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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

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