Divina De Campo speaks to us

So on Saturday we took the time to speak with Owen Farrow aka Divina De Campo on a whole range of topics. Owen is one of the well known faces of the Village and Divina is one of the stars of Holy Trannity, the Voice and a whole host of other shows. Owen has only just got back from holiday so we’re very grateful for the time we had. Hope you enjoy...

As a gay man what’s the best thing about living in Manchester?

O: The best thing about living in Manchester is that there are so many options. Options about where you can go, options about what you can experience and as a city it’s very gay friendly, probably the most gay friendly place I’ve ever been. You know as someone who looks the way that I do, who generally gets some kind of comment from people, touch wood the two years that I’ve lived here I have not had a single comment. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen but it’s been a very common occurrence for me in other cities but I’ve not experienced that here.

What does the gay scene get right and what could it do more of?

 The gay scene in Manchester to me gets almost everything right. There is always space for more and there is always opportunity to do more. But I think you have to be realistic and the world is moving towards integration and just the kind of educating those people how to behave in our space and you have to behave in a specific way. Like I wouldn’t go to Tiger Tiger and sit their fingering my husband because that’s inappropriate! Exactly the same in a gay club, you are more than welcome to come in here but don’t be fingering your girlfriend Mr Straight Man. 

In terms of gay rights we now have equal marriage, some would ask what else we have we got to fight for? What’s your view on that?

The thing with the rights movement is the slow drip of social change, legalisation was only around 1970 so it’s relatively late and it’s only now really that the majority of the society has kind of come round to “you’re gay, so what?” It’s just another of those things that the Government says “it’s not a problem if you’re gay” which slow drips into the public conciousness. 

So with those questions out the way can now move and talk more about you, I’ve know you for years, I used to see you every weekend (literally every weekend) in the Factory in Stoke, you perform here in Kiki every weekend. What made you first get into the drag scene and when did you start?

So I’d done some gender performance studies at university but then I sort of shelved that after I left but it was actually Mr Yarwood who said I should get into drag. But he encouraged me to do it because he knew I could sing, he knew I could dance, he knew I could act. So he encouraged me to do it and then me being me I wanted to do it my way so I’d been in a choir and my singer teacher had done the Cat duet with me and she then introduced me on stage as Madame Farracina which is where the name came from. But unfortunately she died under a chandelier, it was very tragic, an utter travesti.

And then welcome Divina. How is Divina different to Owen?

I sort of describe her as a magnification of my personality. And where Owen tends to be quite serious, Divina doesn’t have that side to her generally. She’s a good time girl. It’s about the party and having a good time.

In terms of drag who is your inspiration? 

It sounds ridiculous but it’s Danny La Rue. It sounds ridiculous, how can that be your inspiration but his ideals of you create an image and then you shatter it. It’s what I find most interesting and I kind of do that in my own work. I do a pop song in my tenor and then people understand a drag queen in this box so then you do something out of this box and you just keep challenging those perceptions. 

We’ve recently seen you do the Voice and you got so much attention from that, so what are you plans for 2016? Any spoilers?

I’ve got a couple of theatre shows coming up, so there’s the Dancing Bear which is the 10th and 11th of February. Then the 20th and 21st February I’m at the Lantern Theatre in Liverpool doing a play called the Ruby Slippers and that will be in Kiki on the 28th February as well instead of the usual Sunday showtime.

We have to talk about Rupaul, about Drag Race. 

If there is a first season of Drag Race in the UK would you expect to take part in the first season?

I wouldn’t say I’d be expecting to take part, I’d audition of course but as I auditioned for the Ambassador and was rejected by that bitch! I’m very proud of the video that I made. And I just think if something is worth doing then it’s worth doing properly and I did. And am I bitter that I didn’t get through? Of course, of course I am! (laughs). But I love Viv and she was the only one that I thought could adequately represent the UK, well her and La Voix. They’re both great. 

Aside from yourself who is your favourite drag queen in the UK?

Charlie Hides. Oh my god, just love him. 

I am going to put you on the spot with some of these questions. You have worked with Holy Trannity, you’ve worked with a lot of Queens.

Who’s been your favourite to work with?

Bianca

Best dressed?

Best dressed? Oh my god, Gia Gunn. She came out in this gold thing. It was like “where are your clothes?” It was just like a gold necklace and it was insane! All night every single outfit was just fucking amazing.

Worst dressed?

Oooh. I’m not going to say a name but with some of the more recent Queens there’s been this weird disco pants with leggings underneath. Like what the fuck are you doing? You look like you just stepped out of Primark bitch! That’s a no from me.

Best make-up?

It’s a weird one but Willam being painted by Miss Fame. Willam is beautiful as is, it was like Willam, I don’t know. It was just amazing, her face was totally flawless. 

Biggest Diva?

Sharon Needles is a diva and I love her for it. But none of them are diva’s and it’s just the persona of Sharon Needles to behave that way and she’s doing her job perfectly. But none of them are diva’s, none of them have come in and been like “where are my fucking kittens? Where’s my jar of blue smarties? I’m not doing this shit.” None of them have been like that. They turn up, they do their job, they’ve been super lovely and then go home.

Sexiest out drag?

Willam’s legs. Thick thighs make a dick rise! She’s very sexy. And Bianca is hot, her legs are like cocktail sticks. She’s tiny, when you watch her on the programme because of her presence she seems quite tall but when you meet her she’s not at all. 

What’s next for Holy Trannity?

There’s National Treasures which is coming which is Jackie Beat, Sherry Vine, Lady Bunny and Bianca. If you’re a proper drag fan you will be really excited for that. That’s the one to go to because with no disrespect, some of the Rupaul Queens are not on that level, these bitches have fucking made it themselves, they don’t need a tv programme, they’ve done it themselves. And that is Friday 11th March at the Palace Theatre. 

I want to say a huge thank you to Owen has been incredibly generous with his time, we had a real laugh at the interview. You can see more of Owen on Sunday’s at Kiki and don’t forget to get your tickets for National Treasures on the 11th March and all the other Holy Trannity events coming up over the year. 

By Daniel Carter and Matthew Laisby for Canal St Online.

Published: 11-Feb-2016: (3552)