'YUMMY Deluxe' is delicious and unpredictable.
Legendary cabaret ensemble YUMMY is hitting the Gold Coast for the first time in a mix of new acts and favourites, as well as electric new group numbers.The award-winning group present a full-length spectacle packed with circus, burlesque, dance numbers, raw performances and a who's-who of widely acclaimed drag artists.
Director/Performer James Welsby is mother of the house Valerie Hex, leading femme fatale Zelia Rose, bio queen Hannie Helsden, avant-garde tour de force Jandruze and live vocalist Carla Lippis.
Here, Valerie Hex pens an open letter about the growing acceptance of the art form of drag, and YUMMY's mission, before the show hits Home Of The Arts.
“Drag is more popular than ever.
Some even say we are living in the 'golden age' of drag. This is a blessing, and I for one am grateful to be living in an era where lip-syncing is considered a legitimate art form! But with the massive expansion of drag audiences from gay bar punters to the general public, teens, and people from all walks of life, drag has the need to grow to reflect that audience. I’m not talking about being inclusive in a tokenistic sense, but by genuinely offering a ‘seat at the table’ to anyone who wants to share in the joy and discovery of drag.
You really learn a lot about yourself by spending time as someone else, and it helps destigmatise diverse gender expression.
This has been the mission of YUMMY since the beginning, and we’ve always had an equal amount of women, non-binary people, and men on stage and off. We aim to inspire people to make their own drag discoveries, and to have fun while doing it. It is crucial to a healthy society that we do not see femininity as inferior to masculinity, and diverse gender expression can play a massive role in assisting the understanding of this balance. Gender equality will strengthen any work place, organisation, or government. Some things are as simple and as meaningful as that.”
Some even say we are living in the 'golden age' of drag. This is a blessing, and I for one am grateful to be living in an era where lip-syncing is considered a legitimate art form! But with the massive expansion of drag audiences from gay bar punters to the general public, teens, and people from all walks of life, drag has the need to grow to reflect that audience. I’m not talking about being inclusive in a tokenistic sense, but by genuinely offering a ‘seat at the table’ to anyone who wants to share in the joy and discovery of drag.
You really learn a lot about yourself by spending time as someone else, and it helps destigmatise diverse gender expression.
This has been the mission of YUMMY since the beginning, and we’ve always had an equal amount of women, non-binary people, and men on stage and off. We aim to inspire people to make their own drag discoveries, and to have fun while doing it. It is crucial to a healthy society that we do not see femininity as inferior to masculinity, and diverse gender expression can play a massive role in assisting the understanding of this balance. Gender equality will strengthen any work place, organisation, or government. Some things are as simple and as meaningful as that.”
