Slay the day: Reflections on drag
Our drag troupe participants are dressed to the nines for their final drag showcase. They are lined up on a darkened stage with showcase MC Alixxx. Alixxx is speaking into a mic and pointing to the drag artists to thank them for their performances.
Welcome to DRAG TROUPE; a place where drag babies are born, and grow up into the artists they are destined to be!
From February to September, we hosted community members to engage in drag workshops covering character, choreography, sewing, makeup, and physicality, all led by local drag artists including Estelle, Alixxx, F*Boi George, Bruno Salsicce, Loveit Murray, and Eve Elle. A select group of participants were offered one-on-one mentorship with established drag artists as well as funding to build their drag toolkits. They worked to develop and rehearse their own drag numbers in the lead up to an incredible showcase performance at Nexus Arts on the 28th of September.
We asked these participants, as well as key mentor and lead artist Eve Elle, to share their reflections on drag, and takeaways from their time as part of Drag Troupe. Keep reading to see what they had to share...
A head and shoulders photo of Eve Elle in action as she applies her makeup. She is sitting at a table with her makeup and a mirror in front of her.
An upper body shot of Eve and Annabel sitting at a table with makeup and a mirror on it. Their eyes are crinkled with laughter, they both look relaxed and happy.
An upper body shot of Annabutch and Arran taken from behind. They are both sitting at a makeup laden table chatting while Annabutch applies their makeup. Arran looks amused.
EVE ELLE (James Umpherston)
As a 14-year veteran of the Australian drag scene, the practice of drag has meant many things to me. What started as a teenage prank to bamboozle club bouncers quickly turned into a connection to those I'd unknowingly searched for, granting a vulnerable 17 year old an important sense of belonging. Drag developed into a creative outlet for an often-troubled mind. A way to protest the status quo, object to gender norms, and fight for the visibility and marriage equality of my marginalised community. Drag gave me permission to be confident and express my queerness unapologetically.
While drag has become somewhat of a career for me, the passion and purpose remains deeply. I love getting paid to entertain and recite my metaphorical love letter to the wonderful feminine figures of the world (and of my life), but being invited to mentor and help educate the participants of Drag Troupe has given me an amazing opportunity to connect with courageous individuals who are eager to learn and hear from me. The experience has given me a beautiful new perspective on my place and responsibility to the queer community.
I've been massively blown away by the dedication, sensitivity and commitment demonstrated by ActNow, particularly Annabel Matheson (Associate Artist, ActNow Theatre) and Arran Beattie (Assistant Producer, Drag Troupe). The participants of Drag Troupe are lucky to have had a supportive practice environment cultivated for them to learn and develop their skills and confidence.
A head and shoulders photo of Peregrinn Frown from her drag performance. She is wearing a sparkly silver dress with sparkly drop earrings, her wavy purple wig is pulled into pigtails, and her facial hair is sculpted into sharp geometric shapes. She is holding up a silver sword and looking off into the distance dramatically.
PEREGRINN FROWN (Theo Warner)
Drag, to me, is an unfiltered performance and expression of gender to the highest degree, and the joy and beauty (or ugliness!) that comes with it. For me it means I can be a glamorous Old Hollywood diva while still sporting a dandy moustache and beard, and I can feel confident and euphoric in my gender as a gay trans man, while exploring style and femininity in a way I couldn’t when I was younger.
Following Drag Troupe, I now have a whole new makeup look and routine plus two new dresses and numbers! Being provided the time and the money to work on my drag honestly allowed me to step up my material so much, and feel much more confident performing. Working with experienced mentors was so valuable, and learning directly how to do a makeup look that suited my face, or learning how to interact with and engage an audience (especially when I’m not the best dancer!) was invaluable. I’m incredibly grateful for the experience.
A 3/4 body shot of Gothic V Horror during their drag performance. They are wearing a black corset with a short lacy skirt and are holding up red bat wings above their shoulders while a red cape hangs dramatically behind them. They have a fierce expression on their face.
GOTHICA v HORROR (Violet Hoy)
Drag to me is about an expression of emotion and your own personal art. What you want to present as your art in the form of drag is also a form of therapy to me to confront any anxiety I have. It feels safe like home for me.
My performance at the ActNow Drag Troupe showcase went amazing! There were of course a couple things that went wrong but I learnt to go with it and improvise and that's what I did. I enjoyed showing off my bloody drag persona (pun intended) and I can't wait to do more.
A 3/4 body shot of Annabutch from their drag performance. They are wearing a pink sparkly dress with a pink and silver tinsel capelet. They are holding their dress close to their body and they are looking up with an expression of joy.
ANNABUTCH (Anndi Kershaw)
Drag is about gender bending but so much more, it’s pure self expression.
(What I gained from Drag Troupe was) confidence! And reassurance in myself. Sense of community and of course mad skills!
A 3/4 body shot of Eda Rich in drag. She is wearing a pink bodysuit with large pink ruffles at the neck, a red and gold cape with a red fur trim with her curly pink hair splayed over it. She has a large shiny beak attached to her face. She is holding her cape up and posing dramatically.
EDA RICH (Denver Rurrk-Darcy)
To me, drag is a representation of queerness, even in its often stereotypical forms, as seen on shows like Drag Race. It's a simple and loud way to show pride for gender variance and a disregard for societal norms that don't serve most people. It's a fun way to rebel either quietly or loudly against systems of oppression and gain energy by performing, celebrating queerness, and embracing the community that such shows inevitably bring together. Drag to me unites communities in the spirit of diversity and inclusion, fostering acceptance, fun, and love for all.
Being part of the Drag Troupe not only taught me specific skills to excel in "Queen" drag but also gave me the confidence to do drag the way I wanted to, regardless of how society perceives me in or out of drag. Surrounded by other extraordinary characters breaking stereotypes, I found the safe space I didn't realise I still needed to just be me, without worrying about gender. This experience allowed me to focus on creating fun art for the sake of joy alone.
We are so proud of these creative and talented drag artists, and applaud their amazing work. Every single one of these artists put so much time and effort into developing their skills and putting their final performances together. It was so amazing to see their support of each other — they are all assets to their community. We can't wait to see where their drag takes them!
A head and torso photo of Gothica V Horror wearing a black slip dress with long long blonde and black hair cascading over their shoulders. They have blood smeared over their face and face and are gripping their neck in horror.
A head and torso of Annabutch wearing a pink blazer and black and white crop top with pink fluffy horns tied to their head. They have their head titled to one side with an exaggerated distraught expression.
A head and shoulders photo of Peregrinn Frown dressed in a black strappy black dress with long black gloves. Her black hair is tied in a high ponytail. Her hands are thrown up expressively as she croons into the microphone in front of her.
A head and shoulders photo of Eda Rich who has big curly pink hair and is wearing a fringed pink shirt and has a fringed bandana tied over her nose and mouth. She is looking off to the side.