent). I'm also a bit concerned about the hysteria the show causes among rabid fans.

 I recently performed with Latrice Royale, have worked with Bianca Del Rio, Michelle Visage and have met a few of the Drag Race stars. Nice people, hard working queens, great performers. But the way some drag fans react to them is as if they are celestial beings. They all shit out of the same hole as you darling. They are drag queens who have been on TV. That's it.
Yes they're great but do you treat your local queens with such reverence? It saddens me to hear of incredible non Drag Race American queens getting zero tips from an audience, followed by Drag Race alumni who make it rain (even if they don't know the words and spend the whole performance begging). Tip the fierceness, not the fame.

And while I'm here, I'm sick of drag bores who “cluck”, “bitch”, “Mamma” and “hunty” themselves silly and profess to know everything about drag after only watching a well crafted and produced TV show. It'd be like saying you know about world politics if you only watched Fox News. No, no you don't.

Support and tip your local queens, they are as talented and incredible as the ones on TV. Most translate better live when you can actually smell them.
Please talk to them like they are real people (we don't need you spouting clichés in our faces) and finally, don't be gullible or believe a thing until RuPaul Charles spills the tea himself.

x

P.S. I've been short-listed for Best Drag Act at the London Cabaret Awards!!!
Don't think I'll win but really is nice to be nominated, never mind short-listed! 

Why Harry Hill's Stars in Their Eyes is brilliant

New year, time for new Saturday night prime time TV schedule and ITV have brought us a recycled and pumped up version of 90s singing competition Stars in Their Eyes and it. is. brilliant!!!

I missed the first competitor (Kylie impersonator and dog groomer from Slough) as I was tuned into series 4 of The Voice on BBC1 (the format as dull and predictable as ever and new edition Rita Boreoff makes me sleepy. I'm sure she's a lovely girl but she's all PR, no product). Within minutes of turning over to 'Stars', I was excited.

It's glorified karaoke with added panto and doesn't try to be anything else.
The contestants aren't looking for fame, they want to sing a song, dressed and sounding vaguely like their pop idols and have their moment on the tele. The sketches and links between each song are typical Harry Hill;  a man arrives with a bag of smoke, there's a little chant about Slough, Adele's missing baby hidden in a sideboard, huge paper mache heads and the entire cast come on at the end to sing garbled lyrics over the theme tune. This is British working class entertainment and it's finest, most honest and most surreal.

I'm usually against format changing of good shows (Andi Peters destroying Top of the Pops for example)  but this is a bold and brilliant move from a station usually conservative and dull in it's programming.
Social media detractors have complained about Hill and his team destroying the format of the beloved 'so bad it's good' show yet this is largely from a generation of TV viewers used to a manipulated back story, forced tears and Ant N Dec or Dermot O'Leary looming around. Reality talent competitions are promoted under a guise for a 'search' for the next big thing. Yet with so many former contestants cast aside, the audience are now fully aware that the only winner is Simon Cowell.
In Stars, there's no snobbery, nasty critiques, chair turning or dismissing peoples talents. Everyone is celebrated.

Maybe its too clever for people who prefer to be forced fed how to feel with emotive Westlife key changes and clever editing but I urge you to jump on the celebration of  the absurd. Don't watch it expecting a credible array of talent. It's a daft, silly cartoon with a spot of karaoke.

Stars in Their Eyes 2015 is everything prime time TV should be. It's camp, ridiculous, funny and did I say camp? And hurrah for that being on mainstream TV.

x

So that was 2014

Another year has flown by, and what a year!

I started off being in a protest advert about the Sochi Winter Olympics (that nobody saw) but did my own little protest song. Had my solo show Sorry I'm A Lady commissioned by Central School of Speech and Drama as well as a special Love Edition run at Vogue Fabrics. Was a mentor for the 8 week long Trannyshack Academy with one of my girls, Ruby Wednesday going on to win the whole thing!

Hosted the official UK screening of RuPaul's Drag Race again and performed with season six winner Bianca Del Rio four four nights at The Meth Lab as well as judging a ball with fellow drag goddess, Michelle Visage.
Played with a new character, Fat Madonna (she's had enough of yoga and macrobiotics, moved to the north of England and got fat. And goes dogging) and was photographed for a book about boobs, Bare Reality.

Was on a panel about fat performers (I'm not one, just a performer who happens to be fat) and Jean Paul Gaultier complemented my wig. I DJed for the Mayor of Camen, Sink The Pink, Songs of Praise, Dalston Superstore, The Black Cap, my nights POP! (which goes monthly from February), Handbag (90s house party) and the final Popstarz at The Coronet.

Closed the Sink The Pink Summer Ball with fellow pop poof Dan Gillespie Sells singing Enough is Enough (No More Tears) and did my annual hosting at the Fringe! Queer Film Festival. Popped to Glasgow, Hastings, Bristol and Manchester and discovered a whole plethora of amazing drag at Cha Cha Boudoir. Managed to clamber onto the pub drag circuit, leaning that any of my slightly obscure stuff just won't do. They want a familiar sing-a-long, that I can do.

I finally got over myself and took Sorry I'm A Lady to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which was better than I could have ever imagined. Even got a four star review in a national paper! 

Performed to a few thousand people on the main-stage at Copenhagen Pride and then did my multi task, singing and DJing thing for the wonderful T-Lounge.

Started recording new material with Nessim Molder (coming soon) and writing a concept album. Did a turn or two at Shoreditch House and directed my first panto staring The FamilyyyFierce which was incredible. I worked them hard but my goodness it paid off (so good, it's having a redux, tickets).The documentary I founded, D.R.A.G. (Dressed As A Girl) about the East London alternative drag scene, has been sliced and diced and will be released in 2015.
Also had a little documentary made about me...


Holestar - The Tranny with ........ from Jonathan Stow on Vimeo.

I appeared in a Vice mag article about Faux Queens (which is odd. I'd never call myself one, nothing fake about me), was interviewed for Out There magazine and Marcus Reeves for his Behind The Mask show and photographed for an exhibition about makeup transformations that will be at the MOMA. In New York. Yep, going to NYC, it's been a while.
2014 was closed giving the Alternative Christmas Speech for This Is Cabaret and taking Let's Get Quizzical to the Royal Festival Hall.



For 2015, I intend to take Sorry I'm A Lady on tour to reach more queer people to encourage them to be who the hell they want to (funding and finding a producer who believes in it permitting) and returning it to Edinburgh.
I want to make more more music as well as finish my concept album (based on a theory by art group The Residents and young people's limited capacity to listen to an entire pop record).
After many a false start, hopefully my Dragony Aunt column, 'What's Your Problem?' will finally get off the ground (not having a maternal bone in my body, I'm nobodies Drag Mother but everyone's Drag Aunt.).

Of course my ultimate ambition is still to perform at the Eurovision Song contest. Anyone have contacts in San Marino, Malta or Cyprus? (I'm deadly serious!!!)

It's been ruddy good year. After eleven years of dressing up and parading around like Dolly Parton on acid, I still love it and grateful to anyone who has supported me in any way.
I'm never going to be rich and famous but if I can inspire at least one person to love who they are, then my work is done.

Have a fabulous 2015!
x

Homo and transphobic hate crimes in Soho

Soho used to be a fun filled den of iniquity where gays, prostitutes and drunk legends convened to play side by side. The law may have become more favorable for LGBTQI people in the UK but there has been a recent increase of homo and transphobic hates crimes in the area.

I used to think Old Compton Street in Soho was Disneyland and found it one of the most exciting places in the world, where anything seemed possible. It didn't matter what you wore or who you chose to sleep with, it was all part of the joyous cocktail of humanity.
In the late 90s, I was sat outside Old Compton Cafe one sunny mid-week afternoon (a 24 hour cafe that was utterly brilliant at any hour to eat, drink, smoke and hang out in various states. It's now Balans Cafe). Three noisy lads came stomping down the street, rowdy, swigging beer cans and started shouting aggressive homophobia once they worked out they were in Gay Town. A man nearby stood up and shouted “no boys, go away, you're on our patch now”. Another stood up supporting him, then another until all of us who were sat outside various establishments joined in. They soon awkwardly shuffled off towards Shaftesbury Avenue looking well and truly embarrassed to have been told off by a bunch of poofs. We all nodded and smiled at each other. Justice had been done.
It felt like a bold act of comradery that while the world might not tolerate queers just yet, Old Compton Street is sacred gay ground. Gay area, gay rules. Fast forward to summer 2014 and it's not the same place.

Within the past few months alone, there have been numerous homophobic attacks in Soho. Not merely verbal, many physical. Several queer friends have been attacked in an area that used to be our safe zone.

A friend who has done a huge service to London's queer community was told he was a disease and needed to be cleansed before being beaten. Another was pulled around by their hair for intercepting a young queen being abused. Numerous other have been told they're disgusting freaks, called every name under the sun and threatened with violence for being so abhorrent. Simply for being different to the heteronormative norm. What the fuck is happening?

Where are the police and what are they doing about this? Every time an incident happens, people are actively encouraged to report the incident in the hope that there will be some kind of justice. However, the punch on the nose I received for intercepting a transphobic attack on New Years Day 2013 has remained in the vaults. We had the guys phone and it happened on Piccadilly, but were told they can't trace the phone and there is no CCTV evidence. One, it was a phone that you'd need a contract for. Secondly, no CCTV on Piccadilly? Really?
The police couldn't be bothered. Some queers get bashed, ah well, too much paper work to be arsed. Yeah, thanks for that.
Despite my own crap experience, we should still report attacks. I've always been of the belief that the law will act if there are statistics. Well I'd like to think so.

It's not just physical attacks that are the problem. There are numerous hustlers and shady dealers who hang around certain spots in Soho who are openly hostile and verbally homo and transphobic. As are some of the rickshaw drivers who loiter for punters. Same goes for the door staff of various clubs.
I moaned about the lack of police presence in Soho recently on Facebook and was told that they are very helpful regarding gay owned and run businesses. Quite possibly when it comes to box ticking and doing their 'community bit' but where is the on-the-street action? Where the hell are they when these attacks are happening so regularly in such a small area? Why hasn't the press picked up on this? If this kind of abuse was regularly happening to any other minority group, there'd be an outcry. 

So what can we do? Rally a queer lynch mob? That sounds fabulous and as much as I'd personally like to spend time in a locked room with a baseball bat with these bigoted arseholes, if you fight fire with fire, you just get more fire.Look, I'm nobody. Just someone angry with an opinion who thinks innocent people deserve to be and feel safe. 
We need proper action. Do you know somebody who knows someone who can actually do something? Contacts in the mainstream media? A pushy MP? Someone with power and influence?
If there is something in the national press about this, surely the police would have to act or have a visible presence on the streets?
Ultimately homo and transphobia needs to be eradicated but until that happens, we need the law and Westminster to get off their arses and support us.
We need to support each other too. Less apathy, more action.

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Note. There are numerous homo and transphobic attacks happening regularly all over the UK and this needs to be addressed as a whole.
I've written about Soho as it's an isolated area where many incidents are happening.

P.S.  It's all good and well preaching to the converted but this needs to be more than a gay media issue but a national one for any change.
Many people believe since queers can now marry, all the problems have just magically disappeared when out here on the ground, it seems to be getting worse.

My First Fringe

For many a year, I doubted myself good enough to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It seemed like some far away place where performers were made or broken. Without financial backing or a producer, I never thought it possible.
But I took the risk and turns out to have been one of the best things I've ever done. 

This being my first, I thought I'd ease myself in with an eleven show run of my biographical show 'Sorry I'm A Lady'. 
Edinburgh is stunning, like a chocolate box Danish fairy-tale and the people, absolutely lovely.  My venue, The Street were fantastic to work with. Owners Wendy and Louise are fabulous and always felt like they were on our side. Great food, good drinks deals, pop in if you're in the city.
The audiences were incredible. Besides one quiet night, I had a packed house most evenings. There was one night where a group came in clearly expecting sing-a-long campy drag and the occasional blip but I learned something from every show.

There are numerous tales of people losing vast amounts of money hiring a venue and selling tickets at the Fringe so chose to be part of the PBH Free Fringe where all performances get a free venue and do a bucket collection at the end of the show. As incentives, I auctioned a limited edition 'Holestar Coaster' every night and offered signed posters and CDs. My hope was to break even and I well surpassed that. Some audience members wanted selfies, others hugs, one girl said she loved the show but had no money but would I accept a bag of chocolates? Yes, yes I would.
The show is now exactly how I want it to be. After previously performing it for two, week long runs at Vogue Fabrics, The Cube in Bristol and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, it's been snatched and tightened into a well oiled machine. (Massive thanks to Myra Dubois and Jonny Woo for helping shape shifting it). Hey, it even got a four star review in The Scotsman newspaper.
I love performing it. Yes it's a self indulgent biographical show but I like it. It's got highs, lows, cabaret, performance art, silliness, politics, campness, a lot of singing and a poo story. The basis of the show being if someone like me can go through a bizarre history of leaving school with no education, mental and physical health problems, being in British army, a brothel receptionist, artist, dominatrix, drag starlet and can learn to love themselves and live their dreams of showing off in-front of people, well anyone can. Performing at the Fringe has made me realise I am capable of this kind of thing and can carry a solo show. But writing, directing, promoting and performing the show myself is exhausting so I need to apply for funding, find a producer and take the show on tour, spread the love and concentrate on being fabulous.

During two weeks in Edinburgh, my only regret was not seeing enough shows. So much of the day revolved around painting my face, endless PR, getting into town (from the lovely Alan and Fiona's house) and prepping myself that going to see other work was tricky. Though I did manage to pop into Christeene, The Lipsinkers, Mz Kimberly, Dandy Darkly and Illicit Thrill, all of which were fabulous. Props also to Cabaret Roulette whose show was on at The Street before mine and managed to see some incredible performers.Besides my eleven shows, I managed to squeeze in additional performances at Dive, Church of High Kicks, Musical Bingo, a quick show at Menergy, Glasgow and a four hour DJ set. Tried a deep fried Mars bar (which was hideous, not the crispy, gooey mess I'd hoped for), flyered in the pouring rain, laughed about the predictable abundance of 'straight blokes in a t-shirt' doing observational comedy, drank Pussy Bombs and left the city knackered but sated.

I adored my first Fringe, it surpassed all expectations.
Humbled, grateful. I'll be back.
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Back to school..Drag 101

Hello dears. How are we? It's been a while.
I'm currently hosting the Official English screening of Season 6 of RuPaul's Drag Race and last night, I decided to play a little game of Drag Family Fortunes. One of the questions was "Name a film by John Waters". Neither of the contestants knew ANY films by John Waters. Shocked? I should co-co.

Drag culture does not begin and end with Drag Race and Beyonce darlings. Every drag starlet should be schooled in the basics and know their herstory. You could study gender and be academic about it but this is a lesson in the basics of drag in media and popular culture (all references can be easily found on the internet).

This isn't a definitive guide but an introduction to western drag heritage.

Let's go to school...

Paris is Burning 

This is a given. If you want to know the origins of "shade", "reading" and "realness" you need to watch this 80s documentary about the origins of the Black and Latino New York ball scene (and where Madonna pinched Voguing from).

John Waters

Waters brought the goddess Divine to the big screen. Enough said. Watch Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Polyester, Desperate Living, Serial Mom, Hairspray...

Drag related films

Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Cockettes, Stonewall, The Queen, Wigstock, Too Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, Kinky Boots, Before Stonewall, Squeezebox, Tootsie, Party Monster, Shortbus, Some Like It Hot, The Birdcage, Bent, Flawless, Mirror Mirror, Pageant, The British Guide To Showing Off, Velvet Goldmine, Yentl, The Naked Civil Servant, Lust in the Dust...

Camp films

Grey Gardens, Valley Of The Dolls, Mommie Dearest, Sunset Boulevard, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, Witches Of Eastwick, In Bed With Madonna, Showgirls, Heathers, Mean Girls, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Barbarella, Strictly Ballroom, Abigail's Party...

Musicals

There's a lot of ridiculous cheese in musicals but a hell of a lot of fabulousness and over exaggerated expressions to be learnt, whether in film or onstage.

Victor/Victoria (my ultimate inspiration, obviously), Cabaret, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Gypsy, Rocky Horror Picture Show, A Star is Born, West Side Story, Singing in the Rain, La Cage Aux Folles, Dreamgirls, Chicago, Sound of Music, Grease 1 and 2, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Hair, Little Shop of Horrors, Evita, Oliver!, A Chorus Line, Mary Poppins, Sweet Charity, Thoroughly Modern Millie, My Fair Lady, The Wizard of Oz...

Trans Stars

I'm horrified when I hear queens being transphobic. Stop it, it's vile. Transgendered people deserve more respect than any ignorant drag queen. Their gender isn't performative and face the world every day. Respect them.

Justin Vivian Bond, April Ashley, Our Lady J,  Buck Angel,  Genesis P-Orridge, Marsha P. Johnson, Amanda Lepore, Paris Lees, Chaz Bono, Laverne Cox...

Divas

Rihanna, Kylie and Britney are not divas. They are pop stars crafted for our entertainment. A real diva is someone who embodies something ethereal. They are bold, full of talent, confidence and embody genuine fierceness, not something appropriated for sales.

Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Bette Midler, Grace Jones, Barbra Streisand, Marlene Dietrich, Aretha Franklin, Maria Callas, Florence Foster Jenkins, Joan Collins, Diana Ross, Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, Mae West, Debbie Harry, Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks, Lena Horne, Nina Hagen, Madonna, Carmen Miranda, Bjork, Donna Summer, Josephine Baker, Bettie Page, Tempest Storm, Helena Bonham Carter, Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore, Liza Minnelli, Miss Piggy, Shirley Bassey, Eartha Kitt, Dolly Parton, Edith Piaf, Janis Joplin, Courtney Love, Tina Turner, Cher, Elizabeth Taylor, Adele, even  Beyonce...

TV

Comedy is brilliant for drag inspiration. Not Miranda and certainly not Mrs Brown's Boys.

Watch the Lucky Bitches sketch by French and Saunders to get going. Most of these aren't drag related but all have glorious performative elements of camp.

Victoria Wood, The Golden Girls, Kenny Everett, Absolutely Fabulous, Queer as Folk, Nighty Night, Girls On Top, Tales of the City, Are You Being Served? Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie, Ja'mie Private School Girl, Keeping Up Appearances, Birds Of A Feather, Fawlty Towers, The Good Life, Father Ted, 'Allo 'Allo, Hi-De-Hi, The League Of Gentlemen...

Music and Clubs
As I mention in my hit show 'Sorry I'm A Lady' (that is going to Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2014!!), Britain in the 80s was awash with gender benders. Have a look at the history of London clubs Blitz, Taboo, Kinky Gerlinky and Kashpoint.
For New York drag and club kid history, go and watch the videos by Nelson Sullivan.

Boy George, Steve Strange, Marilyn, Pete Burns, CHRISTEENE, Amanda Lear, Jayne County, Hard Ton, Jobriath, RuPaul, Sylvester, Divine, David Bowie, Prince, Liberace....

People

I tend to lean towards the alternative end of drag but it's important to be aware of other styles and innovating gender benders.

Queer

Leigh Bowery, David Hoyle, Klaus Nomi, Joey Arias, Vaginal Davis, The Bloo Lips, Lindsay Kemp,  Jackie Beat, Peaches Christ,  James St James...

Classic Drag/Female Impersonators

Danny La Rue, Regina Fong, Lily Savage, Dick Emery, Dame Edna Everage, Hinge and Bracket, Lady Bunny, Charles Pierce, Bugs Bunny...

Notes

Stonewall

Not just the name of an LGB charity who have excluded the trans community (cough) but a bar in New York. In 1969, on the day of Judy Garland's funeral, it was the drag queens and trans people of the Stonewall  Inn who had enough of police persecution and kicked off modern American gay liberation. More.

Polari

It was illegal to be gay in the UK until 1967 and many "theatrical" men adopted a private language known as polari to communicate in public places. Get the basics here so you can greet your chums with "How bona to vada your eek!" (How lovely to see your face).

British drag

Drag comes from Shakespeare. Women weren't allowed to act onstage so in the margins of the script, men were prompted to be D.R.A.G. (Dressed As A Girl). We also popularised men dressing as ladies in pantomime and ladies as boys in vaudeville.

Other cultures

Gender bending and transexualism isn't a western phenomenon. People have been cross dressing and transitioning since we climbed out of our caves. Many cultures recognise the third gender. In South Asia; Hijra, Thailand; Katoey, Native American Indian; Two-spirit or berdaches.
In India there's a fabulous type of drag called Kathakali and Japan, Kabuki. 

So there you go. Not an extensive list but a starter package. If there's something missing, don't pout, share it out.
She you down at Madame Jojos over the next eight weeks for RuPaul's Drag Race and if you want to perform in my open drag competition, all the details are over on the event page.

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