As cinema-goers stream out of a movie screening at Golden Village x The Projector at Cineleisure on a quiet Thursday night, a curious cluster of individuals gather around a small stage at the independent cinema’s entrance. The chords of Bette Midler’s The Rose begin to play, and one of them, dressed casually in shorts and a tank top, takes the microphone.
“Maybe they are here for a karaoke night,” one onlooker comments.
He is almost right. The group – professionals by day and drag queens by night – are rehearsing for a Valentine’s Day Love Thongs cabaret showcase. A few weeks later, Victoria Wondersnatch, no longer in casual wear, would serenade a 120-strong audience in a fabulous gown with a velvet bodice, complete with a rose-inspired green and red wig.
With her are fellow Drag Qabaret performers, Honey Gluttony, Unique Glow, and a rotating cast of gender non-conforming performers. Together, they are a regular fixture at The Projector events, most of which are held at the Cineleisure mall in Orchard Road.
Victoria, who holds a full-time job as a medical doctor, started the live-singing cabaret in 2022. “For me, the concept of drag was always very scary. Growing up in Singapore, I had very strict gender roles for most of my life. Watching RuPaul’s Drag Race sparked my interest – I’ve always been into theatre, but never pursued it professionally, sticking to more conventional careers.”
For her, the fun is really in the revelry
