As co-owner of east London’s latest queer hotspot The Divine (which recently opened after the closure of The Glory in Haggerston), Jonny Woo has seen and done it all. Since his formative years in early-2000s New York where he was inspired to try his luck as a performer, he’s become a pinnacle of the capital’s LGBTQ+ scene, hosting the wildly popular annual LIPSYNC1000 competition and becoming a mentor to new talent, including Drag Race UK stars Crystal and Jonbers Blonde. Here, he shares his tips on performing, his career highlights, and why community is everything.
Describe your stage persona in three words.
Chaotic, provocative, generous.
What’s your most memorable career moment?
Opening for Peaches at the Royal Festival Hall in 2009. I came on after Charli XCX and did a kind of spoken-word a capella rap in this little shrug made of CDs to thousands of people. It was an extraordinary moment.
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever been given?
You’re so zeitgeist, and you’re so free, so two.
What vital elements should a good show have?
I’m a big fan of roller coasters, so it should be thrilling, unexpected, dangerous, exciting, and to some degree, exhausting.
What should be banished to a deserted island?
Contouring. Everyone looks the same — it’s like a mask now. And I don’t know how to use it. But some people have great bone structure — what can I say?
What tips do you have for a great lip sync?
It’s all about inhabiting the song, loving the song. Essentially, it’s about listening to the song about a thousand times to be able to do it properly.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen?
I don’t get very shocked by stuff. Like, I wasn’t shocked to see Ron Athey sit on a wooden pyramid in a church. But I do get squeamish when I see people banging nails
