This week, Jason Reid gets to know more about Mark Anthony, the most recent winner of Her Upstairs’ ironically titled and super popular Not Another Drag Competition, and the first drag king to snatch the crown.
Who is Mark Anthony?
Mark is an extension of myself – he’s the masculinity I feel within myself and that I see in the world around me. He’s smooth but camp and a little bit sexy; slightly ridiculous but ultimately loveable. I like to say I’m rhinestoning masculinity.
When and why did you first start performing?
My first ever performance was in 2016 (August) at Bar Wotever. I had always been interested in performing, but had never found an outlet that really let me express myself. I was introduced to drag kings through a video of prominent American king Spikey Van Dykey and immediately fell in love with the art form.
Describe your performance style in three words.
Camp. Comedic. Sexy.
You recently won Not Another Drag Competition (NADC). What was that whole experience like?
Entering NADC was the best decision I’ve ever made – it was immensely stressful and intense but it completely transformed my drag and my understanding of my capabilities as a performer. The best thing about it was the mentorship of Meth, Lilly Snatchdragon, and the other guest judges, whose feedback not only pushed me to be a better performer, but also helped me trust in my own abilities.
What advice would you give to kings considering entering next season?
Do it. Kings absolutely can succeed in this competition. By reaching the final, Chiyo and I proved that kings deserve to be given the same respect as queens, and the more kings that enter the competition, the more visible we become.
Who are your fave new artists right now?
Zayn Phallic, Oedipussi Rex and Luke Warm.
Who are your drag idols?
Landon Cider and Sasha Velour in the US; Adam All, FKA, Chiyo, and Meth in London.
What makes you happy?
Apart from gin and my canine sidekick, Bertie, what makes me happy is being part of the queer performance community in London. I love performing in shows but I also love going to shows and being in a room that celebrates queerness and queer bodies.
For you, what is drag in 2018?
I’m struggling to define drag in 2018 and I think that’s a good thing – it’s because the scene is more varied than ever before. That’s not to say that everything’s perfect: the biggest opportunities and bookings are still going exclusively to drag queens and line-ups are often lacking people of colour and trans representation, but it seems like every week there’s a new show catering to a different kind of drag. It’s a really exciting time to be a drag performer in London!
What’s your proudest achievement as an artist to date?
Definitely winning NADC. It’s the thing I’ve worked hardest for in my life and the first time I’ve felt worthy of wearing a title like that
What’s the drag dream for you?
I’d love to be able to say that drag is my only profession. I want to take my performances to as many different audiences as possible and reach the top of the drag career ladder by doing something like being the first king to headline Pride in London.
What haven’t you done yet that you’d like to do?
During NADC, I developed a love for burlesque so I’d love to be able to bridge the drag and boylesque worlds. As a transmasculine, non-binary person, I would like to be able to represent a body type that’s not often seen in burlesque.
Name two artists that inspire you.
Travis Alabanza and Lilly Snatchdragon.
What’s the best thing about being a drag king?
Being able to express parts of myself that I can’t in my daily life. My acts include stand-up comedy, burlesque, dancing, singing, and lip syncing: things that bring me huge joy, but that I would never have discovered I could do without being a drag king.
The drag cabaret scene would be a better place without…?
Misogyny, racism and transphobia. The triple-threat.
If you were PM for a day, what new law would you introduce?
As much as I’d love to introduce a blanket ban on Tories, I think I’d rather completely rewrite the policy for gender identity clinics to make trans healthcare much more accessible.
Mark Anthony will be performing at Her Upstairs on 29th June as part of the NADC Top Four show.
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