Tag Archives: Drag King

The 60th Birthday show of legendary Berlin Drag King Bridge Markland!

Bridge Markland as Sascha for 60th Birthday special Feb 20 2021 by Suzanne ForbesOf course, Bridge Markland is far more than a Drag King.

Bridge, who I have drawn many times, is a performer in the classic tradition, a clown and puppeteer and artist’s model and archivist of Queer Berlin culture. She is an actor who can bring the ghosts of Weimar to life when inhabited by the spirit of Anita Berber, and a dancer who can grind it industrial. Sascha, above, is one of her classic characters!

And Bridge is a welcoming signpost to the young gender performers of Berlin.

Bleach for Bridge Markland 60th Birthday special Feb 20 2021 by Suzanne ForbesShe has a wonderful relationship with the Venus Boys and several joined her onstage.

Bleach, above, did a delicate transform into an ivory slip dress and loose blonde curls. I tried to capture the way their feminine beauty was visible even before the masculine drag was removed.

I am always excited to draw the amazing Venus Boys, “a collective of Berlin based Drag performers who paint from the palette of performative masculinity”.

Here’s a post about Bridge and Buba Sababa performing together last year.

Bridge Markland 60th Birthday special Feb 20 2021 by Suzanne ForbesBridge Markland, throwing away gender norms since 1995!

You love to see it. Bridge has a legendary tongue, this drawing does not exaggerate it!

It was a joy to document this show.

 

I am incredibly grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support lets me keep documenting Berlin’s drag and burlesque performers while I work safely at home.

Fabulous newcomers on the Venus Boys stage at Silver Future!

La Papi Patacon at Venus B0ys at Silver Future by Suzanne Forbes Sept 8 2020Venus Boys is a collective of Berlin-based Drag performers who “paint from the palette of performative masculinity.”

Which is so damn great. And so are every one of the Venus Boys! I have drawn some of the members of this amazing group via their twitchstream over the last few months. However this was my first time drawing the show streaming from their home stage at Silver Future Bar in Neukölln. The three performers I drew are new collective members!

I adored El/La Papi Patacon, above! They presented a fierce party of shaking and shaking things up, with amazing eyebrows. You can see them talk about Queer perspectives and decolonial feminism in dialogue with Marxism here.

The Venus Boys “are Kings, dads, lords, lads, fags, dykes and gods.”

I marvel at the power and audacity of these young artists. Twat Butcher, above, is astonishing.

Dick Hunt at Venus B0ys at Silver Future by Suzanne Forbes Sept 8 2020SO stylish!

Dick Hunt was like a Richard Nagel drawing come to life.  I didn’t draw hostess Camp Dad, because, um, her face was kinda covered up. You can watch the show here, for the next two weeks, to see the naughtiness!

I am so grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support lets me keep documenting Berlin’s international, intersectional queer performers while I work safely at home.