Jake Mace
I’ve heard on the grapevine about a show coming to EdFringe this year mixing… wine and drag? Well this seems right up our alley! I’m joined for a glass of online wine with Beth Brickenden, sommelier extraordinaire, and Vanity Von Glow, the Drag Queen bringing glitz and glam to Mono Restaurant this August in the Drag Queen Wine Tasting. I’m fizzing with excitement.
Jake: Mixing drag and wine seems like a match made in heaven – Vanity, what’s been your favourite part of the process so far? And Beth, how was the experience of selecting wines for a drag audience?
Vanity: I’d love to tell you that the greatest joy has been working with an old friend to entertain people during the stress of a global pandemic, but that would be a lie. My favourite part has been getting drunk.
Beth: I love to select wines with buckets of expression that inspire some great (albeit, raucous) tasting notes, which we task our audience with too! Or I’ll go for lesser-known grape varieties that Vanity and I personify and bring something knew to our guests.
Jake: Vanity, what can we expect from your performance at the tasting? Will there be music, what kind?
Vanity: After a couple of vinos I can’t help but sing – expect Tina Turner, Abba, Celine Dion and more!
Beth: Vanity will be serenading Edinburgh – lock up your sons!
Jake: What do you both hope the audience get out of the experience?
Beth: I hope the audience enjoys a new approach to wine tasting with quality wine, low-ish tone, questionable hosts and just great fun!
Vanity: Drunk.
Jake: Now that we’re gearing up for Fringe season, what are you most excited for?
Vanity: Watching all the shows! Some of my favourite acts are in town – Fascinating Aida for example. I will also be hosting my daily talkshow The Vanity Project that people can come and see. I’ll be chatting to performers from various shows and finding out how Edinburgh is going for them!
Beth: I’ll have evenings free after doing our lunchtime shows, so cannot wait to get stuck into the other performances around. It’s my first Fringe, and from what I can tell, it’s gearing up to be a mighty one!
Jake: Fitting with the themes of our magazine, if your show was an alcoholic beverage, what would it be?
Vanity: A tequila slammer, because we get the party started!
Beth: Death in the Afternoon (Absinth & Champagne) – death by laughter… Don’t worry, we’ll revive you
Jake: And just so we can get a feeling… How excited are you to be involved in the show?!
Beth: We’re over the moon to be working with award winning Mono restaurant, just off the Royal Mile, right in the thick of it! We’ll be switching up the wines daily, so if Vanity doesn’t offend everyone and they’d like to come every day, they absolutely can! Great snacks from the Mono team in the mix too, perfect way to kick off the Fringe ventures.
Vanity: Edinburgh has so much to offer this year – so many bars we’ll be haunting in the evenings after shows. If you see us – come and say hello! I have been known to bite, but Beth is super friendly.
You can join in the fun of the Drag Queen Wine Tasting every day between August 4th and 14th, then again between August 16th and 28th Midday at Mono Restaurant at EdFringe. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.
Miriam Trujillo
