Miss Katherine takes a delightful afternoon cup of tea with the Empress Dowager of Perth drag, Mark Strykermeyer to discuss his drag family, Art in Bloom, hedonism, plastic surgery, politeness, Yorkshire Pudding and Sunday nights at Zoo.

Welcome to my parlour Stryker, so lovely to see you again! May I ask what is your favourite flower?

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[big smiles] Very nice to be here Miss Katherine, I love ivy, I don’t have a favourite flower and I have never seen an ivy bloom but I love the shape and colour of ivy.

There is a reason for my question, a little birdie tells me you are doing a floral art exhibition…

Oh goodness, how do I explain this… Every two years in the Spring, The Art Gallery of Western Australia assigns 100 existing works of art to 100 artists to interpret their thoughts of the artwork into flowers, Art in Bloom begins August 22 .

Where were you born?

I was born in England, in Stockton-on-Tees a town in Yorkshire, we immigrated to Australia in 1968 and I was 8 years old. My favourite British dish would have to be Yorkshire Pudding.

Do you have any hobbies?

I love gardening, I have had green fingers since I was a little baby, I love working with photography, graphics and right now my huge hobby is making slide shows into small movies.

What is drag to you?

First and foremost I am an artist. Like a paint brush, drag for me is another medium that allows me to express myself as an artist, I have been doing drag for thirty years.

Oh my goodness that is a long time, do you have any Drag Mothers?

I never had a Drag Mother as such, but the great influence in my drag style was Theresa Green of Sydney, I had heard and seen photos of her ten years before I had ever met her. The great drag guru of my life is Perth’s very own Audrey Woodstock Rose. Audrey no longer performs but she is still out and about.

Drag Sisters?

I have thooooousands of drag sisters! One of my number one favourites of course would have to be Cindy Pastel.

Drag Daughters?

I have hundreds of drag children. I prefer to acquire them than to actually give birth – I mean could you imagine trying to push out Glamourpuss? She is definitely a drag daughter of mine.

Oh goodness! I am trying not to imagine that… Another little birdie tells me you went and had some plastic surgery in Thailand. Is this true or just vicious gossip?

Ha ha! Yes, it is very true… I just had a wee bit done.

Well you are looking a lot younger… was it really a wee bit or quite a lot?

[eyes rolling] Okay it was quite a lot – in fact I think the the bin was full! And I might as well tell you before you ask, I had 6 tattoos done as well.

…And I have noticed some tattoos as well…[cough]…okay then… You have been very busy lately, I just love Sunday nights at Zoo, how did the concept all start?

The concept behind Zoo (which I am very pleased to be a part of) is basically an escape from the normality of what is the gay scene today, it’s for people to recoup their inner ‘animal’. I am very excited about performing at Zoo because it is the first time I have ever had the opportunity to have full slather (control) of whatever I wish to do.

In what direction would you like to see our community take in the future?

I would love to see our community re-evolve to the way we were twenty years ago, I worry about it being watered down, things are so soft and commercial these days. It was once truly a world unto itself – unique. The gay scene was once a place – not just a club – where you could explore artistic, fashion and sexual freedom. I would love to see that “hedonism” return.

Gosh that is very deep… On a lighter and final note may ask your favorite saying?

Politeness is a sickness.

You must be feeling very uncomfortable right now…

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

Another cup of tea?