We tracked down Ian Stroughair aka Velma Celli ‘“the UK’s queen of live vocal drag” rehearsing in her kitchen in London. The irrepressible Velma was loving her new performance space as she told us “the kitchen is an ideal place to perform shows for the acoustics as “you need a carpetless room”.
Velma is preparing for her live streaming Show tomorrow April 2nd that is part of a project called Leave A Light On during the stay at home coronavirus pandemic.
He told Queerguru that his show promises to be “camp and fun and off the wall. A lot of aggressive singing and some of my favourite divas, male and female, including Lady Gaga, Freddie, Bowie, along with impressions I like to do, Twiggy, Angela Lansbury, different things. It will be silly and kookie.”
The whole idea of Leave a Light on is escapism. He added “If we can lift people for 45 minutes it’s good for everyone’s mental health.” And he and Velma are the perfect ones to do just that
In the UK Velma/Ian have enjoyed a very successful career. As Ian he has appeared in Cats, Rent, Fame and Chicago and as Velma appeared in UK soap opera EastEnders opposite Danny Dyer in 2015
Queerguru first met and fell under his spell when as Velma he took his smash hit Edinburgh Festival Show ‘The Brief History of Drag to Australia, and this is the interview we filmed at the time http://c3f.ab6.myftpupload.com/velma-takes-the-stand/
Tickets to watch the global live stream are £7.50 (about $9.30) and can be purchased up to an hour before the broadcast HERE and it will be at 6:30pm (that’s 1.30 EST). Meanwhile here’s a taster of the fabulous Velma singing live.
Labels: 2020, livestream show, Velma Celli
