Venus Envy—The House of Venus Story makes West Coast premiere with live Wiggle 30 show, February 25 at the Rio Theatre
Michael Venus’s film about the rise of DIY drag celebration meets performances by Synthia Kiss, Peter Breeze, Symone Says, and more
Venus Envy—The House of Venus Story.
Synthia Kiss from Canada’s Drag Race serves as host for the afternoon.
Venus Envy—The House of Venus Story is at the Rio Theatre on February 25 at 3 pm
MICHAEL VENUS’S NEW DOCUMENTARY Venus Envy—The House of Venus Story makes its West Coast premiere in high style this weekend.
The film celebrates the unique rise of the artist collective The House of Venus, tracking the group from its humble beginnings throwing DIY theme parties—in Windsor, Ontario, no less—to a major force in Canadian nightlife during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The multimedia group grew to encompass fashion shows, album releases, and even a sketch comedy show. In the film, House of Venus prepares for its 25th drag-performance and wearable-art/outrageous-wig festival, “Wiggle”. The doc weaves together archival footage of club nights, drag performances, fashion shows, and Super 8 short films, plus interviews.
In the mid-1990s, filmmaker Michael Venus began work as drag alter ego Miss Cotton, House Mother and leading "Venus Girl" Cotton, eventually making appearances at the New York City’s legendary outdoor Wigstock and in The New Pornographer's music video “Sing Me Spanish Techno”, plus creating an array of Andy Warhol wigs for Vancouver artist Douglas Coupland's Mum and Dad exhibit in 2009.
To mark the occasion at the Rio Theatre, some of Vancouver’s original drag performers are gathering onstage—Wiggle Royalty including Mina Mercury, Carlotta Gurl, Symone Says, Peter Breeze, and two-spirit and trans star Quanah Style. Synthia Kiss from Canada’s Drag Race hosts the afternoon extravaganza.
The performance marks the 30th anniversary of Wiggle fest—so get ready for beyond-extravagant headpieces. 
Related Articles
