Drag Beyond the Binary
- Date
-
Mon 10 May 2021
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
- Venue
- Online
In partnership with Andro & Eve
Join Sheffield queer arts organisation Andro and Eve for a panel discussion to shine a light on the UK’s exciting drag scene, exploring how drag has helped expand many people’s understanding of gender.
The panel of UK drag artists, including Wesley Dykes and Sigi Moonlight, will reflect on the ways drag has helped them explore their own sense of identity.
With the rise and rise of drag queens in UK culture, this discussion and Q&A will also discuss this visibility, and provide space to reflect on drag beyond the binary and its importance for LGBTQ+ communities. The discussion will be chaired by Andro and Eve’s artistic director, Finn Warman.
ACCESSIBILITY
If you have any extra accessibility requirements, please let us know by dropping Andro and Eve a message either via Facebook or our website contact form. https://androandeve.com/contact/
AGE RESTRICTION
This event is suitable for ages 14+. If you are booking for someone under 18, please drop us a line so we are aware. Thank you.
Mr Wesley Dykes, the drag king alter ego of un-binary human Adedamola, was born after noticing a considerable lack of representation of Black artists in many of the Drag King scenes across the world.
Since returning to the UK in 2015, they have been able to incorporate their love of writing, movement and music into their stage show, performing at the Bush Theatre with Boi Box, The Globe Theatre with Improbable theatre and Clerkinworks.
A proud member of the Cocoa Butter Club, they are a regular performer at nights including Brizzle Boiz, Kings of Colour Initiative & LADS, and have facilitated accessible movement and lip-syncing workshops for Quiplash.
When not in drag, Adedamola is also a member of band, Wastewomxn, a queer Afro-Asian punk band.
Photo by @queergarden.
Inspired by old movies, Sigi Moonlight takes on a series of iconic, traditionally masculine personas in their shows, from Kung Fu master to dangerous criminal and even Oscar statuette.
Rife with pop culture references and allusions to contemporary socio-political issues, Sigi's performances investigate ideas of toxic masculinity, such as challenging the way Hollywood emasculates East Asian men in media.
Sigi has performed all over, from clowning around at Glastonbury to Shakespeare's Globe. They also form part of the queer pan-Asian collective The Bitten Peach, which seeks to address the underrepresentation of Asian performers in UK cabaret.
Outside of drag, Jacqui Bardelang is currently studying a postgraduate acting diploma at Drama Studio London. Jacqui most recently stars as a reincarnation of the eponymous supervillain in Chinese Arts Now commissioned short film, Casting Fu Manchu.
Photo by Gerrard Gethings.
Finn is the Artistic Director and CEO of Sheffield-based queer arts organisation, Andro and Eve. Andro and Eve provide talent development and performance opportunities for queer artists, and spaces for the LGBTQ+ community to come together.
Finn has worked as an artist, designer and producer in the cultural and education sector for 15 years. Specialising in large-scale participatory arts projects, they have a wealth of experience in partnership working, leadership and talent development.
Lilly SnatchDragon is an international, award-winning political comedy drag queen, burlesque artist and compere. Her approach to how the West stereotypes S.E Asian women won her 'Best Newcomer" at the London Cabaret Awards in 2015. She has been in the Top 10 ‘UK Burlesque Performers’ since 2015, including No. 1 in 2017, No. 3 in 2018 and #5 in the UK for 2019.
Lilly is also one of the founders of sell-out show ‘LADS’ and of renowned all-Asian cabaret collective ‘The Bitten Peach’.
Image credit: Ayesha Hussain Photography