The Star: March 23, 2017
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi<br />
Thursday <strong>March</strong> <strong>23</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 19<br />
<strong>The</strong>atre/Arts<br />
Actor gets married, takes on drag queen role<br />
CENTRE STAGE: Tom Worthington as Adam Whitely (left), Isaac<br />
Pawson as Anthony ‘Tick’ Belrose and Cameron Douglas as<br />
Bernadette Bassenger in Showbiz Christchurch’s production of<br />
Priscilla Queen of the Desert.<br />
• By Georgia O’Connor-Harding<br />
THE FIRST time Isaac<br />
Pawson was transformed into<br />
a drag queen he thought he<br />
would feel quite self-conscious<br />
and uncomfortable.<br />
But the moment<br />
he stepped into what<br />
were “very steep<br />
heels”, caked on<br />
the make-up and<br />
dressed in bright<br />
attire, he felt himself<br />
come out of his shell.<br />
“I kind of got this<br />
feeling of what it<br />
could be like and<br />
why people do it . . . you are<br />
not quite yourself. You can put<br />
on a bit of character and add<br />
some new attributes,” he said.<br />
Naturally an introvert,<br />
Pawson, 22 has found<br />
pursuing an acting career<br />
and playing particularly<br />
flamboyant roles has helped<br />
push him out of his comfort<br />
zone.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Cashmere resident<br />
will feature in one of the<br />
leading roles in Showbiz<br />
Christchurch’s latest<br />
production of Priscilla Queen<br />
of the Desert.<br />
Playing Anthony ‘Tick’<br />
Belrose – whose drag name is<br />
Isaac<br />
Pawson<br />
‘Mitzi Mitosis’ – it will be his<br />
first major role in a large-scale<br />
show since graduating from<br />
the National Academy of<br />
Singing and Dramatic Art last<br />
year.<br />
<strong>The</strong> musical tells the story<br />
of two Sydney drag queens<br />
and a male transgender who<br />
are contracted to travel to<br />
Alice Springs to put on a<br />
drag show.<br />
As part of a journey of<br />
self-discovery for the three<br />
friends, Tick finally gets to<br />
meet his son after coming<br />
out as gay.<br />
Pawson said while the show<br />
will be a “feast of the eyes”<br />
and filled with quick, fiery<br />
one-liners and sass, it carries a<br />
strong message of acceptance<br />
and not judging people for the<br />
way they appear to be.<br />
“We want to represent the<br />
real people who experience<br />
this lifestyle of drag and<br />
obviously have quirks about<br />
them but are still genuine<br />
real people that aren’t just<br />
characters,” he said.<br />
Pawson got married to his<br />
best friend of more than 10<br />
years, Beth Alexander, just last<br />
month.<br />
“We are not ones to stick<br />
to tradition a lot of the time<br />
just for the sake of it and we<br />
knew we wanted to be together<br />
forever so we thought why not<br />
make that official now,” he<br />
said.<br />
But it has not been easy for<br />
the couple who have barely<br />
seen each other since their<br />
marriage.<br />
While Pawson has been<br />
busy with Priscilla Queen<br />
of the Desert, his Aucklandbased<br />
wife has been shooting<br />
a television feature on<br />
the famous New Zealand<br />
thoroughbred racehorse, Kiwi.<br />
“It has been really tough<br />
and is not something I would<br />
recommend to anyone, but<br />
it comes with the territory<br />
of being in this industry,”<br />
Pawson said.<br />
He is planning to move up<br />
to Auckland to be with his<br />
wife shortly after the show<br />
finishes.<br />
•Priscilla Queen of the<br />
Desert will run at the<br />
Isaac <strong>The</strong>atre Royal from<br />
<strong>March</strong> 24 to April 8. To<br />
book tickets, go to http://<br />
isaactheatreroyal.co.nz<br />
•More theatre/arts,<br />
page 20<br />
Roger Hall’s Comedies<br />
ArE hEAdING TO ChrISTChurCh ThIS yEAr<br />
Taking Off opens on 20 April<br />
and will provide our audiences<br />
with an in depth (and not so) look<br />
at four women as they embark on<br />
their big OEs.<br />
<strong>The</strong> four tell us about their<br />
experiences while abroad,<br />
by writing a novel, mobile phone,<br />
video diary and of course email.<br />
So as the clichés state…<br />
Come on board or catch a flight<br />
with us or grab a seat etc with us<br />
for TAKING OFF.<br />
Book now to ensure your seat,<br />
online at www.casnova.co.nz.<br />
We have special deals and<br />
packages and remember you get<br />
to select your own seat when you<br />
book with us.<br />
“YOU CAN’T BEAT<br />
KIWI CREATIVE<br />
TALENT.”<br />
- Craig Hutchison,<br />
Director and Producer<br />
CAS’n’OVA PRODUCTIONS<br />
on their latest production.<br />
BOOK ONLINE NOW www.casnova.co.nz or www.takeme2.co.nz