London drag stalwart miss Penny Talks comedy heroes and salacious stories!
Tick tock, tick tock…the wait is nearly over, and those drag queens are chomping at the bit in readiness for the QX and RVT Comedy Roast of Rose Garden. ALL proceeds from this event will go directly to HIV/AIDS charity, the Terrence Higgins Trust.
This week, Jason Reid chats to the brummie queen who likes her humour filthy and a rider packed with pastry, one of the roasters for the night, Miss Penny…
We’ve actually never had a QX chat. Can you BELIEVE?! Tell us a bit about yourself. What’s your schtick?
I’m Miss Penny, the brummie belter, aged 36 but 21 in my mind. I like a large vodka lime and lemonade with a sausage roll chaser. My shows vary from venue to venue; I like to perform show tunes, classic disco, 90s dance and big power ballads. I also like a good bit of banter with my audiences: sharing stories, drinks and saliva.
When and where did you meet Rose Garden?
In Birmingham, back when she used to get booked there [coughs]. She didn’t really like me to begin with. I have one enduring vision of her, stood in the crowd in full drag with Marty just glaring at me because I was singing a Kylie song [laughs]. But times moved on and we didn’t see each other for a few years. That is until she booked me to perform at The Stag in Victoria on a Sunday after I was her guest at the Black Cap. It was such a hoot. We became firm friends, and now I wouldn’t swap the big-nosed NORTHERN Irish tart at all.
What can we expect from you as a roaster?
A bit of everything! There’ll be a few daft jokes and stories, and one or two cutting comments. Just remember people, it’s a roast, so don’t take it too seriously. I’ve known Rose longer than I care to remember, but we’re usually both drunk so it’s taken some time to sift through the brain banks. And just like the flower, Rose can be very precious, and if you grab her too quickly you’ll end up with a prick in your hand. Take that as you will.
How vicious can you be?
I’m a shy, demure and respectable member of the community and say nothing to anyone… YEAH RIGHT!
Do you have some salacious stories lined up?
Maybe. I can’t tell you them all here, otherwise there’ll be nothing to gab about on the night.
What’s your favourite part of a Rose Garden show?
The end.
Who are your comedy heroes and influences?
Eddie Izzard for the quirkiness and disjointed stories. Joan Rivers for her viciousness. And from the new crop of comedians, I like Tom Allen because he’s stunning, super hilarious and my guilty crush. I saw him walking through Soho and I couldn’t even go up to him. Tom, if you’re reading this; message me on Twitter otherwise I’ll stalk you.
One thing you’d change about the cabaret scene right now if you could?
Errrm I don’t know if I would change anything to be honest. I feel like there is a varied choice of venues to go to and view different forms of cabaret. Was gutted to read about the closure of Her Upstairs the other day, as it was a fabulous place for alternative and new artists to show their craft. I would like to say at this point that it’s a simple statement of: ‘use it or lose it.’ People are very quick to moan when venues close but then they usually haven’t been there for a few years. We must support the venues and the acts. So important!
Finally, what’s your message to Rose?
Good luck Allan xx
The Comedy Roast of Rose Garden is on Thursday 23rd August at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5HY.
