Behind the Screens: The importance of digital drag during the COVID-19 pandemic

Here are the stories of how five UK drag performers have adjusted to digital drag during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the closure of venues for the majority of the COVID-19 pandemic, drag performers were left with no option but to take the plunge from on-stage to online platforms..

The pandemic also offered the opportunity for drag queens and kings to dedicate time to their artistry .

Digital drag is not a new phenomenon, social media platforms have been instrumental in the rise of drag artists for years, but necessity has expanded this established online drag community further.

For 29-year-old South London based queen Vanity Milan, the shift from performing on stages across central London to digital platforms was like starting back at zero.

She said: "I wasn't the type of person to go on social media to interact. I'd put a couple of pictures up here and there and repost some videos intermittently.

"Actually going online as my only means of interacting with the audience was something different for me."

Vanity performed in-person at a Drag Divas brunch back in December.

From left to right: Karla Bear, Mercedes Bends, Portia de Fosse and Vanity Milan.

From left to right: Karla Bear, Mercedes Bends, Portia de Fosse and Vanity Milan.

Vanity said the drag community has been great at supporting people's mental health during lockdown.

The 2019 winner of the Tuck Shop's The Crown said: "The reason why digital live performances are so good is because if someone has had a bad day and they get a notification saying a queen is going live then their spirit will be lifted.

"I definitely want to incorporate social media into my drag more once the lockdowns are over.

"If there is any drag queen out there that is feeling a little down then I am here to talk, I love to chat and meet new queens."

Vanity Milan performing a powerful lip sync in light of the Black Lives Matter protests. Full video here.

Sissy Lea, a 42-year-old queen from Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, is an Italian drag artist and coffee shop owner.

She has been doing drag for two years and she and Vanity Milan are good friends both in and out of drag.

Vanity and Sissy co-hosting the Eurodrag competition's second heats together.

Vanity and Sissy co-hosting the Eurodrag competition's second heats together.

The adjustment to digital drag has been a shock to the system.

Sissy said: "I've found it quite challenging, I've had to learn how best to invest my time.

"I've bought a sewing machine and learned how to make my own clothes, you can learn how to do pretty much anything on YouTube."

The 2020 winner of Eurodrag England has amassed lots of online fans, one of her TikTok videos received over 480K views.

She said: "I prefer to be with the public. You need to feel the warmth from the public and get their response.”

Sissy used her coffee shop as a venue for drag and started performances earlier to adhere to the 10pm curfew.

She said: "From the point of view of the coffee shop it was great because we were making money and from a drag perspective I was able to get on stage, perform and have fun."

She plans to continue using her digital platforms but she admitted she misses the feeling of performing on stage.

Sissy performing from home to Ariana Grande's Break Free. Full performance here.

"It's so important to see people's faces and feel the energy from the crowd".

"After a digital show you expect to hear the applause, but the only person clapping is my mum in the corner of the room".

Vanity Milan

For venues like the Royal Vauxhall Tavern the lockdowns have impacted their ability to host in-person drag events.

Dave Cross, Events and Programme Manager of RVT, said when the venue first reopened they were only allowed to do quizzes and screenings, but from the middle of August 2020 they could put on shows for reduced numbers, with restrictions in place.

It’s a new week 🏳️‍🌈 Monday check-in 🤗 Keep going 💪 You are loved! ❤️
Posted by The Royal Vauxhall Tavern on Monday, 18 January 2021

He said: "We were able to do Sunday socials as well as other shows and events during the week including Bar Wotever, Kings of Clubs, Pop Horror and more."

"We did manage to still put on shows during the curfew, all our promoters, acts and staff were totally brilliant and worked hard to adapt to the new conditions."

"It was quite stressful getting everyone in early and then out, the venue cleaned and a new set in, but all our customers were very supportive."

Dave Cross

" I think TikTok has already become incredibly popular with all artists, not just drag queens. It has enabled users to really explore their potential. If lockdown hadn’t happened I don’t think TikTok would have taken off the way it did."

TikTok Performance: Sissy Lea
Words: Camilla Parkyaballs

For the 37 year old, non-binary, blind, bisexual drag artist King Tito Bone (pronounced "tea-to") digital drag became an important tool to stay connected with queer communities.

They said: "Digital work became super important for me to maintain that connection once we couldn't be in physical spaces together."

Tito said their drag persona "embodies all the bits of myself that I am not brave enough to be outside of drag.”

During the pandemic Tito has live streamed workouts called "accessible HIIT and Fancy Stretching" which were also interpreted by BSL interpreters to maximise accessibility.

Along with their wxfe Al, Tito ran a digital gig in October called Unsightly Drag and Friends as part of Quiplash, a project which provides a space for queer disabled folk.

Tito said: "Digital spaces are really inaccessible for a lot of neurodiverse, blind and deaf folks.

"I also think in the world in general, people are forgetting about those of us who still have to shield and be extra careful even when lockdown restrictions are lifted.

"People have made amazing art in this time and are continuing to do so.

"I have also met some fantastic people and made connections and friends I never would have if I hadn’t ventured into this digital drag world.”

Here is Tito performing a lockdown inspired spoof rendition of Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up:

For Newport based Lucy Fur digital drag has been a long-standing part of their career, which she began eight years ago.

Lucy has been able to share her comedy characters and sketches in an easily accessible way.

Her character based performances include Carol, Patsy and even a character named Miss Rona.

She said: "I’m lucky in a way because I’ve been doing YouTube videos for years and I did a project before with 100 looks for Instagram.

"I’d been online for a long time, so when lockdown hit I was ready from day one, whereas a lot of queens weren’t expecting it to happen so it took them a little longer to get to grips with it.”

Lucy is concerned the pandemic has left many drag performers without jobs.

She said: "In Cardiff there are quite a lot of queens for who this is their full-time job.

"They can’t get furlough because officially they don’t work for anyone, they are self employed.

"We’re seeing a few clubs in Cardiff have already shut so when things do start to open up again they can’t even get back to work because the clubs have closed."

Lucy believes digital drag will remain an important part of the community as performers will be cautious of venues closing again.

'Patsy' talking about life in lockdown in a comedy sketch from Lucy. Full video here.

" Digital drag is a lifeline for a lot of disabled folks who could never enter the club scene because that world is so inaccessible for so many people."

King Tito Bone

Bristol based Camilla Parkyaballs is one of many people who have started drag in the past year.

The 34 year-old said: "Ever since I started going out on the scene, I have always been fascinated and I’ve always felt I’d like to give it a go.

"However the circumstances and opportunity never really presented itself for me to take it up. That is until lock down came along."

Camilla has plenty of videos on YouTube of her 'COVID Shenanigans' which range from cooking tutorials, literature reviews and a tour of her home 'Camilla Towers'.

While Camilla praises TikTok for providing a new platform for up-and-coming queens she has reservations.

She said: You would have hundreds of people looking at your live stream and think it is great!

"Then the trolls start to come through and they really are vile!

"I would spend a lot of my time banning and blocking trolls rather than getting on with the live show."

She hopes to continue her online drag performances alongside starting back at work after the pandemic is over and stresses it is a great place for other drag artists to find their feet.

Though she admits there is no beating the buzz of seeing a live show.

"We have been living more and more of our lives online, even before lockdown happened."

"If I can make a career online and make the same amount of money from a Facebook live as a show on stage then why would I leave my house to do it."

Lucy Fur

The lockdowns have created a seismic shift towards digital drag and the repercussions of this will be felt long after the pandemic is over.

Digital drag will play an increasingly active role in the future as queens use digital platforms to share their art and keep fans entertained.