Select a region
From £300 wigs to mum-made dresses... two Jersey performers have shared the secrets to creating showstopping, sell-out spectacles that have helped 'drag' the island's nighttime economy back to the future.
While night venues have reported being quieter as islanders tighten their purse strings in response to the rising cost of living – and partying – Flair Entertainment’s ‘Drag & Cabaret’ shows have repeatedly bucked the trend, packing out Chambers and other venues.
The shows were the brainchild of Iona Dick – whose drag name is, would you believe, inspired by a real person.
Now a host and Producer, Iona’s involvement in drag followed a show about the queer community in Jersey written as part of her dissertation during a postgraduate degree at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Pictured: Iona Dick – whose drag name is, would you believe, inspired by a real person.
Jersey’s last dedicated LGBTQ+ venue closed more than a decade ago. Keen to create a safe space for the community to “express themselves”, Iona proposed a drag show to Megan Webster, Flair’s Creative Director. Megan accepted immediately, but the curtain only rose in early 2022 due to covid.
“There were a lot of LGBTQ+ performers experimenting with drag [in Jersey] such as Magical Miley, as well as Vaiana and Lua Ray, and I wanted to give them an opportunity to perform live on a public stage,” Iona explained.
“I said I would host the show, but I had never done drag before or the whole make-up. The closer it got, the more I thought about pulling out, but Megan pushed me.
"With the encouragement of cast members and from seeing their art form and their performances in the flesh, I started pushing myself more.
"At first, I was a non-binary character with slicked back hair and make-up, but by the second show I was in full drag with a dress sewed by my mum.”
Pictured: "With the encouragement of cast members and from seeing their art form and their performances in the flesh, I started pushing myself more." (Max Young)
Having originally joined as a supporting singer, Arya Nastee – whose name is inspired by a Panic! At the Disco song – was likewise encouraged to experiment.
“I have always been a singer and a performer,” she said.
“I’ve been obsessed with make-up all my life. I thought, ‘How can I merge everything that I am obsessed about and do everything I love in one go?’
"I started asking all the performers for their tips and fell in love with it.”
View this post on Instagram
Becoming Iona and Arya takes up to three hours – and significant expense. With wigs alone costing around £300, performers have to learn new skills to keep it affordable.
“You have to be a hairdresser, a stylist, a make-up artist… and on top of that, you have to be an actor and a performer,” Iona said.
“If you think that’s not an art form, try doing it yourself and then come back to me!”
While that prep can be stressful, it “100% pays off”, Arya said.
Pictured: Becoming Iona (right) and Arya (left) takes up to three hours – and significant expense.
The first show sold out within an hour, and nearly every other show has sold out since – a testament not only to the market for drag, but that audiences are liking what they are seeing.
“We give ourselves a bit of a hard time because we’re on a small island and we worry we’re not as good or as polished as other performers, but a lot of the time, our stuff stands up,” she said.
“We want everyone to leave the show feeling good about themselves. I always say that if you don’t leave my shows feeling like you can take on the world, I haven’t done my job.”
View this post on Instagram
“All of us are really proud of what the show is, we just want to do the best,” Arya said. “We want to create a space where people do not feel embarrassed about the way they present. Everyone is being 100% themselves.”
Iona said the shows “almost extend” the work of Pride. Some of the performers will be taking to the CI Pride stage on 16 September, which they hope will help them tap into a new audience.
“We will have two 30-minute slots around 16:00 and 19:00, hosted by Queens from the UK,” Iona explained. “There will be double the amount of group numbers, some rapping and some new queens, including some with West End experience.”
“It’s great to be able to perform to a whole new generation who isn’t old enough to come to a show, and let them see it’s ok to be who you are,” Arya added.
Pictured: The team behind Flair Entertainment’s ‘Drag & Cabaret’ shows. (Max Young)
“At the Christmas show, it was great to have the opportunity to reflect on current events and talk about the festive period not being easy for everyone,” Iona said.
“Drag has always had a political element to it. Being your true genuine self can sometimes be a political act – it’s really important to encourage that and recognise that.”
“As an artist, I love the performance element,” Iona continued.
“Before I started doing the shows, I had not been on a stage for five years and, to quote Lady Gaga, ‘I live for the applause’, so being able to express myself is just the best thing.
“When I think about drag as an art form, my favourite thing is the connection and community we have created in the cast and with the audience."
She continued: "There’s nothing quite as uplifting as being stressed about putting a show together and waking up the next day to a message from someone saying, ‘I’ve never felt comfortable being myself, but last night I put on my wildest outfit and I had a great time and everyone was so lovely.’
"That’s why we do the shows.”
‘Drag & Cabaret’ will be returning in October. You can also find that cast of Flair Entertainment’s ‘Drag & Cabaret’ shows performing at Pride this weekend.
This article first appeared in the September edition of Connect Magazine – read the digital edition in full below...
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.