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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
James Norman

Noble cause: meet the drag kings holding court in Australia’s queer spaces

A shirtless performer stands on stage with arms outstretched as a smiling crowed looks on
Drag king Justin Sider performs to an enthusiastic audience at Sircuit bar in Melbourne’s Collingwood. Photograph: Penny Stephens/The Guardian

It’s just past 11pm on a warm Wednesday night at Sircuit bar in Smith Street Collingwood, in Melbourne’s inner north. The venue is filling up with an assorted crowd of predominantly punky and boyish-looking people of all genders. There’s no shortage of fauxhawks, baseball caps and mullets in the room.

Holi Dae Knight, introducing the drag king show tonight called SlayBoy, has just taken to the stage in a green sequined dress, hot pink hair and a full moustache and bushy beard performing Cher’s Believe. It’s the last night of a three week season of SlayBoy and the crowd is here to see drag kings. The first performers are Justin Sider and Johnny Cocksville doing a version of Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy – they strut wildly on stage simulating raunchiness but it’s all in good fun.

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