Dubbed the ‘Queen of Ireland,’ Panti is no stranger to the spotlight, but this time, she’s swapping the protest placards for punchlines as she takes audiences on a rollicking journey through her life of accidental activism, outrageous adventures, and unapologetic fabulousness.
From growing up in rural County Mayo to strutting the stages of London’s West End and rubbing shoulders at the Irish Ambassador’s residence in Vienna, Panti’s stories are as unpredictable as they are hilarious. She’s not just here to spill the tea, though – with her signature mix of sharp humour and heartfelt honesty, Panti is diving headfirst into questions of purpose, identity, and what it means to stay true to yourself in a world that never stops changing. . . Finding her answers in the most unexpected places.
Fresh from record-breaking runs in Dublin’s iconic Abbey Theatre and London’s Soho Theatre, 'If These Wigs Could Talk' promises salacious gossip, glittering failures, and laugh-out-loud lessons learned along the way. Whether you’re a long-time fan or meeting her for the first time, this is your chance to experience the phenomenon that is Panti Bliss.
We sat down with Panti to chat tour, drag, life lessons, and more.
'If These Wigs Could Talk' is such a fabulous title – what’s the most scandalous story one of your wigs would spill if it could?
If I could spill the most scandalous one I would've written a whole show about it and wrung it dry already! But I've been dressing up and making a show of myself for a long time so there are plenty of others. Like the time I was briefly arrested in full drag in Tokyo – and it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity! I said, "There's someone else out there that matches my description??! Take me to them immediately!"
From rural Mayo to the glittering West End to Australia – what’s the most unexpected place you’ve found yourself in full drag, and how did the locals react?
Jeez, I think most drag queens who've been at it for a while end up with a whole list of odd places you never expected to be in full regalia. For example I've cycled through Hanoi in Vietnam in full drag to the delight of most, and the consternation of some fellas in uniforms. I've also spoken at the UN in Geneva in high glamour and if anyone was bothered they pretended not to be!
Australia loves a bit of camp and chaos – what’s your favourite Aussie stereotype, and how do you plan to milk it for laughs on stage?
In the '80s I was OBSESSED with an Australian mini-series called 'Return To Eden' which was about a frumpy girl called Stephanie Harper who was the heir to a huge mining fortune and on her honeymoon her husband and his secret girlfriend pushed her into a croc-infested swamp and left her for dead. But the croc only ate her face off and she was rescued and had plastic surgery to make her beautiful and she changed her name to Tara Welles and became a supermodel and set out to get her revenge. So my favourite Aussie stereotype is that you get your faces eaten off by crocodiles and become supermodels and I will milk it by calling everyone Stephanie until I decide if I like them and then I'll call them Tara. No one under 50 will get the joke – but I will.
Drag queens are all about reinvention. If you had to give Australia a drag makeover, what would her name and look be?
I'd give Australia a drag king makeover, put her in a chocolate brown satin suit, and call her Tim Tam.
What’s been the biggest lesson from your 'glittering failures'?
"What other people think of you is none of your business."
You’ve dazzled everywhere from the Abbey Theatre in Dublin to the Soho Theatre in London – how do you keep it classy and stay inspired?
I'm not at all sure that I "keep it classy", but I stay inspired by staying engaged and staying interested in what's going on in the world – the good stuff and the bad stuff. And my show 'If These Wigs Could Talk' is partly about re-finding your purpose in life as you get older.
With your history of far-fetched shenanigans, what’s the most jaw-dropping thing that’s happened backstage before a show?
Diana Ross once burst in a door and exclaimed "RICE!" – which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation" because someone had twisted their ankle.
Image © Ruth Medjber
Your show mixes salacious stories with soul-searching – how do you strike the balance between making us laugh and making us think?
I think one of the best ways to get people to engage with a difficult subject is to lead them into it unsuspectingly, by hiding what you want to say in humour and laughs at first, before you then reveal what you're actually leading them to. So while lots of my show appears on the surface to be silliness and raucous stories, it's actually leading you somewhere else and by the time you realise what's happening it's too late – you're already thinking! Got ya sucker!
If Australia falls head over heels for you (as we undoubtedly will), could we tempt you to stay and set up a drag residency here?
I've been to Australia many times before – but if you could arrange it for me to spend at least one month of European winter 'Down Under' every year I'd be thrilled.
After all the glitter, wigs, and laughter, what’s the one message or feeling you hope audiences will take home with them after experiencing 'If These Wigs Could Talk?'
I want you to leave the theatre pumped up and ready to burn everything to the ground. Metaphorically speaking of course! I don't want any more koalas to lose their homes.
Panti Bliss plays Arts Centre Melbourne 4-9 February, Brunswick Picture House 11-12 February and Factory Theatre (Sydney) 25-26 February.
