Culture Writer Lorcan Drury interviews drag queens Ella Vaday and Kitty Scott Claus in advance of their upcoming tour Christmas Cracker
Ella and Kitty chat about their upcoming tour Christmas Cracker and will be performing at The Nightingale on December 17th.
Lorcan: How are things at the moment?
Kitty: Yeah amazing! It’s incredible. We’re getting ready for the tour which is so, so exciting. I’m so excited to be back on the road again. We just finished doing a UK tour with the official RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 3 cast so that was a lot of fun. To get to go out again with my ‘Best Judy’ Ella Vaday is very exciting. I cannot wait to spread that cheer.
Ella: Same as Kitty really. We’ve had a fab time. It’s been such a busy year with both of us doing our own little bits and bobs. Like in the last year Kitty’s done lots of little TV stuff, I’ve done a film and a little musical thing. It’ll be just so nice this Christmas to mess around all around the country and spread that Christmas cheer.
Lorcan: How would you describe your show Christmas Cracker?
Kitty: We’re taking you on a journey with us. It’s a Christmas tale from start to finish. It’ll be full of all the Christmas songs that everyone knows and loves but with a little twist on them.
Ella: Because it’s me and Kitty, it’s going to be a bit naughty as well. Don’t expect to come and sing “jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way”. We will be bringing our own humour and our style. It’s just going to be a real Christmas family roast.
We will be bringing our own humour and style
Lorcan: What has it been like working together for this tour?
Ella: The funny thing for me and Kitty is we’ve barely worked together. Maybe that’s a good thing because we are chaotic when we’re together. We mainly go to events together and we have the same management. We’re best mates as well so we see each other socially and talk every single day of the week. We did Crawley Pride together and the Isle of Wight together so it was really only towards the end of the year that we worked together for the first time. We just have such a laugh. Me and Kitty hosted the tour at the London Palladium so that was an incredible experience. We like to share a dressing room because we know each other so well and to just have a laugh.
Kitty: What I find so funny is that it feels like everyone and the universe is trying to keep us apart. They’re like ‘don’t put them together’ and I was like ‘nun-uh it’s happening’. This tour is going to be so chaotic in the best way. You’ve seen our senses of humour on the show and we’re best of friends in real life so this tour is going to be so much fun. I cannot wait.
Put a wig and a dress on, sing a little song and make people laugh
Lorcan: What are your best memories from your time on Drag Race?
Kitty: My favourite thing to do was Snatch Game. If you go on Drag Race you want to get to Snatch Game so to be in the room where it happens and to have fun with it was the best thing for me.
Ella: The whole thing was such a whirlwind. We were still in the third lockdown when we filmed it. For me it was the Comedy Roast. We wrote that all by ourselves, shut away in our little hotel rooms and the next day we just had to perform it. I just enjoyed it so much and I never expected to. I still watch it now and cannot believe how it went. It was one of them moments where you’re so proud of yourself and I still don’t know how I did it because I was so exhausted. It was such a fun experience being able to roast everyone. They didn’t expect it from me. A lot of them who left the show early thought I was this quiet do gooder and I then I’m coming out slating all of them.
Lorcan: What advice would you have for people like me who have started drag or have considered doing it?
Ella: I think just have fun with it. There’s so much drag on TV and so many people just want to be on Drag Race. You don’t need to spend a fortune. I’m still a cheap scape. You can get wigs off Amazon. You don’t need expensive makeup. You can try making yourself an outfit or go to charity shops. Just have fun, just go out.
Kitty: The most important thing is to have fun. I know for me personally it was because I wanted to have fun and attention. It’s fun, it’s a laugh. Yes you can have a political message and it’s good to have have a voice especially at the moment. But at the end off the day just have a camp old time.
Ella: If you’re not having fun, the audience isn’t having fun. Do it for the right reasons. Put a wig and a dress on, sing a little song, make people laugh, Bob’s your uncle and Fanny’s your aunt.
Kitty: Don’t do it to get on Drag Race. That’s not the end goal.
Ella: The end goal is a Christmas tour!
Enjoyed this? Read more from Redbrick Culture here!
Comments