“There’s nothing better than a Manchester drag queen with luminous hair and a punny name, is there?”

Hello All,

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing everybody’s favourite “warped twisted creature of the night” Anna Phylactic! Currently living in Manchester but in truth “a kind of chameleon from another planet” she  has been charming audiences both near and far with her fantasy looks and “very British sense of humour.”

Anna is an amalgam of many different eras and styles, from “the club kids of the 80’s and 90’s” to “the Restoration period and Elizabethan costume” to even Alice in Wonderland! Drawing inspiration from both her theatrical training and a steadfast refusal to grow up she says she’s “an odd mix of macabre and explosive colour… torn between Disney and Night of the Living Dead.”

Despite now appreciating the way drag can be “powerful and transformative” Anna found the art at a young age simply because she “always enjoyed dressing up.” Being the kind of kid that camp just “shone out of” she was drawn to theatrics, and the freedom from being told she “couldn’t stand a certain way or act a certain way.” Being able to “fade into the background as a boy” only enhanced the dichotomy making drag “a way of breaking out of a mold that (she)’d been forced into, a chance to explore themselves fully.”

Word of Anna’s talent spread in part due to her appearing on the UK Drag Race Ambassador competition, alongside performers such as Joe Black and some of her Family Gorgeous sisters. Though she said the experience didn’t change her career massively (aside from a maxed out Facebook friends list!) it certainly alerted more people to her talent, and she said: “It’s all a bit odd really that people know who we are! It’s mad that people in America know your name!” When asked what other performers people should be on the look out for honorary mention went to all the Manchester queens and kings, with “HTC, The Librarians, Venus Vienna, Vaginia Envy, Jack The Lad, Pam Van Damned, and Joyce D’Vision” all making an appearance.

 In both looks, performance and personality Anna certainly is a captivating queen already making big waves in the UK scene. When asked what her one pearl of wisdom for up-and-coming performers was, she simply said “Aside from carrying a bottle of hairspray and bobby pins at all times (they have a multitude of uses!) never get caught up in drama! Say nothing and always remain pleasant. Popularity really does breed contempt. People love a drama – don’t buy into the drama game!”

You can find Anna here or here, and message me here / leave a comment to tell me what other performers I should be looking out for! I was truly honored to do this interview as Anna is one of my huge drag inspirations, so I can’t thank her enough. Have a lovely weekend and as always:

Stay Different,

Your Skye