Drag queen plays fairy in play
Theatre play AS highlights the cruel society that takes advantage of poor, orphaned children.
Drag queen Thiart Li, aka Shaney O’Brien, famous for being a former Idols contestant, plays the fairy godmother in the powerful play AS.
Shaney teamed up with newcomer Sebastian Schütte (who plays Pottie, the villain who cares about nothing but money) to add spice to the theatrical production.
Shaney plays a fairy godmother to two teenage orphans in the play.
Thiart, who was no stranger to the limelight, said it was an honour to play the role of the caring Cinderella, who was like a mother to the two orphans whom the play centred around.
Thiart said he had to bring Shaney’s lively personality into the play even though Cinderella was not quite as ‘fabulous’ as she was, though managing two different personas and brands took a lot of time and effort.
Thiart rewrote the history of SA entertainment when he entered the singing competition Idols SA in 2015.
He was the first drag queen to make it into the voting rounds.
When asked why it was important to have a drag character in any TV or theatre production, Thiart said it was not important because anybody can play the role if they suit the part.
“But I think if it is relevant to a theatre piece or television production, it can have a more diverse and bigger effect.”
Thiart said the industry had embraced him with open arms and there were only three drag queen actors in the country: Evita Bezuidenhout, Cathy Specific and himself.
“It is a niche art form, one that is very often misunderstood,” he said.
Though the industry can be cut-throat, you need to stand out.
Thiart said though he did not want to want to be a woman, it was fun to portray a character that allowed you to step into a woman’s shoes – literally.
AS confronts the truth about how orphaned children face life in the world.
The play debuted at the SA State Theatre on 3 June and will run until 11 June.
AS was warmly received on social networks:
On #FLSwithLloyd at 7:30 on @_LuckyRadio @BreakfastClubR it's #AS by @Jannes_Erasmus in the @sastatetheatre 🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/9fccBwo9eB
— Lloyd Loots (@Lloydi_Boy) June 6, 2016
https://twitter.com/ShenayOBrien/status/739800212198305792
https://twitter.com/ShenayOBrien/status/739011824838946816
np/ks
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