Lypsinka Hits London!
Report and interview by Pippa Brooks
Photo by Steven Menendez
DO NOT miss The Fabulous Lypsinka Show next month (26th-28th March), when she will be performing as part of the And What? Queer Arts Festival in London.
Mississippi-born John Epperson's creation, Lypsinka is an astounding study; the hands, eyes and posture; utter perfection. The lip-synching, immaculate. With clever, inspired cutting, the soundtrack splices between song and dialogue, magical fragments of 20th Century divas; from Joan Crawford in crisis to Kay Thompson's pizazz. The spectacle of Epperson being Lypsinka who in-turn slips in and out of character is both jaw-dropping and hilarious - avant-garde and surreal. I cannot WAIT!
Wylde: First of all, I can't tell you how excited we are that The Fabulous Lypsinka Show is coming to the And What? Queer Arts Festival next month! Your London performances have been too rare! Do you enjoy coming to London? What are your favourite things to do here?
John Epperson: I've been to London many times since February 1976. My favourite thing at that time was going to the theatre. At that time I saw Danny La Rue in the West End in The Exciting Adventures of Queen Daniella and others. In the summer of 1979 I was there for a few weeks – staying at a friend's place in Battersea – and I saw lots of theatre including Glenda Jackson in Anthony and Cleopatra, the first West End production of Chicago, The Rocky Horror Show, etc. Now I enjoy simply walking around and looking, especially in neighbourhoods I have not seen. London in the past has had lots of book stores, and I like to shop for books. I hope the stores are still there! (We have few in NYC now.) I also hope to have time to visit with some friends. A dear friend is turning 70 while I'm there.
I was lucky enough to see you perform at the Drill Hall, London in the Nineties. Your creation, Lypsinka is the most meticulously studied, polished performer, who seems to embody the divas who flash before our eyes! The posture and body language is as studied as what is going on facially. I know you started performing in the late Seventies/early Eighties in New York and I wonder if Lypsinka was born fully-formed… what were your early shows like?
Thank you for the nice words! No, I can't say Lypsinka was fully-formed when she was created in 1982. Everything was very primitive. Costumes were purchased at thrift shops. And when I had the opportunity to perform, the sound was that of dropping a needle onto vinyl. All of that got slicker as the years went by.
Photo by Steven Menendez
The women you embody in performance are often those who were as much revered as maligned, the “difficult” stars of the Forties, Fifties & Sixties. You clearly adore them all. Which actresses inspire you the most, and why?
I never thought of Joan Crawford as difficult, but, then, I was never her boss! Lypsinka was inspired by an American actress who was very popular in London. Her name was Dolores Gray. I first saw her around 1982 in a movie from the Fifties called It's Always Fair Weather. I went to the movie because it's an MGM musical with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. I didn't expect to see this woman named Dolores Gray. I was fascinated by her, and I thought to myself: "Some people impersonate Cher or Liza or Barbra. I'm going to impersonate this person who is not so famous. But with my own twist, not a straight impersonation." I got to know Dolores; she came to a performance, and when she died I was asked to speak at her memorial service.
In 1992, you famously starred on the runway for Thierry Mugler (see above) in a triumph of co-ordination of lips, choreography and repeated outfit reveals! Did you enjoy the experience? I’m guessing yes, since I believe you repeated the show in Tokyo, Paris and LA!
To clarify, the first appearance was in Paris in the Autumn of 1991. Yes, I enjoyed it very much, but it was very chaotic, and my performance really was a performance, not a runway model appearance, and I needed more rehearsal on the runway with lights and sound and the male models onstage with me, to get it absolutely right. (I'm accused of being a perfectionist; or lauded as a perfectionist, depending on your point of view.) It went smoother in Tokyo a month later. And the LA show was in April 1992. That may be the one you've seen online. A couple of months after the LA show we filmed the George Michael video Too Funky in Paris [see below], which was also chaotic, but filming is very different than stage performance. All of this was fascinating, of course, and I love Paris and Tokyo and LA. I suppose I should write a book! My book would not just be about those events, but I know people are interested in them. The George Michael video was filmed at the Studios de Boulogne where many famous and important films were made.
It’s important to mention the humour in your work; your comic timing is flawless. Who are your comic heroes/heroines?
When I was a kid I always got a kick out of the physical humour of Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett. Burnett also sometimes did a more cerebral humour that was sophisticated. I also saw on TV in the Sixties Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, Totie Fields; all very funny. Lucy was on Monday nights. And then along came Laugh-In on another network at the same time as Lucy, and I gave up Lucy for the more sophisticated, ironic humor of Lily Tomlin. And, years later, Lily and I got to know one another and performed together a few times.
Photo by Steven Menendez
When not becoming Lypsinka, you are an actor, writer and musician (not to forget that you write, edit and act when you are her!). I'm sure it takes a lot of work to be her. Which state of being do you prefer?
I've heard it said that Divine got sick of his tube dress that he wore for his club appearances. I can't say I ever have gotten sick of putting on the drag, but I don't have to do ONLY that. I enjoy being Lypsinka when I have my "team," my hair and make-up people, a good costume, good lighting.
Without giving too much away, what can we expect from The Fabulous Lypsinka Show?
The Lypsinka fans will walk away very satisfied, and hopefully the new audience will too. My goal is to satisfy the audience and maybe even give them a "transcendent" experience.
The Fabulous Lypsinka Show is on 26th-28th March at The Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF, part of the And What? Queer Arts Festival. The festival runs from the 13th-29th March, across twelve different venues.