Description: The third and final in a set, this book explores what languages and critical frameworks are available to speak about and theorise contemporary and historical drag performance.
Brief description: Mark Edward is a pracademic and a category dodger. His performance work in live art, contemporary dance performance, theatre, drag and post-modern choreography are often rooted in political and social narratives such as fat body shaming, age(eing) invisibility, homophobia, toxic and bruised masculinity, disability, mental health, class and him being neurodivergent as a ADHDancer and ADHDrag. He has featured in Attitude magazine, Scene magazine and GT magazine, and been interviewed for several BBC radio and TV documentaries, focusing on drag histories and activism, with drag performers Choriza May, Mutha Tucka and Miss Dixie Swallows. He has also featured in 'The History of Drag' documentary, alongside Boy George, lanah.p and Ginny Lemon. His research into drag cultures provided the content for the three-part BBC 'Drag Herstories' series. He is the author of the book 'Mesearch and the Performing Body' (Palgrave), and co-editor (alongside Professor Stephen Farrier) of the books 'Contemporary Drag Practices and Performers: Drag in a Changing Scene vol 1', 'Drag Histories, Herstories and Hairstories; Drag in a Changing Scene vol 2' and 'Drag: the Basics' (Routledge) with Professor Chris Greenough. He is the writer, and producer of the acclaimed immersive installation work 'Council House Movie Star' and the the first person to bring practical drag studies into higher education. He has performed with and worked for a range of arts organisations and artists including Rambert Dance, Senza Tempo Dance Theatre, Penny Arcade in her pivotal work 'Bad Reputation' and with the Australian performance activist Jeremy Goldstein in his 'Truth to Power Cafè'.
Review Quotes:
"If you are interested in the history and academic aspects of Drag, this book is for you. The assorted chapters written by different experts give different views of Drag all around the world." --Sue Tilley, Leigh Bowery biographer
"An in-depth study of Camp containing a chapter on David Bowie's relationship to the phenomenon? Count me in! An entertaining, exhaustive and illuminating book - fascinating to read the stories of the various Drag Queens from different cultures, each with their own unique self-invented persona... a very Ziggy Stardust concept." --Mark Wardel, Artist "Drag as a critical field of study owes no small debt to Edward and Farrier who, in this third and final volume of their ground-breaking series, continue to shine light on drags' plurality and multi-vocality. Bringing together a diverse range of practices and voices, the 'vistas' and 'visions' represented here extend well beyond the mainstream, revealing not just what drag does now, but envisioning what it may yet still do. Drag as a field is justifiably acknowledged. So too is the need and invitation to keep negotiating and changing its boundaries." --Professor Dee Heddon, James Arnott Chair in Drama, University of Glasgow, UK