Life's A Drag... SIX: The Musical, All Stars France & Under The Sea!

Did I serve 'Under The Sea' realness? Yes! From a public Drag debut in China, which got people talking! A lip sync extravaganza was performed to get people thinking outside of the box! I'll always have time for this blog edition! A Shanghai theatre trip? Drag appears on every stage, better believe that! Uma segunda vez para o Brasil? Sim! La catégorie était la Côte d'Ivoire! Oui!

Since returning to China, my Ningbo location has afforded me a speedy connection with Shanghai! I had been slacking, only visiting twice in two years, I needed to up the ante and make a theatre trip happen! After getting familiar with an attraction ticket booking APP, I found 'SIX: The Musical' tickets up for grabs! I booked those tickets way in advance, I wanted a slice of West End theatre in the heart of China's most cosmopolitan city! How is theatre Drag? Give over! Every time you put on a uniform, a costume and play a part, that is Drag! Everybody came dressed in their best theatre-going Drag on that Saturday night in May 2025! I didn't want to see a single phone recording the show or even being used until the theatre specified otherwise. I felt as if I was in London as a delectably looking gentleman walked through the aisles with a basket of wine! Miniatures they were, I bought two and finally rejoiced because during those Ningbo theatre shows it had been drier than a camels mouth in a desert! Let's get on with the show, SH! 

Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived! Six glamazons dazzled the stage as history was about to get overthrown, the six wives of King Henry VII were ready to set the record straight! Catherine of Aragon escaped the small-something former King of England, she was loyal to the Vatican and that didn't fly with Henry! Anne Boleyn broke England from the church but her head never had any complaints, off with hers it was! Jane Seymour was the only one he really loved? Dying shortly after childbirth, she took the show down a sombre route! Rude! Anne of Cleves was brought to England after Henry saw her painting but her real-life look gave him the ick! Catherine Howard lost her head, she played her tricks and found out in the end! Catherine Parr wanted love but took Henry to his final years, she was a survivor! Banger after banger was performed, it was tinged with tragedy but a beat was served right up, regardless! I had not been to such a pop infused show before, it was a feel good show in the end!

La première édition All Stars de Drag Race France? Dix reines fabuleuses des trois saisons précédentes, de retour pour leur rédemption! We had a former 'Global All Stars' competitor, including three of her fellow 'S1' sisters. 'S2' served four queens, containing the winner of the season! Runway houses on the main stage, super group challenges and a staged combat mini challenge with Paloma? 'Drag Race France' bounced back with their first 'All Stars' edition not long after they had wrapped up their Season 3 tour! French energy was all over the place, served in every which way possible! I was watching with subtitles but I got the humour, it was also a French lesson for my nerve! Queens returned for a reason, personally I loved seeing 'La Big Bertha' back in the 'Werk Room!' 'Moon's' journey took us on our own, she had grown a lot since she bowed out of her season to take care of her mental health. 'Piche' was a professional from the beginning to the end! No 'Kiddy Smile?' It was nice to see shake up on the judging panel! Bébé! 

Snatch Game brought the same French humour, it was funny this time and I was present! A living landmark? Now, 'Mami Watta' made her mark as the 'Eiffel Tower' it was a really clever character! 'Dorothée', a French children's television host was embodied by 'Misty Phoenix' with exaggerated features to boot! The celebrity makeover challenge was amazing to see unknown people in my eyes transformed into Drag personalities with such love from the queens, those famous guests showed such grace and loved the show very much! Everything about the season was wholesome, it wasn't the flashiest season but it was done well as the franchises first 'All Stars' incarnation. La Big Bertha, Elips, Kam Hugh, Soa De Muse, Moon, Piche, Punani, Misty Phoenix, Magnetica all did France proud but 'Mami Watta' took the crown as the first ever 'French AS Winner!' After 'Drag Race South Africa', we need to see 'Norma Bell' on 'African Royale!' OK! France stands ready in the wings, Season 4 opened its casting call already! J'ai fini!

You know that I admire Drag in all of its forms but doing Drag in China was never on the cards for me! My employer at a kindergarten in China asked me whether I would be 'Barbie' or 'Ariel', I chose to be 'The Little Mermaid' with very little thought needed. Treating this like a 'Drag Race Maxi Challenge', I sourced my look and slowly got ready for this ultimate role. How do you prepare children to see you in a very different light, simple! I explained to my students that I was going to be something extra special for our 'Children's Day' event. We are not going to say every school would be so open and accepting to support this idea in China but I got lucky! As with everything in life, if you're going to do it, you better do justice to the cause! My dear friend and colleague Cemoné, became my make-up artist because like many queens I wouldn't be beating my own face! Shantay, you stay! Many staff at my school had never seen Drag, let alone one of the male foreign teachers dressed as a beautiful mermaid! I was definitely moving mountains! 

I had not told the parents in my class what I was going to be, it was a tight lipped secret! Top secret! The day of the event arrived, I was able to make my own underwater cavern with many treasures to uncover! Like a fish out of water, I had no legs after I had wriggled into my mermaid fin, it was going to be one hell of an afternoon! My students were dumbfounded, shocked and surprised when they saw me! I made sure I was in full 'get up' for our class photo! A paid actress? The new female foreign teacher? I had the parents talking about all sorts, I knew the secret! The outpouring of love and acceptance for this form of Drag was amazing! Parents wanted their photo with me and the children were so curious! It was just Teacher Joe! Showtime came, I chose the 'Halle Bailey' version of 'Part Of That World' for my 'lip sync for my life' moment! With staunch gender norms and Drag in the shadows, I represented and proved that 'Drag' is a construct and can be anything! Let's Drag it up again, I am ready for my China crown! 

Category was? 'Aves do paraíso?' The second Brazilian instalment of 'Drag Race Brasil' hit our 'WOW Presents Plus' screens on July 10 2025 with ten episodes of marvellous Brazilian Drag! That's 'maravilhoso Drag brasileiro' to some, it took me several weeks to get back into the tones of their 'Brazilian Portuguese' language, I followed those subtilise diligently because no 'dubbed' season would ever be good enough for me! Ten contestants represented different parts of Brazil with the same line-up of judges returning for a second time, for Brazil I was never mad because I have time for 'Bruna Braga' and 'Dudu Bertholini'. Needless to say, the 'Pit Crew' gave me shivers! Long live 'Drag Race Brasil!' Pop quizzes became music show downs with elaborate runways to boot, I need to see some Brazilian Drag for myself! Grag's very own 'Boogie Brasil' became a hit for the queens to show their best performing prowess on the main stage! Personalities were personified, Trans power was shown, it was season of passion! Oh, Chanel!

The paper runway theme was a gamble but some made a mess on the runway, no shade! Fast forwarding to 'Snatch Game' game allowed me to see a green version of 'Xuxa!' Who was she? I still don't know! Brazil became the first ever season to makeover the 'Pit Crew' and my oh my, it was an episode to remember! Todos pareciam deliciosos! Stepping back a little, the girl group challenge made me want to pour up a 'Shot' as 'Mellody Queen' had strategically picked her group with calculations applied! 'News Just In' brought a double serving of chat show formats! Not three but four former competing Drag Race queens from other worldwide franchises joined Grag Queen on the panel, from 'Germany' to 'France' with 'Italy' and 'Sweden' welcomed back! I never knew 'Keiona' from 'Drag Race France, S2' could speak Portuguese! As the competition progressed, it was clear that one queen rose above the rest! 'Ruby Nox' stood as a professional and every week they delivered! You know already that 'Ruby' took the crown! Bring on Season 3! 

Slaysian Royale, Who?

Desperately Seeking Adventure