constructing the bridge – deconstructing gender
The Berlin performer Bridge Markland is a virtuoso of roleplay + transformation. An artist who effortlessly crosses boundaries between dance, theatre, drag + gender performance, cabaret + puppet theatre.
One of her specialities are short gender-performances in which the change of woman to man (or vice versa) can be experienced. Markland is pioneer of drag + gender performance in Germany and has organized Drag-King events, tours + festivals since 1994.
In the year 2000 Bridge Markland and Diane Torr envisioned
the go drag! festival concept – a festival with drag art by women, trans* and non-binary artists. Since then it has happened in Berlin in 2002 + 2022 and in Munich in 2024. Bridge is open for other cities and countries for future editions. Bridge Markland has toured her performances in Germany, Europe, USA, Canada +
Australia. Since 2005 one of her main focus points is collages of classical German theatre pieces with pop music – performed as lip-synced solos using role change and puppets.
www.bridge-markland.com
In her lecture performance king-ing the drag – drag-ing the king -
Bridge Markland gives accessible, fun, and non academic talks about her life and work, which emphasize the development of her drag + gender performances. The audience will hear fascinating details and anecdotes about the origin of her performances – how research in the street, at clubs and parties led to her most
famous transformation performance: "The most beautiful Woman in the World"
The audience will hear how Bridge first met the Grand Daddy of Drag Kings Diane Torr and how she participated in one of Diane Torr's early "Man For A Day" Workshops held at Annie Sprinkle's Apartement in 1991.
Audiences will hear how Bridge performed in the legendary Club Casanova in New York City in 1996 organized by Drag King Legend Mo B. Dick and how she got to be portrayed in the Documentary Film "Venus Boyz" by Gabriel Baur – in which Diane Torr + Mo B. Dick were also portrayed.
During the lecture performance people will have the chance to experience her most famous transformation piece live, with the opportunity for Q & A afterwards.
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Audience comments:
"The coolest lecture we ever had!"
Student at Technical University Braunschweig, 'Gender Studies'
"Bridge Markland's performance had me entertained from beginning to end. Her raw and interactive gestures towards the audience make you feel as if you are part of her experience,
not just an observer." Student, CIEE US-College in Berlin, 'Gender + Sexuality' course
"I had no idea what to expect going into Bridge Markland's lecture performance. But what I witnessed was far more then I could have expected. The performance was sentimental,
provocative and entertaining all in one, I highly recommend!"
Student, CIEE US-College in Berlin, 'Gender + Sexuality' course
Press Voice:
"Markland invites us to look behind the scenery of outward appearances and thus behind the
clichés in our own heads." Leipziger Volkszeitung
You may also like the following events from Oslo Drag Festival:
Also check out other
Arts events in Oslo,
Festivals in Oslo,
Workshops in Oslo.
