Sybil shines again with Dynamic Female Impersonators

I’ve seen Sybil’s Dynamic Female Impersonators for a couple of years now, and each one is more impressive than the last.

But on Friday evening, as I made my way to City Hall, I thought, ‘How is she going to top last year’s show?’

Well, we had it all this weekend – drama, glamour, grace, and even a prima ballerina.

This year’s event – Sybil’s eighth show at City Hall - featured five acts from North America as well as Bermudian drag artists Sheila Showers, Anomi Amaya Deveroux, and Sybil herself (aka bus driver Mark Anderson).

The international dazzlers were Steve Lindsey from Canada, and Teal Ashton, Sheila Noxezma, Skyler and Olga Supphozova from the US.

Peter Profit, from Bermuda, also appeared in a cameo role dressed in a hippy-type wig and garb.

Highlights of the show were Skyler as Lady Gaga, Sheila Showers’ tribute to the late Amy Winehouse and Teal Ashton’s performance of The Beatles’ ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’.

Other musical artists featured in the show included Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston, Tina Turner and Diana Ross.

Beautiful prima ballerina Olga Supphozova, aka Robert Carter, performs around the world with the male drag ballet corps Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.

Last week he jetted in to Bermuda from China to be part of Sybil’s show.

Sybil admitted she was “speechless” when the ballet star said he could make it.

Telling the audience Olga was in fact “straight” and married with children, Sybil summed up the importance of drag as an art form, saying: “It’s not about your sexual preference, it’s an art.”

The real beauty of Sybil’s show however, is in how it inspires members of the audience to sparkle.

The show has a nice balance of fabulous drag performances intermixed with audience participation and gentle banter.

Sybil is never shy about poking fun at her audience, and Bermudian traits in general, with a string of ‘local’ jokes ranging from “Are you late because you stopped to buy weed?” to berating the noisier theatre-goers.

There was drama – well there has to be at Sybil’s show. When some ladies became annoyed at two noisy women sitting in the row in front, telling Sybil, “They need to be sent out,” she replied: “Calm down. We’re not on Friswells Hill, there’s a lot of love in here. We’re in City Hall, the Carnegie Hall of Bermuda, so let’s cool down.”

We also had the fun “Bring me drama” catwalk contests, in which members of the audience were invited to strut their stuff on stage.

Health Minister Zane DeSilva was almost dragged up on stage to dance by Teal Ashton as Tina Turner. Sitting in the row in front I couldn’t help but giggle at his protestations as they gradually grew louder: “No, No, NO!”

The evening rounded off nicely on a high note with Sybil’s special guest, the amazing Sharon Brown.

Ms Brown, from Harlem, sang her 1982 hit ‘I Specialize in Love’, her more recent ‘Give Love A Chance’ and her new track, the catchy dance tune ‘Thinking of You’.

Looking fabulous in chic black trousers and a loose long-sleeved top, she also came with a message for Bermuda.

In the US Ms Brown raises awareness about gang violence, and having witnessed the situation in the US, she said: “I urge you all to protect and take care of your island.

“Do not have the attitude they had in Los Angeles all those years ago, ‘This is just a little bunch of people’. LA is gangland now.

“Reach out to your neighbours to save your community. Give love a chance. Bermuda, take care of this beautiful island.”