ONE OF Reading’s drag performers has announced that they’re hanging up the wig following their latest show.
Anita Oui said that the show they hosted at the Rising Sun Arts Centre on Saturday, April 1, would be their last as they look to move on to different kinds of performance.
They were hosting the regular residency at the venue while the original host, Sheer Obsession, was away on hiatus.
The show celebrated pop icon Lady Gaga, kicking off with Anita’s performance to Applause followed by House of Big leader Big Jay and the Ashnikko remix of Plastic Doll.
Brittana Faberry sang a cover of Poker Face live before Oxford’s Cairo Ali’s lipsync to Gaga’s The Cure.
Sera Tonin performed a stunning lipsync to Donatella Wears Prada and Anita closed the first half with Bad Romance.
The second half saw an appearance from Viola Tucks with a humorous lipsync to Lady is a Tramp, followed by another live vocal performance by Brittana Faberry.
Big Jay, Cairo Ali, and Sera Tonin performed final lipsyncs before Anita Oui took their place at the piano.
They announced that it would not only be their final show as host, but their final as a drag performer, before singing along live to a touching piano performance of Born This Way.
As they show drew to a close, they thanked their drag family, particularly House of Big’s Big Jay, and said that original host Sheer Obsession would be returning to the residency.
Speaking after the event, Anita Oui said: “It’s definitely hard to pin down an exact reason for calling it a day; it’s a combination of burnout and being happy with what I achieved.
“I think if I continued it would be like those final series of a show where the storylines go awry, and the actors look jaded and have fallen out of love with it.
“I wanted to end on a high.”
Anita continued: “I’m still in love with the medium of performance art, though, and I hope to continue creating.”
Sheer Obsession’s Suspenders will return with a hand-picked roster of performers on Saturday, June 24, at The Rising Sun Arts Centre.
Tickets are available at different pricing tiers via: outsavvy.com
