Unhinged and Unforgettable
Photo by Cody Angus @tbayalive
By Jimmy Wiggins
At the stroke of 10 pm, the music suddenly stops, and the lights dim low at Black Pirates Pub. Suddenly, all you can hear is a little girl’s voice and ominous sounds, straight out of a horror movie (literally).
“One, two, Freddy's coming for you.”
The entire room at Black Pirates Pub stops in their tracks and turns to look at the stage.
“Three, four, better lock your door.”
The drag superfans know what’s about to happen, but are still on edge.
“Five, six, grab your crucifix.”
The drag newbies are terrified; their hearts are racing and they’re questioning the decisions they’ve made that led them to where they are right now.
“Seven, eight, gonna stay up late.”
A shadowy figure slowly moves from the dressing room. She looks familiar but she’s all in black, not a stitch of pink to be found as she steps on stage.
“Nine, ten, never sleep again…”
Ooky Spooky has begun.
“Halloween is so exciting because we all expect even more,” says drag queen and MC Mz. Molly Poppinz. “It’s a fantastic reason to push yourself creatively outside your comfort zone. There’s so much to see from both the artists on stage and in the audience!”
Ophelia Queen calls it the most “freely creative time” of the year. “Halloween provides an escape for so many to step out of your everyday life and become something different, spooky, silly, and everything in between. For drags, it’s a chance to try things you don’t get to do in regular shows.”
Amber Ail sums it up perfectly: “Halloween is sometimes called ‘Gay Christmas’ for the simple fact that it’s the one time of year you can dress as outlandish as you want and no one will think twice about it. For a lot of drag performers, it’s the first time we dip our toes into doing drag at all.”
The past four years of Ooky Spooky have left behind a trail of blood, slime, and a white substance not suitable to be named in this publication—all of it unhinged and unforgettable to those who were there to see it. Molly still remembers Amber’s debut. “She ate live bugs! And then she swam in blood. I was revolted. I was horrified. I was so impressed.” Ophelia agrees. “Amber Ail [has] the ability to make a crowd uneasy, excited, and gagged all at the same time. Truly a gift.”
Amber herself laughs about her “Laughing Track” number, which, if you were there to see it, absolutely gave you nightmares the rest of the week. “I just remember the music ending, I was on the ground covered in slime, and people were cheering and I had the thought, ‘I don’t know how I got here, but I guess it went well.’”
Ooky Spooky isn’t only about shock value, however. It’s about pushing boundaries, creating art, and making people feel something. “I want the audience equal parts elated, inspired, and horrified,” says Molly with a grin.
Ooky Spooky is now in its fifth year, and the cast won’t be holding back. “I’ve been rewatching my favourite horror movies and pulling loads of inspiration,” says Molly. “I’m bringing your favourite baddies to life.” Ophelia hopes the night inspires others to embrace their inner weirdos. “This show is a love letter to everyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in.” And Amber leaves it on a sharper note: “For the queers, I hope they feel seen and empowered. For the cishet folks, I hope they leave with a little bit of the dread and discomfort that queer people feel every day existing in a cishet world.”
To this day, Ooky Spooky remains the most thrilling, chilling, and fulfilling night of Thunder Bay drag.
Don’t sleep on this one.
Check out the 5th annual Ooky Spooky Halloween Drag Show on October 25 at Black Pirates Pub. For updates and more details follow @wigginsproductions, @tbshows, and @tbaydrag.