The Buzz

MUSLIM BRIDE?

YET ANOTHER SENSELESS MURDER OUR PROGRESSIVE CONSTITUTION FAILING GAY ASYLUM SEEKERS

Local media in Uganda recently reported that Sheikh Mohammed Mutumba, an imam at Kyampisi Masjid Noor mosque in Kayunga District, Uganda, has been suspended from his clerical work after unknowingly wedding a fellow man in an Islamic ceremony and marriage contract (nikah).

Apparently, Sheikh Mutumba unknowingly married a man with the feminine name “Swabullah Nabukeera” and spent two weeks with his new “wife” unaware of the latter’s true gender. The truth came out after police arrested “Nabukeera” on charges of theft. A neighbour alleged that Mutumba’s newly wed “wife” jumped over a wall and stole clothes and a television set. During a body search by a female police officer before being taken to the cells, it was discovered that the suspect was actually a man. He revealed to police that his real name is Richard Tumushabe.

“We have charged him with impersonation, theft and obtaining goods by false pretence,” the CID boss said.

Amisi Kibunga, a leader at the Kyampisi mosque, said he saw Sheikh Mutumba’s “wife” on two occasions at Juma prayers but did not realize that he was a man.

The regional Islamic magistrate (or qadi/kadhi), Sheikh Abdul Noor Kakande, under whose jurisdiction Sheikh Mutumba served, told local media that Sheikh Mutumba, 27, was under investigation over the “unfortunate” incident and had been suspended .... Sheikh Mutumba, “is too devastated by the incident and needs counselling,” a source said.

In January this year the LGBTQ+ community found themselves mourning the death of another transgender person. The victim this time was transgender-activist Nare Mphela.

As a high school learner in Limpopo Province she faced multiple forms of discrimination from her school principal due to her gender identity. She accused the principal of encouraging other students to harass and humiliate her over her gender identity.

In 2017, the Equality Court ruled in Nare’s favour, finding the principal and Limpopo Department of Education to have breached the Equality Act. This was an historic victory for queer South Africans nationwide!

Friends and fellow advocates described her as being a selfless, determined and outspoken advocate for transgender rights. Most people believe her murder to be a hate crime, and the SAP are still investigating.

Transgender people are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and many face a future of ridicule, violence and as in Nare’s case violent murder. Nare is the latest in a string of violent crimes against the transgender community and we all should take a stand, particularly during Pride month in Cape Town, against gender violence.

Times Live recently reported that despite South Africa’s progressive constitution, in reality for LGBTQIA+ refugees it is as bad here as the rest of the continent.

Ishmael and his partner Omar, who have come from Somalia to seek refuge live in fear, sharing a tiny room with a friend of theirs.

“I came to this country full of hope, but now…” he trailed off.

They came to South Africa to seek asylum after being persecuted in Somalia because of their sexual orientation. When Ishmael’s father discovered that he was gay, he wanted to kill him. In his father’s eyes, Ishmael brought dishonour to the family and the only way to restore it would be to kill him.

He was forced to flee, but the spectre of his father’s desire to kill him hangs over him – from his small home town south of Mogadishu, he made his way to Kenya and down to South Africa to seek safety. But, his father managed to track him down and enlisted mobs of Somali immigrants to attack him.

Ishmael estimates that other Somalis have beaten him up more than 20 times since he left Somalia, with each beating increasingly violent and sadistic. In one of the most vicious attacks Ishmael has experienced, a mob of Somali immigrants in Cape Town attacked him and stomped on his testicles. He needed surgery to repair the damage.

THE REINVENTION OF LILLY SLAPTSILLI

Clive Allardyce became a drag queen by accident. In 1995 he was commissioned by David Kramer to direct a drag show to fill a Sunday night gap during a two-month festive season at the Pump House at the V&A Waterfront. When one of the performers dropped out just before opening night, there was no time to find a suitable replacement. Clive jumped in to replace her and Lilly Slaptsilli in her size 11 heels, was unleashed on an unsuspecting world. The show was called Mince, and the rest is history, or in this case, Herstory!

Starring leggy Kieron Legacy and sassy Lilly Slaptsilli, Mince was an instant hit. The show ran to capacity houses for two years until the Pump House closed. Mince then moved to the newly opened On Broadway Supper Theatre in 1997. For the next 16 years Mince was the theatre’s resident act. The double-act performed throughout South Africa and overseas. Mince was a game-changer and essentially revolutionised the way drag was presented in South Africa.

But all good things must come to an end. When On Broadway closed, Mince split up. While Kieron was content to pursue new avenues, which did not include being one of the nation’s most fabulous drag artistes, Lilly had other ideas. One of the country’s funniest, sexiest, campiest drag performers with the most superlative lip-synching skills, had simply become too big and famous to squeeze back into the closet.

Lilli embarked on a solo career and her show Shenanigans has been touring nationally and in Namibian. In December 2018, Lilly fulfilled a lifetime dream of becoming a stand-up comic with the launch of her show I’m Gagging. A year later, Lilly has embarked on a new residency at Beefcakes Cape Town with this side-splitting bordering on slapstick show, which is what you should expect from someone called Lilly Slaptsilli.

We recently caught up with Lilly to find out what’s new.

OUT: How the hell are you? LS: No, No how you? I’m Fine!! (Said with a Sea Point Kugel Twang)

Words: Evan Tsouroulis Photos: Reno Horn

LS: After 18 years at On Broadway their lease was up and Mince moved to The Cape Town Comedy Club for a season and doing corporate events and functions for the pre-menstrually insane. After that we never ever found a venue quite suitable for our show. I started a solo show called Shenanigans that ran for 3 extended seasons.

OUT: Where’s you ex-partner-in- crime Kieron Legacy? I heard she entered a convent. LS: A convent? That sounds like a bad habit. Kieron has hung up her heels for a career in communications.

OUT: What was the secret of Mince’s longevity? LS: Consistency!! Mince was high on entertainment with slick production values, focussing more on theatre than drag. I think the yin and yang of us as a duo, we being polar opposites, with Kieron delivering torch songs and Lilly serving comedy, kept the show fresh and magical. True story, no one else was really doing it professionally then.

OUT: When we chatted as you were about to launch I’m Gagging, your Stand-Up Comedy show just over a year ago, you seemed to be quite apprehensive. I always thought that Lilly was a natural comedienne, so why were you so nervous? LS: Having performed for so long as a lip synch queen meant I really never had to worry about the spoken word. Stand-up is so personal and immediate - audiences are no fools. I was fearful that my stand-up would not live up to my lip synch characters folk have become accustomed to.

OUT: What made you change track? Are you glad you did? LS: I feel that stand-up will have more longevity - with the wave of RuPaul, death drop drag inspired fabulousness, who wants to watch an old queen dragging her knuckles across the stage trying to be relevant to a current pop star. I am so glad I made this move. It is by far the bravest journey I’ve taken.

OUT: Tell us more about I’m Gagging? LS: I am making conscious effort to make Lilly very approachable and relatable to the mainstream audience. I am telling true stories and sharing hysterical moments of my life on the road as a drag performer. Having my tits confiscated at customs, hungry bums, darkrooms and traffic stops. It’s an hour of unrelenting ass-flapping entertainment - sitting somewhere between comedy, theatre, and performance art. I have always loved observational comedy, everyday characters and human reaction. A camp comical romp with a few songs chucked in for good measure.

OUT: The show has been running for over a year now, and you have just begun a fabulous new residency at Beefcakes. Obviously the public love it. You must be happy. LS: I am so, so happy and mainly grateful. Stand-up is hard enough as it is and so is drag, combining the two is either insane or genius. I am writing new material every day and learning more and more at each show. Getting my first standing ovation caught me so off guard… I bawled my lashes off. OUT: Apart from your stand up show, you are still touring your one woman show Shenanigans. LS: Shenanigans is my first ever solo show. I have just had two very successful performances at the beginning of February at Beefcakes in Illovo, Johannesburg. This is a hilarious lip-synch fest of all the favourite numbers I’ve done over the years plus some new ones.

OUT: Who are you when you are not Lilly Slaptsilli.? LS: I partnered with Debi Welman-Minter over 20 years ago and established a company called Parallel Worlds Productions - we produce and choreograph Fashion Shows and Events. Three years ago I launched Showlab Production House and I specialise in lifestyle events, launches and entertainment.

OUT: When did you discover your inner drag? LS: I watched a documentary on the Australian drag artists who inspired the movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and thought... oh... I can do that.

OUT: Tell us what not to wear this summer LS: A strapless evening gown with Crocs

OUT: What item in your closet can you not live without? LS: A black corset belt. Check out my Instagram (@thelillyslaptsilli) or Facebook. I think it’s in 95% of the pictures – it’s embarrassing. I literally can’t live without it.

OUT: In your Mince show’s there was always a segment when you snooped into some unfortunate lady’s handbag. Now I want to know what’s in yours. LS: Carmex lip balm, hand written notes saying “I’ve never done this before, please don’t tell anyone, you’d be smart to call me xxx” with number on it as though I’ve just written it especially for them. And my Taser! (How ambitious).

OUT: Which famous person, dead or alive, would you like to have dinner with and why? LS: Dawn French (from Vicar of Dibley and French and Saunders fame) I find her the funniest, most watchable women on the planet. I have literally dreamt about having dinner with her and just as I am about to take a selfie, my phone dies.

OUT: What is the most attractive feature of a man? LS: Eeewww shallow...6-8 pack abs.

OUT: What’s the most attractive feature of a drag queen? LS: Her eyes

OUT: What’s your best quality? LS: Loyalty OUT: These days you can’t wield your handbag at the mall without knocking over a drag queen. Is RuPaul to blame? LS: I think everyone should pop on a frock and make-up on at least once in their lives. RuPaul has opened up drag to a global audience to enjoy, but also to judge. Drag is more than a contouring, lace fronts and death- drops. You have to back it up with performing skills. However, through the madness there are a few queens who truly do have a gift to share with us all. If RuPaul has done that for new queens and rebooted the careers of old ones... then yay...I tip my wig to you sir.

OUT: With the recent visits of some of stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race to South Africa last year, how do our local divas compare? LS: We have some great talent in this country. The imports can only inspire the locals to up their game and polish. I can gage who will have their 15 minutes and who will stay in the race with ‘uniqueness, nerve and talent’.

OUT: Who was your favourite Drag Race star to visit and who would you like to see? LS: loved Detox (I missed Alaska…weep) and I would love to see Jinkx Monsoon

OUT: Apart from Lilly, who’s the hottest drag act in town? LS: The stand outs for me, in my humble opinion are Samantha Knight, Manila von Teez and Vida Fantabisher

OUT: How has the drag scene in Cape Town changed since you started? LS: It has become more of an accepted staple and culture on the theatre scene (not just gay clubs and bars). The girls are also able to charge proper rates for their skills.

OUT: How do you keep those long lallies of yours in shape? LS: Walking my dog Fawn…in heels

OUT: Love or money? LS: Money

OUT: Who’s your secret crush? LS: Elijah Wood

OUT: Who really makes you laugh? LS: Still, forever and always Dawn French (shhh and Amy Schumer)

OUT: What was the last movie you cried in? LS: I recently re watched Beaches and sobbed for days

OUT: What are you reading? LS: These questions…..

OUT: What are you listening to? LS: Bruno Mars

OUT: Is drag a political statement? LS: Not for me.

OUT: How would you respond to the accusation from some feminists that drag is misogynistic and that it demeans women? LS: Come and watch my show. If anything, I celebrate, marvel and worship women - I always keep a close eye on never disrespecting the very creatures who have inspired the career I have built. (Gosh so deep…that touched a nerve)

OUT: If you were ever to work as a double act again, which South Africa drag artiste would you like to pair up with? LS: To be truly honest I would only want to work with Kieron Legacy... that chemistry I feel only comes round once in a lifetime.

OUT: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? LS: My nose...I’m sure it’s getting bigger with age. Is that a thing?

OUT: When you started, did you ever think you would still be doing it in 2020? LS: Oh hell no. I started in 1995 with a 3 month contract... 18yrs later Mince performed well over 1800 shows just at On Broadway - I’m sure we were the longest running show in South Africa to date. Now Lilly Slaptsilli is in her 5th year as a solo artist

OUT: What’s next for Lilly? LS: I am currently performing my stand-up comedy show, I’m Gagging, at Beefcakes in Cape Town every Wednesday. I am writing my new stand-up show which I am thinking of calling “What’s so Funny?” I am producing my second solo lip-synch show entitled Suck My Frock which will open at the Rhumbelow Theatre, Durban in April. My dream is to be South Africa’s first Drag stand-up comic - I would love to do one night only shows through-out South Africa - playing all the small dorps as well as the major cities and have a film crew follow me (hint hint)

I’m Gagging is showing at Beefcakes, Somerset Rd in Cape Town every Wednesday. Booking essential at www.beefcakes.co.za Tel: 021425 9019 Follow Lilly Slatpsilli on: Instagram - @thelillyslaptsilli Facebook – Lilly Slaptsilli