…..SoSuterBill…..

BILLY SUTER chats to sassy, Cape Town-based drag icon Lilly Slaptsilli, who is returning to Durban, after a six-year absence, with a new solo show, Shurrup, a mix of camp comedy and amusing anecdotes. Performances are scheduled for the Rhumbelow Theatre in Umbilo at 7.30pm on Friday and Saturday, August 15 and 16, and 2pm on Sunday, August 17. Tickets cost R250 each, seating is at tables (bring your own light meals and snacks, but use the theatre bar) and booking is via roland@stansell.co.za

WHEN did you last perform at the Rhumbelow Theatre in Umbilo, Durban, and what is bringing you back now?

I was last in Durban with my show I’m Gagging, in 2019. I love Durban and since the days of Mince (the legendary lip-sync duo also comprising Keiron Legacy), I think it’s smart to take a show around the country at least once. We’ve been through the wilderness of the pandemic and I genuinely feel we need to laugh through this Covid hangover.

What do you enjoy about Durban and Durban audiences?

I’ve always been drawn to Durbanites. Sometimes, only after a conversation is going so easily, I’ll ask “Are you from Durbs?” Genuine, easy-going folk.

Tell me about Shurrup and when and where it originated.

I have binned so many jokes, characters and skits in the past… to avoid upsetting folks who are armed and ready to be offended. Especially with comics, cancel culture, woke… afraid to  cross the line. Then it dawned on me: who decides where the line is? It’s comedy – calm down. Take a seat… and shurrup! I trust my gut, my moral compass. I am wide ‘awoke’.

What does the new show consist of? Is your other drag personality, kugel Beryl Cohen, there?

I enjoy the combination of music, comedy and sound production value. I feel that I’ve always been more of a storyteller, observing life with a comical eye. I will never be able to get rid of Beryl Cohen and, yes, she has insisted on schlepping up to Durbs.
She  is convinced she can out-perform Lilly as someone told her once that she should call herself Beryl Streep (I’m sure it was her mother who gave her that notion).

In a nutshell, Shurrup is a delicious helping of music, camp comedy and dance.

How many solo shows have you done now?

Close to 300 since 2016, excluding corporate and private gigs.

What has been the reaction to the Shurrup show so far?

I have heard “that was the most unforced stand-up show I’ve ever seen…a breath of fresh air”. Finally, someone saying what we’re all thinking…LOL!

Mostly, the reaction has been that folks are so desperate to laugh again. I have had a few standing ‘ovulations’ ( which always make me cry) and I still drop to my knees with gratitude (and numbness.) 

I believe that I’ve been given a gift and I’m doing what I’m supposed to do.

What would you say to people to encourage them to see the new show?

Netflix and Uber Eats cannot trump a live show.  you can renew a subscription, but if you miss a show it’s gone forever. (Yowzer… listen to me getting all clever!)

What has Lilly been up to of late – any new projects or plans?

I have been working really hard at performing in towns and venues that normally don’t get shows – building return business and relationships. I am getting my head into social media and understanding that there is a digital currency and my fan base has value.

New project? Here’s an exclusive… my biggest dream has always been to perform in a big theatre and present a show with all the bells and whistles: trap doors, set changes, multimedia delights. Lilly ( the persona) turns 30 on December 6 and I want to give my fans (eeww! that sounds creepy) a gift in the way of a spectacular show.

A “sillybration”, it will cover 30 years of drag, including my best numbers, special moments over 30 years, back stories and bloopers – brought to you by (enter name of sponsor), she hints.

What of Lilly’s real you, Clive Allardyce? Tell me more about what he has been up to of late and the travel blog/instagram you have with your sis. 

My sister Jean, an award-winning hairstylist, and I have an Instagram account called Jinger Journeys, devoted to our travels together.

We have travelled extensively; separately and apart. We’ve stayed in packers, lodges… right up to seven-star hotels. We love it, we get it, we need it.

Sharing tips and travel hacks, and bringing people along with us, is our pleasure. The competition is fierce and if we could assist a small Air BnB, restaurant, art gallery or lifestyle with a boost, marketing on our platforms, then ‘yay’ .

I have started drawing again too … and I’m keen to see my work turned into prints on clothing, cards, wrapping paper and more.

How busy are you these days?

During Covid years, I  came up with the idea of having an online auction of lifestyle items, self-care treatments, lotions and potions. Turns out, I’m quite the auctioneer. So I’ve been bringing some comedy to an otherwise stiff affair, and raised a chunk of change for many charities. 

May I say, being the ‘mistress of ceremonies’ and party mingler is almost more fun, and way less stressful, than my show. Award dinners and birthday gigs… it is not about me. I am simply there to create a hype and ensure the evening runs smoothly. 

What have been three gig highlights for you in the past year or so?

One was a New Year’s Eve, circus-themed gig at a massive casino. I played a ringmaster who was born a Siamese twin and was surgically separated from his sister, Lola. In the second half of the show, I came on as Lola, and when I was doing the midnight countdown the client and guests were asking where the ringmaster was for the final bow. 

Also memorable was being the MC for a gay wedding in Elgin for two incredible guys. The love and joy from the family and friends was unforgettable.  

Another highlight was a photoshoot in Amsterdam, with my sister as the photographer. 

Have you had any embarrassing moments of late, perhaps recent wardrobe malfunctions or other wobbles on stage or off, that you could share with us in some detail?

I recall an after-show meet-and-greet with almost 200 guests. I got home and the audience started posting their pics with Lilly on their socials. In my head, I looked stunning in a sparkly leotard with a see-through over-dress. My sister then sent me screengrabs from that evening, where she’d drawn a circle in the crotch area. My entire left testicle was hanging out. Delicious!

What has been you most embarrassing/unintentionally amusing moment ever in a show?

It was when I was doing a year-end function, performing a lip-sync to an Ella Fitzgerald number. I always do her with a slight body quiver. Then I noticed an elderly woman mocking me and once I focused, I realised she had Parkinsons. I assume she thought it was me taking the ‘P’. 

What are the pros and cons of being a drag performer?

It is great developing shows and characters and seeing your audiences get it. The relief and joy you feel, knowing your ideas have worked. On the downside, drag is painful and uncomfortable – up to seven hours at a gig. In a corset, on heels, with drunk people making crazy demands for more.

What comments on the South African drag scene, its growth and problems it may face?

It is getting quite saturated. Being a popular medium at the moment, it’s attracted a few grifters – unprepared, untrained and almost doing it as a party trick. They undercut rates and essentially put clients off booking drag again. On the flipside, a few gems have emerged, with a natural instinct and talent to entertain.

Drag Race South Africa is apparently being planned – any association likely from you, either as host, guest or competitor?

 So, this is a World of Wonder (Wow) franchise bought from Rupaul. So it’s just Drag Race (no Rupaul). I have read the contract and it’s brutal. For an earning, established queen giving a percentage of all future earnings, for quite a few years, is a tough ask.

I think I could make a great contribution as a guest judge on the show. Wow is a slick operation and will do a sterling job of the production. Also, I know we have some girls that can hopefully be part of the international stable.

Any other news or comments?

I love you Billy Suter. You have no idea how much your consistency and passion has done for the entire theatre community. For that, I thank you. (I know it sounds ‘sucky-uppy’, but I have said it now).