Spring may be just around the corner, but winter came to The Gladstone with a Game of Thrones-themed drag king Saturday.
The show, A Game of Kings, is the creation of Toronto-based drag king troupe The Yes-Men. It’s a tribute to the world and characters of the popular book series and HBO program, says Titus Androgynous, a member of the troupe.
Androgynous, better known as Ottawa-born actor Virginia West, says the show is a combination of song-and-dance numbers following the plot of the series, as well as some based on wishful thinking from the group of performers.
“Some of it is fan fiction – stuff that we wish we could see or wish that they had done,” Androgynous says.
Most drag performances involve adopting the persona of a popular entertainer of the opposite gender. Androgynous says that a typical drag performance run like a variety show. A Game of Kings will move from piece to piece without interruption, Androgynous says.
“We want people to treat it like a theatrical performance,” he says. “It’s different than going to a bar and watching drag.”
With that in mind, the venue was key. Rather than perform at a venue that might be more familiar with drag, The Yes-Men will be subletting a late evening spot at The Gladstone from the improv-based show Much Ado About Feckin’ Pirates.
While Androgynous says they are excited to be in an actual theatre, The Yes-Men wanted to ensure the show would reach an audience that enjoys drag. To do this, The Yes-Men invited Canada’s Capital Kings, an Ottawa-based drag king troupe that regularly appears at The Lookout bar, to perform as special guests during the evening.
Margo MacDonald, one of the creators of Feckin’ Pirates, says having the show at the theatre is an excellent opportunity for the drag performers to reach beyond their regular audience.
A Game of Kings will take the stage right after Feckin’ Pirates. If the regular Gladstone audience decides to stay for the after-show, MacDonald says they might be surprised at first.
“Maybe they don’t know that it’s going to be drag kings performing,” she says. “But I think they give such a good show that everybody can enjoy it, whether you’re used to seeing drag king shows or not.”
Whether they are unfamiliar with drag or with Game of Thrones, Androgynous says audience members will be able to follow the characters and story lines the kings have selected.
To maintain the male illusion, The Yes-Men avoid performing out of drag. When the show calls for female characters they use burlesque performers. Androgynous says they wanted the sexiest girls available, so Toronto troupe Nerd Girl Burlesque and performer Belle Jumelles will join the kings.
Jumelles is doubling as the show’s stage manager, as well as both Cercei, queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and also the Mother of Dragons. She is excited about the show, she says, especially because of the clever way the kings have matched songs to plot lines.
“They’re lip-syncing the words that are in the song, but utilizing it in order to tell a story while playing characters in full costume,” Jumelles says. “It’s like, ‘Yeah! Go big or go home!’”