If you could describe Yana Alana in under 40 words, how would you put it?
Yana is a self-obsessed, tragic and heroic femme-drag clown. A queer cabaret icon who is determined never to be a national treasure. Which is handy ‘cause I think she missed the boat on that anyway.
Tell us a bit about your show, Yana Alana’s Greatest Tits?
Yana has been on stage now for 12 years, she’s toured the world from the London Soho to a little town west of Melbourne called… actually, I forget what it’s called, but it’s further west than Nhill. Greatest Tits is her ‘best of’ show.
Describe the rehearsal process for Yana Alana’s Greatest Tits?
There is no rehearsal process for this show. That’s why it’s been different every time we’ve done it. Our pianist Louise tells me every time we get off stage, “We really should rehearse this show” and I say, “Yes, we should”, then we’re on stage again doing the show and thinking ‘Why did we not rehearse this?’. Honestly, we know this material so well now, it’s fun to improvise the transitions.
A winner of the Sir Robert Helpmann Award and an 11-time Green Room Award Winner, why has Yana Alana resonated so strongly with audiences?
She doesn’t apologise for being a fat, loud, queer woman. I think it helps to make people laugh, then, when their mouths are open she feeds them the politics.
What’s next for Yana Alana?
Something huge, but it’s embargoed. I’m very excited! Keep your eye on the socials ‘cause you won’t want to miss the queer epic-ness that is the next show!
Yana Alana’s Greatest Tits comes to Gasworks Arts Park from Thursday October 31 to Saturday November 2. Tix start at $30 from the Gasworks website.
