At the end of this month’s Hey Mary, a queer/alternative/inclusive club night in Cardiff, it was remembered that June 12th was a year since the massacre in Orlando’s Pulse nightclub. Hey Mary usually takes place the first Friday of every month but as it was moved back a week because of the football in Cardiff, June’s Hey Mary could be seen as nice and unofficial way to remember Pulse – and the recent terror attacks closer to home – by having fun, enjoying ourselves and living.
The brain child of drag group International League of Dianas, Hey Mary takes place in the bijou venue that is The Big Top, above 10 Feet Tall; it is hosted by Lilith the Gag Hag while Polly Amorous and Medusa Repulsa regularly perform; and you’ll usually see Lucy Fur there, filming and possibly yelling at people – “my FACE is my high vis jacket” she once shouted in response to something my friend said to her while the fire alarm went off. Their numbers are growing with ‘bio-queen’ Cressida Wolf joining the ranks and wealth of emerging young Cardiff drag queens and kings to make guest appearances.
This month saw a guest performance by Dancing Queer, Egyptian genderqueer belly dancer and political activist – they say “I dance as a protest to the treatment of my LGBT+ siblings persecuted around the world just for being who they are”. Taking place the day after this year’s snap General Election there seemed to be an extra element of punk sensibility in the air, with shouts of “fuck the Tories”; with LGBT+ rights not looking 100% assured in some places, a queer night like Hey Mary is inherently political.
It’s also a massively fun way to spend a Friday night, where you can dance to the songs that DJ duo Sissy Boy Tears play – high camp like Donna Summer’s version of MacArthur Park followed by 90s Britpop classic, Pulp’s Common People to the current alt/indie queer tunes played until 3am. In between all this are routines by Cardiff’s homegrown drag performers: yearn for the endearingly sickening Polly Amorous and be genuinely scared by Medusa Repulsa (I am, at least) among others; there might be fake blood, silly string and whatever else they can make a mess with.
It’s not easy to say why I like it so much – having not spent much time in its LGBT+ scene due to not living conveniently close enough to Cardiff – but the first time I went I felt instantly comfortable there (as comfortable as a socially awkward person can), a friend who was with at this month’s said “It was refreshing to see these magnificent people camping it up with brilliant performances”. Alpha Heart, who has performed there as well as attends as a punter, says it better: “It’s one of a kind, there’s nothing else like it in Cardiff! The people are always friendly, the vibes are amazing and I never fail to have a good time. Performing there cemented my view that these people – the queer community that congregates there – are amazing people! Plus the venue is super kitsch which I adore!”
For the people who lost their lives at Pulse, Ariana Grande concert and anywhere where people were enjoying themselves, we owe it to them to keep enjoying ourselves! If that means supporting your local drag queens, do if!
That being said, let’s not sell it too much, 10 Feet Tall’s The Big Top is quite an intimate space and too many people might spoil it(!)
words CHRIS WILLIAMS