(no subject)
WOW.
I don't know if I mentioned this in here, but Craig (my housemate) and I entered DRAG IDOL this year, which happened last night. Its a massive charity event held in Leeds with raises money for Mesmac and other gay friendly charities. On the scene its a pretty big deal, like the biggest thing in the gay social calendar after Pride. 10 acts, none of whom have done drag before, drag it up to become that year's DRAG IDOL. Craig and I entered as TIA MARIA, with the song 'Stay' by Shakespear's Sister. We basically had to mime and entertain.
It was a weird experience, but a fantastic one. I was so nervous before we got to the venue, which was Jongular's Comdey Club, but as soon as I got there I was fine - the free beer might have helped a little too I dare say. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to win - whilst it was for charity, and I am all about the charity, I don't like coming second or worse. If I set my heart on something it happens. As the other acts began to decend on the VIP changing area, I eyed my competition. It seems wrong to describe them as such, for the most part they were lovely. They all talked to us, and us to them. I guess I might have even made a few friends. I didn't know many of the songs they were performing, and the screens we could watch it on had no sound, which made it hard to gauge how they did. We were on fifth, out of eight, after the interval. A good spot I thought.
Our look was much in the style of the song/video - Craig was demure, with a long flowing white dress which extended from his heels to his wrists, with a blonde wig and lots of glitter. We were going for a ying/yang look, so I was the exact opposite - slutty, with massive backcombed hair, a short black dress and killer heels. We looked great. I may have looked a little better than Craig, but we won't tell him that.
Our routine again followed much of the video - Craig went on first and laid out our beautiful friend Andy (wearing nothing but a tiny pair of pants and a LOT of glitter) on a table on the stage. The song began and Craig mimed his lines and did the routine we'd rehearsed - it's hard to describe, but generally acted out the words/story with lots of rude extra bits. One the moment in the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eXw47qb4U0) where the other 'sister' comes on, I appeared really dramatically from the side of the audience. The audience went MENTAL! The were cheering, screaming, standing up, it felt amazing! I basically slagged it up for my four lines, gyrating over audience members and the judges. Then came the tricky bit - for the instrumental Craig and I had planned a fight. It started to plan, I was to push Craig out of the way and look down Andy's pants, signalling to the audience that there wasn't very much to get excited about. Then, I rubbed my boobs in Andy's face (all the while he's still comatose). Here's were things went a little wrong - I was meant to pretend punch Craig, he was supposed to stop me, pull my hair and push me to the ground and I was meant to get back up and slap him. However, when he pulled my hair his fake nail got stuck in my wig and he ended up pulling it off! (When I write sentences like that it makes me wonder what I'm doing with my life). The audience could tell (I think) that it wasn't planned. For a spilt second Craig and I stopped and looked at each other - we knew we had to carry on. So we did, and again the audience went crazy. Luckily for me my hair cut is a little lesbian anyway, so sans wig I just looked a little more punk rock :P The plan was for then for me to jump on the table and simulate sex with Andy until the scream at the end of the instrumental which Craig would strangle me and throw me behind him, at which point Andy would wake up and they'd finish the song all happily ever after. However, as Craig threw me back, something went wrong. I think we were both keen to a) get me off the table in time and b) make it look OTT/impressive from the audience, so we both over did it, me semi-jumping and him really chucking me. I won't know exactly what happened until I see the footage but I went down like a sack of shit. My friends said they saw me in mid air, then I hit the table and the back wall, which was covered in fairy lights. Craig looked down on me and was like "Shit, are you alright?" I was like "Carry on!" and he did, and when he finished, and I got up, we bowed to a mental standing ovation. It felt AMAZING.
As the host was talking to us I looked down at my legs to see them covered in blood - I'd cut both legs open, and later I found cuts on my feet, arms and back. But it was totally worth it! We made a massive impact, and the judges loved us. The original Drag Idol winner is now one of the judges, and s/he won with 'Stay' in the first year. She said it was better than hers! We got full marks from all four judges, the only act to do so. The voting was cast 50/50 between the judges and the audience, so after the other acts performed and a few tedious fillers from local drag acts and singers, it was time to find out who'd won.
It was us.
They called out four acts, who left the stage, then another two. We were left with a Cher tribute act and as I held her hand on the stage I, no word of a lie, thought she was going to win. But she didn't - we did. I was speechless. I just stood there, smiling. It felt so so great. The audience again went crazy, people standing on chairs, screaming at us. We performed again and this time I was extra slutty and pulled a judge, and managed to keep my wig on! My parents came up to me after and told me how proud they were of me, and that completely made my night.
Theres so much more to this story that I might elaborate on another time, however I didn't get in until 4AM as I was celebrating all night - in heels! and now I want some well earned rest.
I never want to forget this, and I can't wait to see the DVD in February.
Love, Maria x
I don't know if I mentioned this in here, but Craig (my housemate) and I entered DRAG IDOL this year, which happened last night. Its a massive charity event held in Leeds with raises money for Mesmac and other gay friendly charities. On the scene its a pretty big deal, like the biggest thing in the gay social calendar after Pride. 10 acts, none of whom have done drag before, drag it up to become that year's DRAG IDOL. Craig and I entered as TIA MARIA, with the song 'Stay' by Shakespear's Sister. We basically had to mime and entertain.
It was a weird experience, but a fantastic one. I was so nervous before we got to the venue, which was Jongular's Comdey Club, but as soon as I got there I was fine - the free beer might have helped a little too I dare say. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to win - whilst it was for charity, and I am all about the charity, I don't like coming second or worse. If I set my heart on something it happens. As the other acts began to decend on the VIP changing area, I eyed my competition. It seems wrong to describe them as such, for the most part they were lovely. They all talked to us, and us to them. I guess I might have even made a few friends. I didn't know many of the songs they were performing, and the screens we could watch it on had no sound, which made it hard to gauge how they did. We were on fifth, out of eight, after the interval. A good spot I thought.
Our look was much in the style of the song/video - Craig was demure, with a long flowing white dress which extended from his heels to his wrists, with a blonde wig and lots of glitter. We were going for a ying/yang look, so I was the exact opposite - slutty, with massive backcombed hair, a short black dress and killer heels. We looked great. I may have looked a little better than Craig, but we won't tell him that.
Our routine again followed much of the video - Craig went on first and laid out our beautiful friend Andy (wearing nothing but a tiny pair of pants and a LOT of glitter) on a table on the stage. The song began and Craig mimed his lines and did the routine we'd rehearsed - it's hard to describe, but generally acted out the words/story with lots of rude extra bits. One the moment in the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eXw47qb4U0) where the other 'sister' comes on, I appeared really dramatically from the side of the audience. The audience went MENTAL! The were cheering, screaming, standing up, it felt amazing! I basically slagged it up for my four lines, gyrating over audience members and the judges. Then came the tricky bit - for the instrumental Craig and I had planned a fight. It started to plan, I was to push Craig out of the way and look down Andy's pants, signalling to the audience that there wasn't very much to get excited about. Then, I rubbed my boobs in Andy's face (all the while he's still comatose). Here's were things went a little wrong - I was meant to pretend punch Craig, he was supposed to stop me, pull my hair and push me to the ground and I was meant to get back up and slap him. However, when he pulled my hair his fake nail got stuck in my wig and he ended up pulling it off! (When I write sentences like that it makes me wonder what I'm doing with my life). The audience could tell (I think) that it wasn't planned. For a spilt second Craig and I stopped and looked at each other - we knew we had to carry on. So we did, and again the audience went crazy. Luckily for me my hair cut is a little lesbian anyway, so sans wig I just looked a little more punk rock :P The plan was for then for me to jump on the table and simulate sex with Andy until the scream at the end of the instrumental which Craig would strangle me and throw me behind him, at which point Andy would wake up and they'd finish the song all happily ever after. However, as Craig threw me back, something went wrong. I think we were both keen to a) get me off the table in time and b) make it look OTT/impressive from the audience, so we both over did it, me semi-jumping and him really chucking me. I won't know exactly what happened until I see the footage but I went down like a sack of shit. My friends said they saw me in mid air, then I hit the table and the back wall, which was covered in fairy lights. Craig looked down on me and was like "Shit, are you alright?" I was like "Carry on!" and he did, and when he finished, and I got up, we bowed to a mental standing ovation. It felt AMAZING.
As the host was talking to us I looked down at my legs to see them covered in blood - I'd cut both legs open, and later I found cuts on my feet, arms and back. But it was totally worth it! We made a massive impact, and the judges loved us. The original Drag Idol winner is now one of the judges, and s/he won with 'Stay' in the first year. She said it was better than hers! We got full marks from all four judges, the only act to do so. The voting was cast 50/50 between the judges and the audience, so after the other acts performed and a few tedious fillers from local drag acts and singers, it was time to find out who'd won.
It was us.
They called out four acts, who left the stage, then another two. We were left with a Cher tribute act and as I held her hand on the stage I, no word of a lie, thought she was going to win. But she didn't - we did. I was speechless. I just stood there, smiling. It felt so so great. The audience again went crazy, people standing on chairs, screaming at us. We performed again and this time I was extra slutty and pulled a judge, and managed to keep my wig on! My parents came up to me after and told me how proud they were of me, and that completely made my night.
Theres so much more to this story that I might elaborate on another time, however I didn't get in until 4AM as I was celebrating all night - in heels! and now I want some well earned rest.
I never want to forget this, and I can't wait to see the DVD in February.
Love, Maria x