Miss Katherine takes afternoon tea with Miss Ana-belle Lector in her front parlour hiding away from Perth’s smouldering summer sun, enjoying a pot of Darjeeling tea and savoury scones while gossiping about designer rings, ballet, people’s toes and very fertile drag mothers…
Miss Katherine: Miss Ana-belle darling, welcome to my parlour! How are you darling?
Miss Ana-belle Lector: (beaming in feminine pink) I’m well Miss Katherine! How are you?
MK: Well I am glad to be still breathing but I am still recovering from my little trip to Sydney for Fairday last weekend.. Oh, I say Ana-belle, is that a Gucci ring? Do you like labels?
AL: I do love labels! My favourite designer label would have to be Gucci…and this other ring here is Louis Vuitton…
MK: Oh I am just going pea green with jealousy! Speaking of international labels have you ever been overseas?
AL: I have travelled all of Asia and I loved it, I would really love to travel more in the future.
MK: Oh how lovely, do you love Asian men (blush)?
AL: …um, I love Eurasian men…(blush)
MK: That is very intercontinental indeed! How long have you been doing drag?
AL: I have been doing drag for four years now, I love doing drag but I would not want drag to be my full time profession. I am performing at present at The Court Hotel and I would love one day to perform at Connections too, I love production shows …I performed in the their N.Y.E show – it was wonderful – I would definitely love to work there again …I also love their budget!
MK: Oh yes I adore big budgets! You are a trained dancer aren’t you?
AL: Yes I am, I have been dancing since I was 3. I have danced overseas and done a lot of professional work, I danced with The A.C.T. Ballet Company for ten years, but for now I am taking a little rest.
MK: I just love ballet, it is so refined, who is your favourite drag queen?
AL: The first drag queen I ever saw was Cherry le Queer and she was breathtaking and she is still my favourite, closely followed by Regine.
MK: Can you see anything lacking in the drag scene at the moment?
AL: Versatility – I think at the moment we are a all little bit the same, the baby queens see the older queens and then they copy what they do so I don’t think there is anything really new and fresh at the moment. Not taking away from anyone on the scene at the moment they are all fantastic!
MK: Do you have a drag mother?
AL: Yes I do, just like almost everyone else my drag mother is Val Nourished.
MK: Oh, that queen is so fertile! What about drag daughters?
AL: Maybeline is my drag daughter, I bought her out the first time, she has improved greatly since then – there have been others but I am too ashamed to say… She would be the most decent looking one to date.
MK: Oh where would we be without our sweet Maybeline? Speaking of fresh flowers, do you have a favourite?
AL: Val would turn in her grave but I love roses, she has taught me all about different flowers but I still love my roses.
MK: I love roses too, what about your favourite colour?
AL: I love pink, Ana-belle is always decked out in pink!
MK: What about favourite food?
AL: I don’t eat, I live on coffee.
MK: No wonder you are so slim, do you have any advice for our drag babies?
AL: Don’t follow trends, just do what you do and use what you have and step on other people’s feet to get there!
MK: Oh how controversial! On a more pleasant note, do you have a favourite saying?
AL: Step on people’s toes until you get to the top.
MK: Spoken like a true dancer, another cup of tea darling?
AL: Do you have any coffee?
