Reykjavík Grapevine - 31.07.2009, Page 19

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Issue 11 2009 www.grapevine.is
There´s nothing wrong with adding a little
glitter to your life. And there's no better
way to do so than by watching some fierce
drag show competitors take to the stage
in search of a victory. On the cusp of Gay
Pride 2009, organizer Georg Erlingsson
Merritt is presenting the 12th annual
Icelandic drag show. And he's taking it
back to the stuff that made drag shows
what they are today.
The traditionally themed shows
have been put on the sidelines in lieu of the
original drag show backdrop of glitz and
glamour. Basically, you can expect a spoof
of all real beauty contests in the way that
drag shows began. The host for the night
will be the fabulous Madame Klingenberg.
This year´s contestants include members of
both sexes. There are nine competitors in
total, with five men and four women (who
will be portraying their alternate sex, of
course). Each contestant will go on stage
three separate times before a winner is
chosen.
Georg himself is familiar with
the pressures of the drag show from the
stage and from behind the scenes. He
has been in charge of the show for the
last decade, but his own drag talents are
what got him doing it. With the stage name
“Keiko,” he took home the crown in 1998's
competition. Shortly thereafter he was
asked if he would like to take control over
the whole thing. Not too shabby.
An impressive turnout has attended this
annual drag show in the past. Georg is
particularly happy about the size of the
venue, the Icelandic Opera House, as well.
In the beginning days of the Icelandic drag
shows, the event was usually held in a bar.
Now that the competition has grown, there
is a need for the larger space. As Georg
says: “Things were really simple back then,
but at the same time, it was in a smaller
venue.”
The growth and popularity
of the drag shows have sparked a sort of
transition into something more complex
than its original intention. “It started out
just simply being gay people doing drag
shows,” Georg says, “but now, it has
evolved in to its own art form.” A whole year
is spent putting together the show, and the
thought process for 2010 is already in the
works. About 10 people aid in the creation
and organisation, while 20 people overall
help to run the entire show.
To take a look back at past
years of the competition, a DVD has been
created entitled “The Saga of the Icelandic
Drag Competition” which chronicles years
1997-2008. This contains all the standout
performances and is intended for those
who went to the shows and for anyone
interested in seeing the complete evolution
of the show to its present day status. And
the 2009 competition will be sure to wipe
out any ill feelings of daily monotony, says
Georg: “It's a 200% total energy boost.”
Pre-sale tickets for the event are available
the 29th of July for 1800 ISK, and tickets are
also available at the venue the day of the
show, August 5th, starting at 2 p.m. Doors
open at 8:00 p.m. and the actual show
starts at 9:00 p.m. The Icelandic Opera is
located on Ingólfsstræti. JG
Work It
Contestants compete in
12th annual drag show
6
August
9
August