Canberra’s LGBT+ and drag scene is often overlooked, with many assuming true queer culture only thrives in bigger cities like Sydney or Melbourne. But Phish and Phreak Productions are proving otherwise, one drag show at a time.
On March 18th, UCBarx hosted the fabulous Vicki Cox’ard for a night of sass, smarts, and Drag Trivia.
Excited, I grabbed a free ticket for myself and a friend. By 5:30 P.M., the venue was buzzing with teams huddled around tables and Lady Gaga blaring from the speakers. The energy was infectious.
Vicki made a dazzling entrance, her costume shimmering under the lights. Trivia sheets were handed out, and each team chose a name. One Red Bull and vodka deep, my creativity failed me. Dirty Divas it was.
Vicki kicked things off with a few jokes before announcing the first category: music from 2017. Easy—I had been 15 then and remembered what ruled the radio. Or so I thought. As we tackled the questions, I started wondering if I had even been conscious that year.
Time was up. We handed in our sheets and crossed our fingers. As Vicki read out the team names, I couldn’t help but envy the creativity. Quiz Khalifa? Pure genius. Our score? 7/10. Not bad.
Vicki broke up the game with a jaw-dropping lip-sync to Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan, earning deafening cheers when she nailed a front handspring in the middle of the bar. The energy was electric. And while she was clearly a natural on stage, Vicki sees her drag as something bigger than just performance.
“Most Canberrans don’t know about the local drag scene and find themselves outsourcing their queens from Sydney or Melbourne…” she told me. “doing these events put our name out there and exposed us to more people, bringing a sense of community to the queer people within Canberra. That’s what was most important to us.”
The questions got tougher, but spirits stayed high. After two more rounds, Vicki treated us to another high-energy performance, this time to Ariana Grande’s Into You. Her presence lit up the bar, making everyone feel like part of the show.
She even shared a moment with me during the third round, 2000s Trivia. When asked, “What hospital does Meredith Grey work at?” I jokingly wrote “Medical Malpractice Hospital.” Vicki read my answer, burst into laughter, and, to my surprise, awarded us an extra point.
Before the final round, my confidence started to return. To my surprise, we were ahead and had a real shot at placing first or second. Then came the final category: cocktails. Just like that, I was completely out of my depth. Not only did my confidence vanish, but I could feel the same uncertainty settling over the teams around me.
In the end, the trivia was over. The Dirty Divas didn’t take home a prize but the night was still a blast. Most patrons stayed to chat with Vicki, enjoy drinks, and soak in the vibrant atmosphere.
Phish and Phreak Productions and UCbarx had collided to create an amazing night full of sass, smarts, shade, and a shit-tonne of glitter. Vicki Cox’ard’s infectious energy was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the night, bringing the entire bar to life with excited patrons of all ages. Personally, I couldn’t wait to see what performance she would bring to Canberra next.
Photos by Bree Bush