How a drag queen saved a bowlo!
Karl has bowled over a whole community
I’d like to hire your hall for a show,’ I told Des, the 70-year-old president of the North Ipswich Bowls Club in Queensland.
‘What kind of show?’ he asked.
‘A drag queen show,’ I replied.
Des the Pres didn’t inch. ‘Sounds good,’ he said. And that’s how my monthly drag show was born!
I’d become a drag queen by accident in my 20s.
At 19, I’d married and had a daughter, Katie.
But after a few years, I couldn’t hide my sexuality any longer and came out as gay.
Then, I was invited to a cross-dress party.
Going as a schoolgirl, it completely altered my introverted personality.
When the hit song
‘Mickey’ came on, I began dancing to it.
‘I like what you’re doing. Would you consider stage work?’ asked another guest.
I laughed it off. At the time, I was working in a mushroom factory!
But we stayed in touch,
and a month later, I found myself doing my rst gig on stage at his nightclub.
This might just be my calling, I thought, as I got a standing ovation.
I spent the next decade honing my craft, performing in clubs at night while employed as a steel worker during the day.
Then I came across Des’ 55-year-old lawn bowls club.
I had no idea what the patrons would make of ve drag queens frocking up for a naughty show in their beloved bowlo!
Getting up on stage in my blonde wig, feather boa, frilly frock and high heels, as my alter ego, Crystal Heart, I lip-synced to Marilyn Monroe’s famous song.
‘A kiss on the hand, may be quite continental, but diamonds are a girl’s best friend,’ I mouthed.
The crowd went wild. ‘You’ll come again next month, won’t you?’ Des asked, delighted the bar had done such a brisk trade.
‘Of course,’ I replied. So we launched Taboo, and returned on the third Saturday of each month.
I pulled in talent from all over Queensland so we always had a fresh show to offer, and I wore different wigs and had a multitude of elaborate out ts, which I sewed myself. I also put my heart and soul into creating interesting sets.
At Christmas, I decorated the hall with 14 snowy pine trees and 7000 lights to create a winter wonderland and had Des dress as Santa Claus to give out gifts.
When Halloween came around, the bowlo hall became an eerie cemetery.
We’d sing everything, including numbers from the musicals Chicago and The Rocky Horror Show.
Ever supportive, Des and his wife Gloria would come and watch every show.
Word spread and soon
200 people jammed into the hall to see our show.
As we were ‘family friendly’, some brought their kids, so the audiences ranged from ages nine to 90.
‘We have a rude song coming up, so parents, feel free to take your children out for this one,’ I warned at the end of the show.
‘Nah, they hear worse at home!’ came the reply.
While other bowlos were closing down due to diminishing memberships, Des’ club became more popular. Some of the audience members even got into playing lawn bowls.
‘Do you know you helped save this club?’ said one of the staff, Betty, to me one day. ‘Des was on the verge of closing the doors for good until you girls came along.’
I was thrilled, and Des seemed happy too!
Then, ve years after we started the show, I was approached by a woman called Mandy from SBS television.
‘I’d love to do a story on you guys,’ she said.
I thought she was joking but she wasn’t.
SBS began interviewing us and lming our performances.
Finally, after ve years, they made a documentary called Bowled Over: A Dragumentary.
In it, they showcased me, my fellow drag queen, Ross Waghorn, 57, aka Wanda D’Parke, and 12-year-old Logan Kelly, aka Candy Featherbottom, the youngest drag queen in Australia, who plays me as a boy.
My mum, Joan, 83, can’t wait to see it air on TV – she’s never missed a show.
Neither has my stepdad, Kel, who sells raf e tickets for us at the door.
My daughter, Katie, 27,
My mum has never missed
a show
is also a huge fan, as are her three children.
They love saying their grandad is a drag queen.
Not many of their mates can say that!
February 2021 marks the 10th birthday of our show.
I love being Crystal Heart. She’s funny and outrageous, and she’s been my saviour.
When I dress up as her, I feel brave.
As I always say, we all need a superhero inside of us. ●
Bowled Over is available on SBS On Demand now.