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The Art of the Drag Queen
Sweetie, Sabrina & avinia ~ Daniel Falgerho, Photography
The Drag queen: The ‘He’ that looks like a ‘She,’ constantly blurring the lines everywhere they go. What is so special about the drag queen? Is it the shiny locks of brunette/blond/auburn/metallic blue? The glitter from there sequence laced, rhinestone encrusted dress? Or the fact they have enough bling from all their faux diamonds to safely send up their own dazzling light show and communicate with satellites passing over head with a flick of a wrist and shimmy of a hip?
And let us not forget the 7 inch platform heels, those sexy shoes that take serious skill to maneuver in. So the question: What is the difference between a drag queen and a guy in a dress?
The Drag Queen (or female impersonator) is neither a simple phenomenon nor is she isolated to the twentieth century. Men dressing as women can be traced back to the very origins of theatre: the earliest record of a dramatic production featuring ‘drag’ was in Egypt around 2000 BCE. Fast forward to modern day, and lets talk about the actual art.
Know your camp
The attire is defined by the style of the ‘camp’ a drag queen follows. Camp is a concept defined as self consciously artificial and extravagant, in style, attire, make up, gesture and dialogue. And they are divided into two categories: High and Low camp.
Low Camp
Drag Queen artists of this style will go out of their way to break the illusion and mock whatever style they are imitating. An example would be my friend who went to a fund raiser dressed as Brittany spears. Did nothing to conceal his chest hair or hide his obvious muscles while toting a purse with a cabbage patch doll with a red bull can duct-tapped to its mouth. This contemporary alternative often makes drag queens themselves the butt of humor.
High Camp
Takes a far more serious approach, this style tends to idealize rather than criticize. It goes for exact style, dress, mimicry and mannerism. This style the drag artist identifies with the diva. And example of this style can be found here While the young man in the video is not dressed as Beyonce or even trying to look like a woman, he is epitomizing every other aspect of high camp there is.
There is also a style where elements of high camp are combined with self identity and a distinctive drag persona emerges (Rupaul is an example of this).
So that’s the 101 drag queen basics, next time you are out and see a drag artist, see if you can tell the difference.
What Are Hen Nights?
For a start it is a social phenomenon. There are hundreds performed the length and breath of the United Kingdom. In night-clubs, village halls, theatres and pubs. The present guise consists of an entertainment lasting approximately three hours and featuring a Drag Queen (a man dressed as a woman), two Male Strippers (who take off all their costume to recorded music and end up naked) and a Disc Jockey.
The form is usually a revue in which the drag queen compeers the entire performance; introduction, interludes between the strip acts and a finale. The typical Drag appears in outrageous sequinned dresses, a flamboyant wig and an exaggerated make-up with high-heeled shoes and is expected to be a talented comedian. The Strippers wear a variety of costumes, typically based on uniforms, film heroes and stereotypes of working clothes (such as building site workers). More often than not, their costumes fastened by a substance called Velcro which pulls apart easily and facilitates the swift and surprising removal of the costume.
The music provided by the Disc Jockey is popular, up-lifting and gives the women a jolly atmosphere to drink and dance to and provides the acts their background.
Most Drag are unapologetically – a man in a frock with their feminine attributes exaggerated, wigs, false eye-lashes, false bosoms, painted nails, glittery jewelry and high heels.
The typical Stripper is expected to be handsome, muscular and tanned. His penis is enlarged by use of an elastic band. He is expected to display a cheeky and sexy personality and use his nudity to provoke screams and laughter
Both Drag Queens and Male Strippers have extensive fan support which travel distances to see their idols. Many Drag Queens provide the sound systems for the smaller venues and work in collaboration with the Disc Jockey. Strippers arrive with their music on tape or mini-disc and hand them over before the show starts to the Disc Jockey. On the whole, Hen Nights are attended entirely by women, the only men being the quartet who are there to entertain them.
Strippers add to their fee by selling publicity photographs of themselves after the show. Many Drag Queens organise the Hen Shows themselves although there are numerous Agencies and clubs who set up the Shows. These will charge a percentage for their services, agreed individually with the artists.
There are clubs who work for organisations such as Adonis Cabaret who provide all-year entertainment.