Queen @phaedraphaded showcases her experiences behind the scenes of performing in drag.
“Kings and Queens are constantly jostling for first position line-up. Here, the hustle and bustle of the changing rooms force personalities to square up head-to-head. There’s shade thrown and bitchy comments to be ignored. Stomachs rumble as meals are skipped to prepare for the harsh fittings of corsets, and polo mints are passed around as Dutch courage is always encouraged. The feeling of anxiety and apprehension rises and the shakes set in as I convince myself that it’s all worth it in the end. Whatever, if it isn’t my best performance, I can laugh it off with few drinks afterwards. That always helps. I sashay onto the stage, and the blinding lights beam across my forehead as I get into a stance. As I shake my wig to the side and smooth down the curls, I whisper to myself, “there’s no room for nerves here. This is it”.
In a world of stage queening, GiGi thought it was time to listen to an honest account about the difficulties of shimmying your shoulders in extraordinary outfits. So, we’ve looked to a real queen, Phaedra Phaded. The Greek drag queen artist based in New York gives us insight into the battles of bitchiness backstage, toxic work environments, and her own journey into becoming “a straight thin, gay fat, Womana.”
It’s common for queens to celebrate after shows by boozing with their fellow performers. “I drank so much alcohol the night after my first show backstage,” Phaedra shares. “So much that I stumbled across the road and into my hotel. I woke up the next day and found I still had my pads and wig on, my dress on the floor, a lash stuck to my forehead, and my lipstick smeared everywhere. She laughs, “whilst I was gripping the toilet, my best friend at the time turned to me and said, you were pretty faded last night! Ever since I’ve been Phaedra Phaded.”
Case in point: There’s nothing wrong with commemorating a fierce performance. However, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies when it comes to the aftermath of show performances. Constantly performing at bars and clubs can actually place you in an unhealthy environment. We look to Baga chipz MBE to understand the ease of slipping into bad habits. She spoke with The Stage about her experiences whilst acting and said, “because I performed in clubs and bars every day, I’d always have a drink. It wasn’t good, but since the customers would buy them for me, I’d almost always have one in hand. I was drunk so often.”
In an era in which entertainment is hyper-focused on audience gratification, a significant amount of pressure can be felt when it comes to live performances. “I think one of the hardest things is constantly reinventing yourself to remain interesting. You never want to see people get bored of your act, so I always try to change it up and elevate my performance and style,” Phaedra says. “Then, when I do get on stage, I do my best to keep my audience and myself happy.”
But it’s not all about staying snatched and singing with sassiness. Drag queens have been known to encourage some real bitchiness backstage. “Negativity comes in every environment, and in drag culture, there are such strong personalities, especially ones that are fuelled by their own ego. This can sometimes come in the form of queens battling between talents and beauty. Still, I believe drag should be silly, fun, and light-hearted, and also used in the right way if you want to make a statement.”
According to a report carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in 2020, 65% of employees said that work harms their mental health. Whilst these harsh figures prove that your job can become a huge stressor, it doesn’t even factor in the effects of negative workplace behaviours. Those can decrease work performance by a further 30%, says a 2018 study published in the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. Given that these facts highlight the true impact of toxic work environments, it’s no wonder that performance cultures can exasperate symptoms of stress with backstage bitchiness, ultimately impacting performers’ mental health. Kings and Queens should be treated as equals in terms of talent. Still, it seems a pattern of spitefulness is emerging when stars attempt to nudge out their competition.
The midlands-born drag artist and former RuPaul’s Drag race UK contestant, Baga Chipz MBE, can relate. As she spoke to The Stage about the impact of negativity backstage, she revealed that “there are many jealous drag queens. I get a lot of stick in the dressing room,” she says, “the thing is that you have to be happy for people, or it’ll eat away at you. Jealousy is not good for the soul. People should just be happy for each other.”
Wake up, darlings. Drag culture isn’t just about slapping on copious amounts of makeup, jumping between closet changes, and supporting your sisters on the way to stardom. “These types of environments can incite jealousy and resentment in ways that cancel out thriving cultures,” says Phaedra.
Vinegar Strokes, a South London drag artist and “straight up comedy queen,” told the Belfast Telegraph a similar story about personalities that clash behind the curtain. “The atmosphere behind the scenes can be similar to a pressure cooker. There’s constant ratty and catty behaviour pinballing between stressed drag artists,” she says.
The backstage experiences have proven to her that these types of environments can be toxic. “Instead of being understanding of one’s situation by speaking to each other with dignity,” Phaedra says, “lots of drag artists find pleasure in spreading negativity.” Backstage Bitchiness is often seen but not addressed by management. Venue owners mind their own business as there’s no time for concern. Worries solely focus on the quality of performances, not cattiness, so they can run their business without hiccups.
Phaedra’s aware that it’s normal for most working environments to harper some sort of negativity. Still, she points out that resentment kindled by jealousy within an industry so focalised on being centre stage, can cancel out thriving cultures. “I’ve seen it all before,” she says. “I actively choose to avoid this for the sake of my mental health because, at the end of the day, it’s just drag.”
Meanwhile, embracing the act of drag is also something that brings immense happiness to Phaedra’s life. With her insight into performing live on stage, we’re in awe as her big heart is revealed to be the catalyst for her own happiness. “The best thing about drag is seeing people happy. It inspires me to keep doing what I do when I see people having a great time,” she says with a smile.
Phaedra credits her stage confidence to a fellow queen’s advice. “The best advice ever given to me was don’t be afraid to break the wall between stage and your person. I’m an incredibly interactive entertainer, and at some point, in my performance, I will break that barrier. It’s those moments for me in which performing really becomes fun,” she explains.
Whilst reflecting on the past few months, she looks to the future positively. “During the pandemic, I haven’t been able to perform as I wish. Shows are now virtual, and there’s precedented panic about the coronavirus. Still, I look forward to when I can share my performance with audiences again.”
As Phaedra signs off, she leaves us with some excellent words of wisdom for any new queens out there, “BE. KIND. BE. HUMBLE. BE GORGEOUS DIVA!”
Fancy finding out what sassy staple item you need to perfect your performances? Check out our quiz here!