Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.06.2004, Blaðsíða 18

THE NEW QUEENS
BEGIN THEIR RULE
by Bart Cameron
I am looking at three men dressed as nuns stretching out their legs
for our photographer. A fourth member of the Vanity and Hoping
for Wind in the Sail gay amateur theatre group tells me “This is not
your typical drag show.”
“We’re changing what a drag show
is. I’ll be singing in Arabic,” he says,
and then gives a crotch-exposing
pose.
I haven’t been backstage at many
drag shows, but the mood isn’t what
I expected.
A French-Canadian with the stage
name Salammbo says this is the only
place he’s done a drag show. “There
is no woman in me trying to come
out,” he says deadpan through heavy
make-up.
“We’re all writers,” he says. I
notice that, at present, everyone in
the room is speaking in Icelandic,
Swedish, French and English at
once.
“How many of you are graduate
students?” I ask.
“At least eighty percent,” he says.
He then gives a nervous laugh. “I’m
so stressed.”
It is the first time I’ve seen anyone
here not look fully self-assured. I ask
if he’s suffering from stage fright.
“No. My partner got into a brawl last
night and can’t go on stage.”
His partner, an Icelander going
by the stage name Alexandra
Gloppovich, is helping with
backstage preparations. He sports
fresh stitches over his left eye. He
lets me get a good look at the injury
and says, “There was a gay bashing
last night.”

The show, held at Reykjavik’s oldest
house and newest gay club, Jón
Forseti, was more theatre than drag
show. Closest, maybe, to a drag
vaudeville. The opening number
showcased a couple of dancers in
French showgirl garb dancing and
smiling maniacally, and breaking
into flat-out pantomime and
physical comedy. Following this,
three nuns descended the staircase
at stage right and presented a
remarkably strong improv sketch
that moved from bawdy to campy
to relaxed and earnest as the nuns
harmonized, monkeyed with
instruments and provided a grad
school style metadrag moment when
a particularly shy nun was dressed
up as a glamorous woman on stage
and broke into “Dancing Queen.”
The highlight of the evening was
a pitch-perfect performance of
a prissy blonde succumbing to
alcoholism while putting on a
cooking demonstration. (The actor’s
resemblance to the host of the
television show Folk added greatly
to the amusement.) The evening
also provided more standard drag
fare, and, indeed, it also included
an “Iraq in Drag” section, which
brought the full house of Icelanders
to tears, but left those of us from
more politically correct backgrounds
a little bewildered.
In the end, the show provided the
relaxed anything goes atmosphere
that Reykjavik’s nightlife badly
needs. The Vanity and Hope for
Wind in the Sail theatre group will
continue to put on performances
all summer before touring Iceland
in the fall - it is obviously a cause
worth contributing to and, more
importantly, at ISK 500 their shows
are also one of the best options for a
night on the town. (A night “out” if
you need the pun.)
Regnboginn cinema.
THE REYKJAVIK SHORTS AND
DOCS FESTIVAL,
The third year running, this will go on all day from the
10th to the 13th. 12 new Icelandic shorts as well as a pick
of international ones, including the Finnish film Screaming
Men about a male choir that terrifies its audience with its
performances.
Reykjavik City Theatre
ROMEO AND JULIET
The theatre closes down for summer on the 20th, so there´s
still a last chance to catch some of its performances. The
most notable show is probably the acrobatic Romeo and
Juliet, just back from roaring success in London. There are
still tickets left for the afternoon performance on Saturday
12th at 15.00. Call the theatre to see if there are any tickets
available for the evening performance. Don Quixote and the
new Iceland play Belgian Congo are on the following day at
20.00, and Chicago winds up on the 19th.
����� MOVIES THEATREand
Museums
ASÍ. Art Museum, Freyjugata 41, 511-5353
Árbæjarsafn Folk Museum, Kistuhylur 4, p: 557-1111
Ásmundarsafn, Sculpture museum, Sigtún, p: 553-2155
Culture House, Hverfisgata 15, p: 545-1400
Einar Jónsson, Sculpture museum, Einarsgata, p: 551-3797
Gerðarsafn, Kóparvogur Art Gallery, Hamraborg 4, p:551-3797
Gerðuberg Cultural Center, Gerðuberg 3-5, p:577-0440
Hafnarborg Art Gallery, Srandgata 34 Hafnarfj, 555-0080
Hafnarhúsið, Reykjavík Art museum, Tryggvagata 17, p: 590-1200
Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Hlemmur 5, p:590-0500
Kjarvalsstaðir Art Museum, Flókagata, p: 517-1290
Museum of Medical History, Neströð 170, p: 561-1016
National Film Archive, Vesturgata 11-13 Hafnarfj, p: 565-5994
National Gallery of Iceland, Fríkirkjuvegur 7, p: 515-9600
Nordic House, Sturlugata 5, p: 551-7030
Numismatic Collection of the Central Bank, Einholt 4, p: 569-9964
Reykjavík Botanical Garden, Laugardalur, p: 553-8870
Reykjavík City Library, Tryggvagata 15, p: 563-1750
Reykjavík Elestrivity Museum, Rafstöðvarvegur, p: 567-9009
Reykjavík Museum of Photography, Tryggvagata 15, p: 563-1790
Reykjavík Zoo & Family Park, Engjavegur, p: 575-7800
Saga Museum, Perlan Öskjuhlíð, p: 511-1517
Sigurjón Ólafsson Sculpture Museum, Lauganestangi 70, p: 553-2906
Telecommunications Museum, Suðurgata, p: 550-6410
Galleries
Art Studio Gallery, Vesturgata 12, p: 562-5757
Kling og Bang, Laugavegi 23, p: 822-0402
Gallery Fold, Rauðarárstígur 14-16, p: 551-0400
Gallery Hnoss, Skólavörðustígur 16, p: 561-8485
Gallery Hulduhólar, Hulduhólar, p: 566-6194
Gallery i8, Klapparstígur 33, p: 551-3666
Gallery Meistari Jakob, Skólavörðustígur 5, p: 552-7161
Gallery Ófeigur, Skólavörðustígur 5, p: 551-1161
Gallery Sævar Karl, Bankastræti 7, p: 551-3470
Gallery Tukt, Pósthússtræti 3-5, p: 520-4600
Hafnarhúsið, Tryggvagata 17 harbour side, p:588-7576
Handverk og Hönnun, Aðalstræti 12, p: 551-7595
Safn, Laugavegur 37, p: 561-8777
SÍM-house, Hafnarstræti 16, p: 551-1346
Teddi Workshop, Kapparstígur 2
The Icelandic Printmakers Association, Tryggvagata 17, p: 588-7576
Other
Hallgrímskirkja church, Skólavörðuholti, p: 510-1000
Klink og Bank, Brautarholt, p: 822-0402
Theaters
Borgarleikhúsið, City Theatre, Listabraut 3, p: 568-8000
Þjóðleikhúsið, National Theatre, Hverfisgata 19, p: 551-1200
Restaurants
101 Hotel, Hverfisgata 10, p: 580-0101
3 Frakkar, Baldursgata 14, p: 552-3939
Apótek Bar Grill, Austurstræti 16, p: 575-7900
Jómfrúin, Lækjargata 4, p: 551-0100
Naustið, Vesturgata 6-8, p: 554-0500
Rossopomodoro, Laugavegur 40a, p: 561-0500
Tapas, Vesturgata 3b, p: 551-2344
Tveir Fiskar, Geirsgata 9, p: 511-3474
Við Tjörnina, Templarasund 3, p: 551-8666
Vox Nordica Hotel, Suðurlandsbraut 2, p: 444-5050
Cafés
Bleika Dúfan, Laugavegur 21, p: 517-1980
Café Árnes, by the harbour, p: 551-5101
Café Paris, Austurstræti 14, p: 551-1020
Grái Kötturinn, Hverfisgata 16a, p: 551-1544
Kaffivagninn, Grandagarður 10, p: 551-5932
Mokka, Skólavörðustígur 3a, p: 552-1174
Ráðhúskaffi, City Hall, p: 563-2169
Segafredo by Lækjartorg, p:
Súfistinn, Laugavegur 18, p: 552-3740
Tíu Dropar, Laugavegur 27, p: 551-9380
Café, Bar and Bistro
Ari í Ögri, Ingólfsstræti 3, p: 551-9660
Bar 11, Laugavegur 11, p: 511-1180
Café 22, Laugavegur 22, p: 511-5522
Café List, Laugavegur 20a, p: 511-1420
Café Victor, Hafnarstræti 1-3, p: 561-9555
Celtic Cross, Hverfisgata 26, p: 511-3240
De Palace, Hafnarstræti 18, p: 551-6780
Dillon, Laugavegur 20, 511-2400
Dubliner, Hafnarstræti 4, 511-3233
Glaumbar, Tryggvagata 20, p: 552-6868
Grand Rokk, Smiðjustígur 6, p: 551-5522
Hressingarskálinn, Austurstræti 20, p: 561-2240
Hverfisbar, Hverfisgata 20, p: 511-6700
Jón Forseti, Aðalstræti 10, p: 551-0962
Kaffi Kúltur, Hverfisgötu 18, p: 530-9314
Kaffibarinn, Bergstaðastræti 1, p: 551-1588
Kaffibrennslan, Pósthússtræti 9, p: 561-3600
Nelly’s, Þingholtsstræti 2, p: 551-2477
Prikið, Bankastræti 12, p: 551-3366
Sirkus, Klapparstígur 30
Sólon, Bankastræti 7a, p: 562-3232
Thorvaldsen bar, Austurstræti 8, p: 511-1413
Vegamót, Vegamótastígur 4, p: 511-3040
Clubs
Gaukur á Stöng, Tryggvagata 22, p: 551-1556
Kapital, Hafnarstræti 17, p: 511-7007
Leikhúskjallarinn, Hverfisgata 19, p: 551-6010
Mojito, Austurstræti 16, p: 575-7905
Nasa, by Austurvöllur, p: 511-1313
Pravda, Austurstræti 22, p: 552-9222
Fastfood
Bæjarins bestu, Tryggvagata, p: 894-4515
Bernhöftsbakarí, Bergstaðastæti 13, p: 551-3083
Eldsmiðjan, Bragagata 38a, p: 562-3838
First Vegetarian (Á næstu grösum), Laugavegur 20b, p: 552-8410
Nonnabiti, Hafnarstræti 11, p: 551-2312
Pizza 67, Tryggvagata 26, p: 561-9900
Pizza Pronto, Vallarstræti 4, p: 517-5445
Reykjavík Bagel Company, Laugavegur 81, p: 511-4500
Serranos, Hafnarstræti 20, p: 551-1754
Vitabar, Bergþórugata 21, p: 551-7200
ADDRESS BOOK
WE ARE ON A MISSION
FROM GOD
YOU WILL NEVER
DRINK ALONE
LIVE MUSIC
Sm
ið
ju
st
íg
6
.
p:
5
51
5
52
2
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Friday June 11th
Hoffman, Botnleðja
Saturday June 12th
Band Blúsbyltan
Sunday June 13th
Indigo, Bob Justman, Viking Giant
Wednesday June 16th
Mistery Index
Saturday June 19th
Hjálmar
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