Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.07.2016, Qupperneq 32

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Performance 32
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 11 — 2016
It's Tuesday night and the heels are out
at the rehearsal space of Drag-Súgur,
Reykjavík's latest and greatest drag
performance group. The queens are
gearing up for their upcoming perfor-
mance at Reykjavík Pride, which will
be their biggest yet, and the excite-
ment is palpable as they swap makeup
tips and reflect on an exciting eight
months.
Drag-Súgur has only been around
since last November, but their month-
ly performances at Gaukurinn have al-
ready become a fixture in Reykjavík's
queer arts calendar. It all began after
Hafsteinn Himiljómi Sverrisson and
Sigurður Heimir Guðjónsson met last
year and discovered they both wanted
to improve the spaces for queer art in
Reykjavík.
"When we started this, we wanted
to make an impact and really try to
revive the queer community, and not
have it active just around Pride," says
Sigurður, who performs as Gógó Starr.
By all accounts they've succeeded,
with Gaukurinn regularly at capacity
for Drag-Súgur shows as people flock
to watch drag queens and drag kings
strut their stuff on stage.
"Before Drag-Súgur there was
nothing happening, nothing!" says
Hafsteinn, who performs as Ragna
Rök. "Queer people wouldn't hang out.
We only had Kiki, and then you'd show
up and you were half a vodka bottle in,
you know? Every queer person I knew
was screaming for something more to
happen."

What is drag?

There isn't a long history of drag in
Iceland, so for some people Drag-
Súgur is their first introduction to the
form, says Hafsteinn. This has meant
a lot of explaining the "what" and the
"why" behind drag.
"It's most likely going to be light and
funny and silly," says Richard Chap-
man, who performs as Wonda Starr.
He says he thinks most people coming
to Drag-Súgur shows are just looking
for entertainment. "But then there's
also the other side, where you're com-
ing to have your ideas challenged."
For Hólmar Hólm, who performs
as Drama, drag is about embracing
his femininity, which in the past has
Words
ISAAC
WÜRMANN
Photos
DAVID
TERRAZAS
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The Queens
Of Reykjavík
Drag-Súgur prepares for a
breakthrough at Pride