Genderfukt
Genderfukt
Friday was the Genderfukt show in Toronto. This is the third I've been to, and it keeps getting better. Produced by Skylar Rocket, the show is held semi-monthly at Sneaky Dee's, a straight club. That is a sly bit of activism right there- take the drag show out of the gay ghetto. Genderfukt is always sold out, wall to wall crowds that love their drag. Loud, raucous, stomping, hooting and hollering, cheering, and tipping the performers with Drag Dollars, sold for that purpose. I was front and center with a fistfull, and part of the joy is throwing money at your favorite kings.
I've been hanging around the drag king scene in Toronto since last July, and am starting to feel acculturated enough to comment on it. Shows are put together by kings themselves, culling performers from an incredibly vast and talented pool of regulars. Performers have to provide their own act, music, costumes- the show provides a venue, a name, lights, sound, and crowd. No director, an act of theatrical bungee jumping that at first, made me dizzy just contemplating it. It works because of that pool of performers, many of whom come back show after show.
What is brilliant about the Genderfukt shows is the diverse nature of the performers. The goal is to deconstruct gender lines- and it shows. I love the broad interpretation of drag that has evolved here in practice: drag kings, high femme, burlesque, comedy, political commentary, erotica, and performance art are all regularly represented. Biology isn't a barrier, which is particularly lovely. Several of the regular performers and crew are trans. For the record, when refering to a performer who is performing as male, I will use the male pronouns, regardless of their identity offstage.
Some of the absolute standout acts from an outstanding show, all my opinion of course:
Roxy Heartbreaker, doing a high femme dance number in a smashing historical costume. Roxy's a veteran performer. She can move like an angel, she's sly and innocent alike in playing with the audience. Perfect timing in a building number.
Sebastian Cognito and Elton Schlong in a comic dance of unrequited love.
Titty Titty Bang Bang in a sexy and funny interpretation of "Pour Some Sugar On Me", complete with assistant doing just that. She's a larger woman who projects a powerful sense of her own sexuality.
Johnny Class, in a true genderfucking drag number, performing as both Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, going back and forth between them with only minimal costume pieces, ending up as both. Communicated gender as performance through movement beautifully. Subtle and lovely, as Johnny knows how to move from boy to girl to boy/girl with ease.
Mitch, in a sizzling hot dance number as a handsome boy.
The three sisters, all drag virgins, doing the Beastie Boys song "Girls".
The Beaver Puckers, in an inspired hockey number they will be taking on to IDKE in Winnipeg.
Some standouts in various numbers during the show were:
Flare, a real professional with miles of charisma and talent who could steal a scene upstage in the dark-
Justin, a boy with a beautiful face and a seriousness onstage-
The new king from London (sorry, I didn't get your name!) doing his first show- and he nailed it- a slow song, which can be deadly, but he pulled it off with excellent timing and a beautiful interaction with the audience; Dirk Pierce emceeing with his usual biting humor, breaking the mould to call his mom for her birthday during the second act. Dirk asked the audience to say hi to his mom, and the noise was deafening.
I wasn't sure what to make of drag in Toronto at first- far more lipsyncing and dancing than I was used to. I'm starting to see, and appreciate, the variety and diversity of performers and numbers. They pay thier kings, a very nice touch. The standards of performance are all self determined, but the level is high, with all the talent. Next show in November, I'll post details before and after. Go see it.
Friday was the Genderfukt show in Toronto. This is the third I've been to, and it keeps getting better. Produced by Skylar Rocket, the show is held semi-monthly at Sneaky Dee's, a straight club. That is a sly bit of activism right there- take the drag show out of the gay ghetto. Genderfukt is always sold out, wall to wall crowds that love their drag. Loud, raucous, stomping, hooting and hollering, cheering, and tipping the performers with Drag Dollars, sold for that purpose. I was front and center with a fistfull, and part of the joy is throwing money at your favorite kings.
I've been hanging around the drag king scene in Toronto since last July, and am starting to feel acculturated enough to comment on it. Shows are put together by kings themselves, culling performers from an incredibly vast and talented pool of regulars. Performers have to provide their own act, music, costumes- the show provides a venue, a name, lights, sound, and crowd. No director, an act of theatrical bungee jumping that at first, made me dizzy just contemplating it. It works because of that pool of performers, many of whom come back show after show.
What is brilliant about the Genderfukt shows is the diverse nature of the performers. The goal is to deconstruct gender lines- and it shows. I love the broad interpretation of drag that has evolved here in practice: drag kings, high femme, burlesque, comedy, political commentary, erotica, and performance art are all regularly represented. Biology isn't a barrier, which is particularly lovely. Several of the regular performers and crew are trans. For the record, when refering to a performer who is performing as male, I will use the male pronouns, regardless of their identity offstage.
Some of the absolute standout acts from an outstanding show, all my opinion of course:
Roxy Heartbreaker, doing a high femme dance number in a smashing historical costume. Roxy's a veteran performer. She can move like an angel, she's sly and innocent alike in playing with the audience. Perfect timing in a building number.
Sebastian Cognito and Elton Schlong in a comic dance of unrequited love.
Titty Titty Bang Bang in a sexy and funny interpretation of "Pour Some Sugar On Me", complete with assistant doing just that. She's a larger woman who projects a powerful sense of her own sexuality.
Johnny Class, in a true genderfucking drag number, performing as both Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, going back and forth between them with only minimal costume pieces, ending up as both. Communicated gender as performance through movement beautifully. Subtle and lovely, as Johnny knows how to move from boy to girl to boy/girl with ease.
Mitch, in a sizzling hot dance number as a handsome boy.
The three sisters, all drag virgins, doing the Beastie Boys song "Girls".
The Beaver Puckers, in an inspired hockey number they will be taking on to IDKE in Winnipeg.
Some standouts in various numbers during the show were:
Flare, a real professional with miles of charisma and talent who could steal a scene upstage in the dark-
Justin, a boy with a beautiful face and a seriousness onstage-
The new king from London (sorry, I didn't get your name!) doing his first show- and he nailed it- a slow song, which can be deadly, but he pulled it off with excellent timing and a beautiful interaction with the audience; Dirk Pierce emceeing with his usual biting humor, breaking the mould to call his mom for her birthday during the second act. Dirk asked the audience to say hi to his mom, and the noise was deafening.
I wasn't sure what to make of drag in Toronto at first- far more lipsyncing and dancing than I was used to. I'm starting to see, and appreciate, the variety and diversity of performers and numbers. They pay thier kings, a very nice touch. The standards of performance are all self determined, but the level is high, with all the talent. Next show in November, I'll post details before and after. Go see it.