Jonny Woo’s Variety Show
April 14th, 2009 by sparky
Jonny Woo will perform at The Big Chill 2009.
A-Z line-up | Buy tickets
Jonny Woo’s deliciously wicked variety show spectacular comes to Eastnor this year, featuring Gay Bingo, Hot Breath Karaoke, the best of the counties drag cabaret performances and a voguetastic kinky boots finale.
Jonny Woo – Autobiography
‘My first foray into drag was when my sister dressed me up and then paraded me in front of my mum as “the new girl next door”. My mum told me that if she had wanted another little girl, she would have had another little girl.
‘I wanted to be a dancer after college but wound up on a treacherous route to becoming a retail professional. I knew that if I did not do something about it I would regret it all my life. When I made the decision to go to dance school I never questioned my vocation again. It morphed into performance art but I never folded another jumper.
‘While living in New York I learnt that I had the right to consider myself an artist. It’s the best advice I can pass on. The Brits shy away from allowing themselves this admission. Also I learnt that as a performance artist I could do whatever I wanted on stage. It sounds obvious but only by creating my own rules could I create the kind of work I do. I always try and reinvent. Me and Madonna are both a bit like that.
Feature continues
Advertisement
‘I don’t really see what I do as drag. I play with being a tranny and have total respect for transvestites and transsexuals. I believe they are the world’s true punks. Playing with gender and sexuality is integral to my performances. Slowly, larger venues such as the Tate and The Hostpital are taking an interest in alternative performance. More venues should take the lead from Soho Theatre [where Jonny's solo showed previewed earlier in July] in showcasing emerging artists. Artists continue to have to stage their own events and through these a network is establishing itself. London needs a permanent home for performance art, such as PS122 in New York.
‘I’m very lucky to have had Bistrotheque as a space to work in. It has been my laboratory for the past four years. I have always made my own opportunities: no one else will make your art for you. If the jobs run out, then I write a show I hope people will come and see. If there’s no event to perform at, I start one, like TK Maxx. Still, I’m grateful to Pablo Flack [Bistrotheque's owner] for championing my work for years, and I wouldn’t be able to function without the support of [fellow drag queen and DJ] Jon Sizzle.
‘I’m always interested in new performers, but they have to make the first steps. My new night with Ryan Styles has an open-mic spot for trans-performance artists. But new performers should make contact with the organisers of parties, and always dress up to get noticed. Try and be as prolific as possible. I once saw a quote: “You came here to be an artist. So be one!” It is my mantra.’
Jonny Woo will perform at The Big Chill 2009.
A-Z line-up | Buy tickets
