Fort-Coulonge made history on Saturday evening: the very first drag show ever to be held in the Pontiac took place at Cafe Downtown. For those who are unfamiliar with what ‘drag’ entails in this context, it refers to a manner of dressing in which gender stereotypes are challenged, and involves . . .

dressing and behaving in a way that is stereotypical of another gender. Men have been impersonating women theatrically since Greek Antiquity (if not earlier) and drag shows are an extension of this tradition. So why has it taken so long to bring a show like this to the Pontiac? Matthew Thomas Armour, the organizer of Saturday’s performance, answered: “I kept getting told Fort-Coulonge wasn’t ready yet.” Organizing a drag show in the Pontiac has been a dream for Armour for over a decade, during which time he would periodically ask his friends in Mansfield: “Can we do it yet? Is the Pontiac ready?” to which the response was consistently equivocal. “We have been waiting for the right time to bring this here,” Armour said. “Eleven years.”

Which is perhaps why Armour was so appreciative of the unwavering support and affirmation he has received from people attending and enquiring about this event. “I announced the show, and we sold all the tickets so quickly I had to book a second performance. We sold out for both shows in 35 minutes,” he said, clearly moved by the community response.

And it was the entire community at the event – not just those who identify as LGBTQ. During the show, one of the performers, while interacting with the crowd, asked: “How many straight people are here tonight?” There was a show of hands – about half of the audience waved and whooped. “Everyone is welcome, it’s a lot of fun,” said Armour, who watched the show with his mother, who was also there to show support.

It was mostly a younger crowd, full of vim and vigour. The crowd was engaged, curious and lively. At times, individual members of the audience (and the restaurant staff) were invited to interact with the performers — if they wished. “Consent is important” was the message from Sunshine Glitterchild, one of the queens. The other three performers at Saturday’s event were Kimmy Couture (the hostess), Aimee Yonce and Saltina Shaker, all of whom are seasoned entertainers. They perform regularly in the Ottawa area. These are professional artists with a strong, well-rehearsed act.

The show is extremely high-energy. Their dancing is mesmerising – it is truly astonishing how athletic and graceful the performers are. Their high heeled boots are not a deterrent for their acrobatics — Sunshine Glitterchild was especially entertaining as she danced on the room divider with Le Cafe Downtown owner, Rémi Bertrand. The restaurant staff also got to dance onstage. Between songs, each actor talked to the audience, engaging in friendly banter that would often segue into something sexually suggestive and funny. But there were moments of positive affirmation and encouragement for the audience, such as when Aimee Yonce stood on stage and announced “it doesn’t matter if you’re straight or LGBTQ – there are lots of straight drag queens. Go ahead and express yourself, whoever you are. Don’t hold yourself back, and don’t allow others to stop you from living your life. Look at what I’m doing.”

The drag show is a lot of fun but not for the prudish. This event combines elements of singing, dancing, fashion and theatre, all blended together with exotic dancing, gender-bending, comedic engagement and impressive athleticism – all performed by actors in flamboyant lingerie and heels. Almost everything is sexually charged and flamboyantly performative. There are a lot of jokes about sex, innuendo, comically lewd gestures and provocative dancing. That’s the tame part – and the audience loved every minute of it. Despite the makeup, fishnets and heels, there is no actual nudity. Just plenty of suggestion and ‘lewdity’ and banter.

“It’s about time LGBTQ+ be openly celebrated in the Pontiac,” said Michèle Gagnon, who has known the organiser, Matthew Thomas Armour since he was in high school. “Matthew has been challenging people to be more open about gay culture since he was a teenager,” she said of Armour’s trailblazing efforts. “It’s so amazing to be in a space, in our small town, and have people celebrate queerness.”

In response to the overwhelmingly positive support he has received, Armour has planned another drag show for the near future. “Early next year, we will be hosting a bigger show, at a bigger venue, and it’s already planned. Stay tuned – we will be releasing details soon.”

Making history and making it fun: (from left) Kimmy Couture, Aimee Younce, Rémi Bertrand (owner of Cafe Downtown), Matthew Thomas Armour (event organiser), Saltina Shaker, and Sunshine Glitterchild.

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