(00:00)
Crystal Lubrikunt: Y’alright? My name is Crystal Lubrikunt, I’m a camp drag performer and international potato from London, and welcome to my podcast; What Are You Like?! Each episode I’ll be inviting a fabulous special guest on and we’ll be finding out what they are REALLY like…
(00:19)
It could go one way or another, but prepare for good vibrations, good conversation, and most of all… campery. So start strolling, or grab your cuppa’ tea wherever you are in the world, whatever you may be doing, just make sure you stay hydrated, its hot out there folks! It’s summer, it’s humid and we are sweaty Betty’s… But any-who, let’s get on with Episode 2.
(00:37)
Crystal: Award-winning, charming and all round cabaret king, I am so pleased to be talking to Mark Anthony today. Mark exploded on to the London drag scene in 206 and over the years has snagged titles such as winning Not Another Drag Competition in 2018, and becoming the official Mr. Boylesque 2019, making them one of the hottest, well-respected acts on the Queer London scene. But what keeps them going? What makes them tick? Lets see as we find out what they are really… like.
(01:12)
Crystal: Hi Mark, how are you?!
Mark Anthony: Hi i’m great!… Still great.
Crystal: (We had) We had a few technical difficulties but we’re here.
Mark: Yes, we recorded the world’s shortest podcast.
Crystal: … It literally cut out after “Hello how are you” ?!
Mark: “Hi how are you, I’m great, goodbye”
Crystal: It was really funny…
Mark: Your voice trips switches. You can put that (as your) as your tagline; the voice that-that trips fuses.
(01:38)
Crystal: That is the testimonial - Mark sniggers - I’ve been waiting for.
Mark: Well there you go.
Crystal: Game-changer, switch-hitter, (I-) I’m down with that. How’ve you been? It’s quite warm today, I’ve got the windows closed and everything I am like a little steam room in here.
Mark: (I’m-) I’m good I have windows fully open… I’m not as willing to commit to the soundproof box as you are.
Crystal: Well you sound lovely my end, so it’s all good.
(02:00)
Mark: Great!
Crystal: (um) How have you been in lockdown?
Mark” (er) Up & down, it’s been a fun, olde roller coaster, while I have appreciated it in some ways, I’ve tried to appreciate what it’s let me do in terms of actually enforced resting and (like) sorting my brain out and other things (I think) much like other people.
Crystal: Totally, totall- (I mean) I was (er) lucky enough to tune in to (er) The House Of Grand Parade show and you did the most absolutely, astoundingly fabulous number - Mark sniggers - for them.
Mark: Yeah that was quite fun.
Crystal: I can’t remember, (what-w) what was the song, what was the song that you did for that?
(02:32)
Mark: Razzle Dazzle from Chicago
Crystal: Oh it was soo good! - Mark sniggers - It was so good Mark!
Mark: Aw thank you.
Crystal: I was sat (and I was just) like “Oh my god this is genius!” and you’ve also been working on Marked & Snatched…
(02:44)
Mark: Yeah…
Crystal: Which is your fabulous- is it stoning or actually creating the entire look?
Mark: It’s both (so um) Lilly is… Lilly Snatchdragon, my partner obviously is (like) the master of rhine-stoning so give her anything and she will rhinestone it.
(Um) but I, because I make most of my own costumes or clothing to make them into costumes, so basically in this fun period of lockdown where you’ve got to try and monetise all of your skills, (um that’s wh-) that’s what we try to do, so we do; (yeah) commissions for props (um) did a pretty cool tampon crown for Chiyo recently.
(03:16)
Crystal: Amazing.
Mark: That was really fun (um) so yeah just stuff like- pretty much anything at this point.
Crystal: I love that, I love that. And I believe it’s already been achieved and it’s way but there was a crowd-funded short film all about you called ‘marks’ is there anything you wanna talk about with that?
(03:32)
Mark: That was really cool actually, it was (like) a weird last minute thing that I was- it’s about my top surgery basically, and the- (so kind of like) they started filming (like) a week before I had top surgery, then they came to the hospital with me, filmed a bit before that and then they filmed my first time back on stage after having top surgery so it’s quite a cool lil’ snap shot of a…
(03:52)
Crystal: A lil’ gem to look back on.
Mark: Yeah! Definitely, we weren’t sure if it was gonna get anywhere or get picked up but that’s the way it was put at the very least it’s a cool (kind of) memorial I have of this period of time in my life (er) which is incredibly meaningful so.
(04:08)
Crystal: That’s incredible.
Mark: And it’s come out really well!
Crystal: I’m really looking forward to watching it, it looked- the trailer and (you know) the authenticity of your relationship with your partner Lilly, (you know) I don’t think a lot of people truly know what goes through that change in life, and I think it’s important for people to see it and to have a point of reference that will be this film is gonna be brilliant. (I-) I’m really excited to watch it.
(04:32)
Crystal: First & foremost, at the top of this podcast I wanna ask you yourself; what are you like?
Mark: What am I like?
Crystal: Yeah what are ya like?
Mark: Ooh that’s a good question… find it quite hard to-to describe that cos I find i’m quite (like-) very different to different people, if anyone- (cos a’yeah) Mark & Issac are quite separate entities (er) I think Issac’s like… I-I often get mistaken for being a little bit withheld or shy, but I don’t think I really am, I’m quite a sociable person where I think I’m just (like) a bit defensive because of (like) the way I’ve moved through life and the way people treat me as a trans person or whatever (so-) so I tend to take a minute to be like hmmmm… to work someone out.
(05:13)
Crystal: Scope the field
Mark: Yeah!
Crystal: And I think if anyone was to come and see your show they would think that you were far from shy.
Mark: Exactly (um) which is always quite funny when-when I’ve got (like) old friends that come and see me perform (they just, that don’t) they can’t equate the two (er) yes it’s quite a little bit of a mindfuck for them cos’ (yeah) they can’t imagine it and then they see it and are like “ah! Okay!” cos’ Mark’s basically (er) an exaggeration of all the existing parts of my personality that I’ve (kind of) suppressed so…
(05:41)
Crystal: It’s wild when you do have old friends come to your show that knew you (uh) years ago and then there’s this (er-it-just-there’s nothi-) it’s priceless to go out on that stage and do what we do, and do what we love, and to see their reaction because it is so raw because it’s just - Mark agrees - mind-blowing what (um) what life can do for us and what drag can do for us, it’s amazing.
(06:06)
(um) We’re gonna go on to our first section, Mark, and it is called; ‘7 Things’
Crystal: Now your lovely, lovely partner Lilly & I have chatted…
(06:23)
Mark: Mmhm…
Crystal: And they have supplied 7 things but I’m gonna read their in-quote message directly to you - Crystal sniggers - It says; “I am Lilly SnatchDragon and I care not for your rules and Mark has more than 7 words - so I shall give you 10.”
Mark: That is completely expected.
Crystal: So what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna go through these words, one-by-one, and you’re gonna basically (we-we) we are basically gonna decipher why they have chosen these words.
Mark: Okay.
Crystal: So the first word is; ‘Intelligent’
Mark: Okay.
Crystal: Do you consider yourself quite an intelligent person?
(06:58)
Mark: Guess so! I’m quite… yeah (um-) I’m a bit of a nerd (I-I-) went to a fancy university and studied nerdy things so I guess- yeah it’s weird describing yourself as intelligent.
Crystal: I was hoping that you would turn around and tell me that you studied Trampolining at the University Of Slough or something.
Mark: Oh yeah 100%, I know a lot about trampolines and springs (umm) I don’t, I know nothing.
(07:20)
Crystal: The second word is; ‘Witty’
Mark: Witty- (well, I mean) I hope so, at least on stage I think I am. I don’t always know where it’s coming from cos’ sometimes I open my mouth 100% convinced that nothing’s gonna come out and then something comes out so… there’s some kind of elf in my brain somewhere.
Crystal: I definitely find that when you’re on stage you have this ‘gentlemen’ demeanour - Mark sniggers - you’re very much a gentleman, and… (I think) the stereotypical gentlemen in-in the world’s head is witty & cheeky, and you definitely embody that.
(07:50)
Mark: I think so.
Crystal: The third word, which is I-I find very, very important especially in this day & age is; ‘empathetic’.
Mark: Oh yeah… (errr a-yeah) thats, that’s a nice word to have used about you, yeah I do (try and-) try and think about how other people are feeling, (I think that) a lot of that comes from (like) not quite being able to engage, or people not being able to quite work me out, (I mean) mostly gender-wise I think, so I (kind of) think I spend a lot of time second-guessing what people are feeling and what they want from me to try and… (I don’t know…) does that make sense? Try to figure where to put myself.
(08:21)
Crystal: Totally… For our listeners that may not be as informed as others (er) how do you identify?
Mark: I identify as Non Binary or Trans Masculine depending on how many words I can be bothered to type out - Mark sniggers - it’s the forms and…
Crystal: It depends on the energy of the day!
Mark: Exactly!
Crystal: Now the fourth word is; ‘patient’.
Mark: (I mean,) with Lilly, (she’s…) she’s a very passionate, energetic person so patience is key.
(08:50)
Crystal: (I mean) she’s an icon to say the least.
Mark: She is an absolute icon, she is.
Crystal: Now the fifth word is; ‘trustworthy’.
Mark: Ooh that’s good to know, well i’d like to be that - Mark sniggers - ah that’s quite nice yeah, I’m quite liking these words.
Crystal: It’s quite nice isn’t it?
Mark: Yeaaah!
Crystal: You can keep a secret!
Mark: Yeah.
Crystal: The sixth word Lilly’s given us is; ‘generous’.
(09:08)
Mark: Broke but generous.
Crystal: Too real.
Mark: Generous with time I guess is all I have to give.
Crystal: Well I’d like to consider these words are (er) a pre-lockdown word as well I would say.
Mark: Yes, stingy as fuck now.
Crystal: Before lockdown I wouldn’t have shared my Quality Street, now? Go on then.
Mark: Yeah fuck it.
(09:29)
Crystal: I feel like these last 3, (er) because I have combined the last two together because I think it’s beautiful, but the last 3 I think are really stunning, now the first of the last 3 is; ‘brave’.
Mark: (Oh) …I’m gonna have to say some nice things back to her later - Crystal & Mark snigger - cos’ these are really nice words, yeah I don’t know I try to…
Crystal: I think it’s pretty brave to be a performer but I also think it’s pretty brave to obviously have this short film made about you.
Mark: Yeah.
Crystal: And it’s completely shoving you in a (vuna’rab-) vulnerable light.
(09:55)
Mark: Yeah… (yeah that was-) that was quite intense I wasn’t… it was very strange to-to be cast in that (kind of) vulnerable light, yeah because the whole thing I’m Mark at the end of it but the whole thing’s (like) it’s about, me… in real life and being at the hospital, being filmed at a hospital before having surgery is an insanely vulnerable moment as well because I was (like) not wearing my binder because they had to… (um) put me in a hospital gown and stuff, and they were there the whole time doing that so it was (like) a very intense thing, (I wouldn’t-) I wouldn’t have let, (um) I’m barely comfortable with my parents being there in that (kind of) situation, so having a whole film crew was (like a) a massive thing but (I-I just) I thought it was valuable thing for other people to be able to see.
(10:38)
Crystal: I really think it is (a brilliant) a brilliant thing you could’ve done and you did do it, and you should be so proud of that.
Mark: Thanks.
Crystal: The second to last word is; ‘insecure’.
Mark: Oh yeah… Big time. I mean I’m yet to meet a performer that isn’t.
Why-why else do we do this?
(10:53)
Crystal: I was discussing with Coco Peru the other evening (um) who is on a previous episode and we both were talking about how… I think as humans and especially what we were passionate about was that, we would be more intrigued by people that are willing to show both the good light, and the bad light of themselves, and we find people that-
Mark: Yeah.
Crystal: -consider themselves 100% light, 100% (you know) a beaming positive energy, (wha-) that they concern us.
Mark: Yeah that’s not a self aware person I would say.
Crystal: And the last two, which I’ve combined together because I just think it’s just (such a-) such a lovely thing is; you’re ‘romantic’ & ‘the keeper of her heart’.
(11:38)
Mark: Aw!… She’s good at words isn’t she?
Crystal: Very good at words.
Mark: Yeah I try to be (I think-like-) at the start of our relationship (she-she wasn’t) she’s not a very romantic person necessarily and I’m quite a cheesy, romantic person so (I think) I just bombarded her with it until… she started to absorb it and do it herself.
Crystal: And you met Lilly at a show right?
Mark: Yeah at a competition, she was (um), I did Not Another Drag Competition (like) 2018… (errr)
Crystal: Mmm!
(12:06)
Mark: And she was the head judge (so) and (that was pretty mu-) I met her once before that at The RVT, and she did her (like) EWOK burlesque act and that was just everything I didn’t know I needed in my life. So!
- Mark sniggers -
Crystal: So we now have discovered Mark Anthony’s kink, it is EWOK & Star Wars.
(12:23)
Mark: (I mean) anyone who’s seen that act will tell you it’s deeply confusing & troubling.
Mark: It really is.
Crystal: If that isn’t the two definitions of the London Queer scene then I don’t know what is. Deeply troubling!
Mark: Be prepared to question a LOT.
(12:42)
Crystal: And I think all these words sum up such a (er) strong person, I would say as well, I think you’re very strong, I think to do what you’ve done with the film and also on stage to command the way that you do, I really do think that you bring such an edge of- you’re very dynamic especially, you’ve recently done an act where the entire look - again - is created by you, you’re very innovative with your burlesque and there’s no surprise that you are Mr Burlesque 2019, it really is no surprise to me so… I think, ’strong’ is one that comes to mind when I think of Mark Anthony especially.
(13:16)
Crystal: We’re gonna move on to our next section, it’s called; ‘True Love’.
- a slow guitar jingle plays as notable American television personality Thorgy Thor saying “Ok i.. am OBSESSED with mustard, I can’t believe I said that out loud’ is played over it -
Crystal: ‘True Love’ I want to know, is there something in life that you’ve loved since- as early as you can remember, since birth or since you were young… (um) we’re all young, sorry I’m just gonna echo that we STILL are young.
Mark: I was gonna say “Excuuuuse me?!”
Crystal: We’re still young and- something you’ve loved and always loved, is there anything that you can think of?
(13:45)
Mark: (Um) I am a proper nerd, (so) I’ve always loved- I thought I was gonna be an archaeologist so I’ve always loved (like) Ancient History (um) & Greek Myths, and all that stuff that’s just mainly incredibly Queer but you don’t realise that when you’re a kid.
(14:00)
Crystal: Is there anything that you’ve learnt that (er) through Ancient History that has… that is an untold Queer fact or story that you love to share.
Mark: So many things, (um) it’s so weird because a lot of, (like) a lot of what we get from Ancient Greek stories & text have come down and been translated at some point by a Christian scholar so, (the…) we’ve had these assumptions for so long that this is- our assumptions about gender & sexuality have been the same for thousands of years in (like) the white, western world when actually they were very narrowly interpreted by a small group of people at one point in history.
(14:38)
Mark: So there’s a story in (um) in an Ancient Greek text called Plato’s Symposium and this- this is where half of your listener’s turn off.
Crystal: Don’t you bloody dare.
Mark: No it’s interesting! It’s about Queer stuff, (um) that humans originally were (like) dual-beings so, they had two parts, some had two male parts, some had two female parts and some had one female & one male parts, (so like) the way it was drawn was two figures back to back, and each figure is either-of the same or with a different (um) sex, (err) and the story goes that-that’s the origin of love. That the God’s punished humans by splitting them in half and now we’re just running around trying to find the other half of us. (Um) but I just think it is a wonderful thing that there’s this idea (that) that the story’s about love but the assumption is that there was three interpretations of a human’s gender at that time.
(15:30)
Crystal: It really is mind-blowing, (I mean it goes-) one thing that always goes into my head is how colonialism led to people having anti-trans mentalities.
Mark: It could just be in a moment of interpretation, (like) I’m fascinated but this-this thing in the bible (they-) at the end of Invictus where it says (like) man should not lie with man, that was only translated to that for the first time in 1946 (like) before that (it-) everyone translated it as man should not lie with young boys. It’s got nothing to do with homosexuality and yet so much suffering and legislation has been based on this one choice to translate a word in a certain way.
(16:06)
Crystal: It’s barmy, it is so barmy but it is amazing that people like you and historians all across the world can RE-translate it.
Mark: I think that is gonna- yeah, there’s important work to do.
Crystal: Right! Now it is time for ‘Topic Of Choice’.
(16:29)
Crystal: From people, food, music, film to current affairs, (you know) all bets are off, is there anything you wish to talk about today.
Mark: I was thinking about choosing something happy & light-hearted but I feel like the thing that’s currently occupying my brain for most of the time is the-the J.K Rowling effect.
Crystal: Yes… Very much, I think it’s affected the Queer scene with their words and their actions especially, I don’t know on your upbringing but Harry Potter played a big part in my upbringing, in terms of escapism, (er) so it was very disappointing to see someone a part of… a big part of my escapism, come out as a complete ignorant imbecile.
(17:11)
Mark: (Yeah it-its…) it’s hurtful, it would be hurtful from anyone with that kind of reach, but (yeah) there is something about it that’s almost feels like she’s gone back in to your childhood and (kind of) ripped it apart. (This-) this thing you always had, especially (like) our generation, so much of our (like) imagination is-is built on this Harry Potter world that almost, to me it always (kind of) existed (as like) parallel to my own world, (even) I was genuinely disappointed when I didn’t my Hogwarts letter age 11, and a part of me is still waiting for it… So!
Crystal: It’s troubling because it shows a level of… toxic self-importance.
Mark: Yeah.
(17:49)
Crystal: From her part.
Mark: Platforming yourself to be the person that gets to speak about these things with- and (it’s the) it’s the way that she gives herself authority as if she is speaking from a place of deep knowledge, research & scientific awareness, it’s not saying “Oh I think these things” its; “these things are true, based on this one article that I found that is supported by absolutely no one in the scientific community” it’s-
Crystal: And she’s also a very good writer, and she’s using that to her strength.
(18:19)
Mark. Mm…
Crystal: - entirely in these arguments, and ultimately! She’s just being a bit of a dickhead.
Mark: Just.. if you sum it up, yeah! Being a knob.
Crystal: (Like) she’s just being an absolute knob and I am obviously disgusted by what they have been saying but (you know) there are a lot of people that have played a part in her creations; in the films, and I’m sure in the publishing world, that feel even more gooped.
(18:46)
Mark: For sure, yeah.
Crystal: To know that they’re a part of a franchise that now is rooted in problematic views… it’s-it’s (er) I don’t know what can happen from this point other than encourage that they better the fuck outta themselves.
Mark: (At least it’s just-) yeah you just have to- it’s weird, as a Trans person you almost have to be an academic because you have to (kind of) have all the these facts and things at your fingertips so when someone says something ignorant & stupid you can come in with a “I think you’ll find!” and be able to back it up - Mark sniggers - otherwise people will tear you down!
Crystal: (Yeah but) it’s a shame that you have to give your energy to these people, it shouldn’t have to be the case…
Mark: Yeah…
(19:20)
Crystal: Everyone should be knowing about this and learning about this, using unfortunate idiots like J.K Rowling at the moment to educate themselves, it shouldn’t be the Trans community or with ‘Black Lives’- the Black & Brown community, (um to-) It shouldn’t be down to them to give their energy to (especially er) people like me; cis & white folk, it should be down to us.
Mark: Yeah.
Crystal: And that’s what’s ridiculous is that she’s brain-washing, and she’s conditioning people, and it is… overall; ‘Swish & Flick’ fuckery Mark Anthony.
Mark: (Yeah) well I’ve decided that the Harry Potter novels actually happen the same way as Mormonism; they were just delivered to the top of a hill and found by someone on these bronze tablets (and-) and that’s how we got Harry Potter.
(20:05)
Crystal: 100%, I think there- (there is no harm)… I don’t think there is any harm in disassociating someone from their body of work. Right we’re gonna take a little break Mark!
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(21:02)
Crystal: So far in this podcast, whenever I’ve done ‘Topic Of Choice’ it has allowed (er) my guest to talk and vent about something that may be frustrating them, and then straight after the break we go into what? ‘Pet Peeves’.
Crystal: So Mark!
Crystal: (You can-) you can tell me a list, you can give me (just) one big one, tell me anything that is grinding your gears at this moment.
(21:30)
Mark: People who think that ‘not wearing masks is an act of (like) radical rebellion against the government’? That’s-that’s quite annoying.
Crystal: Cos’ plot twist, it’s not.
Mark: No (it’s, it’s) it’s a small piece of cloth on your face… that’s what it is.
Crystal: I went out into London yesterday for the first time in 5 months, and (er) I’m gonna just say it; it’s not hard.
Mark: It’s really- of all the things.
Crystal: It’s really not hard, and to be honest with you there were elements of this ‘new normal’ that… I felt safer.
Mark: Mmm.
(22:02)
Crystal: ‘Specially on the tube.
Mark: (I’m-) I’m loving the personal space, as far as I’m concerned that should just be a thing.
Crystal: Especially in this heat, to be on (a-) a sparkling clean Metropolitan line with no one bothering me, it is joyous to say the least.
Mark: It is, it is (you know)… pros & cons.
(22:21)
Crystal: I saw that (er) recently someone streaked across London wearing a mask over their private parts and-
Mark: Oh yeah…
Crystal: (Just small-) the small little acts that people think is gonna be clickbait I’m like; no it’s exposing yourself as an arsehole.
Mark: Just, eurgh…
Crystal: Stop being an arsehole. I’ve got it on m’laptop, I’ve got it on (er) lots of things around my house is just-don’t be a dick, and this mask culture? I for one am mask for mask I don’t know about you Mark?
(22:45)
Mark: (I was-) I am 100% mask for mask.
Crystal: Good to know your preferences, good to know your preferences.
Mark: Mm.
Crystal: We’re gonna move straight on to our next section which is called; ‘Somebody To Love’.
Crystal: ‘Somebody To Love’ is a time for you to talk about something, or someone that is- that you are loving right now, whether it’s a musician, or an artist, or someone in pop culture, someone in your home or something, a new biscuit you enjoy (you know) anything that is keeping you going right now, lets talk about it.
(23:20)
Mark: Well, (in terms of-) in terms of people I pretty much have just been locked up with one person this entire time which is; Lilly, which (er yeah) she’s probably been the thing that’s keeping me going, keeping me sane.
Crystal: I love that you say Lilly like - in an assertive tone - “Lillyyyyy!”
Mark: “Lillyyyyy”
Crystal: “Lilly darling!”
Mark: “Lilly darlin-“ it’s weird cos’ obviously (we-) we don’t call each other Lilly & Mark at home because that would just be weird, as if living our entire lives within the fantasy of drag (er) would be entirely functional.
(23:47)
Crystal: But in the dressing room it’s “Lilly, Lilly darlin’”
Mark: it is, “Lilly darlin’”
Crystal: “Grab the stones”
Mark: (Just-) “there’s something over there that isn’t rhinestoned?”
Crystal: “You see that fire exit sign there? I think it could with a bit of-a sparkle.”
Mark: “Just to warn you, someone has a costume that isn’t rhinestoned”
(24:02)
Crystal: Is there anything else that is keeping you (sort of ent-) entertaining you, or you’re loving it?
Mark: I’ve had finally-had the opportunity to start getting into writing, which I used to love to do but never found any time for-to actually work on (um) so I’ve been doing that a lot, I’ve bene doing a Creative Writing Course.
Crystal: Oh amazing!
Mark: (Er) just a free one - obviously - Mark sniggers
(24:27)
Crystal: And what has it brought you thus far?
Mark: (It’s just-) I think sometimes when you’re performing, and working and it’s a (kind of) constant grind, you lose time to have the freedom to actually create things? So I suddenly found myself stuck in a bit of a rut just before lockdown where whenever I’d try to come up with something it would be a lot more like ‘What do people want to see from me? (What-) what can I make that will be successful or that people will enjoy?’ Which… it wasn’t ‘What can I make that I love and I’m really excited about?’ Writing and… recently I wrote a (like) sample for a script, for a play that (I did-a) I got shortlisted for writing it but didn’t get it, but I wasn’t dissappointed because I managed to produce this thing that was completely different from this… ‘Mark’ headspace that I was trapped in and (kind of) remind myself…
(25:15)
Crystal: (I mean) you know as creatives we don’t get (um) ‘employee of the month’-
Mark: Mm.
Crystal: -we don’t get (er-er) a corporate pat on the back so the fact that you were shortlisted for something- that is being creative outside of performing, that’s amazing.
Mark: Exactly, I had such a (like a) small thing and didn’t actually result in any - Mark chuckles - monetary or otherwise gain (it just-) it reminded me (that) how much I love creating things, and that I don’t have to trap myself in this little box because I am trying to succeed in a specific industry, and I think that-that’s gonna... (er-as) as soon as I started writing I had a million different act ideas pop up in my head so you just let yourself, go.
(25:50)
Crystal: That’s brilliant, it’s just the creative flow; (I mean) I studied it a lot - about the creative flow - when I was at university and (it) once you’re in it (it’s-it’s-) it’s priceless, it really is priceless is there a direction that you could see your writing going in or is this play that you were shortlisted for, is it something that you wanna (sort of) elevate further?
Mark: I hope so, (I mean) I’d like to-to write (some-) some more… some plays for Trans characters really, (um) I had this idea of re-writing Peter Pan (like) focussing on The Lost Boys, cos’ in my head Peter Pan’s like (like) a Trans Masculine person cos’ he’s always described as being (kind of) trapped in childhood or forever young, and that’s (kind of); when you’re Trans Masculine, (that-that is-) everyone thinks I’m 17, I’m 26 because (you just) you get, it’s the Peter Pan effect that a lot of us refer to so, (um) kind of had that idea and then making a (kind of) Pantomime, Peter Pan Pantomime, but it’s (kind of) twisted, cos’ you never really find out who The Lost Boys are and how they’ve all ended up there, and… stuff like that, (I think-) I think… (yeah) I get frustrated - which I often do about seeing a lack of representation - then something you can do is create that representation, there’s no place for Trans people to play roles so I’ll write one.
(27:01)
Crystal: That is the way to go and you never know what you could do with that impact and-
Mark: Mm.
Crystal: -that is… (I think…) I think a lot of the industry needs get in to that mindset now of (you know) creating space, (you know) people think that just cos’ it wasn’t there doesn’t mean it can’t exist.
Mark: Yeah, definitely.
Crystal: Especially in this time where (er) people are unsure of going back to the workplace in terms of being a performer, and being a creative, it’s difficult and a lot of people are (sort of-you know-I don’t-) I hope this time doesn’t push people to the wayside I want people to have the same amount of passion they had for being inclusive as they did (er) pre-CoVid, and I think with plays and creatives like yourself you are going to, and you have been changing the game.
(27:51)
Mark: (I mean) It’s a huge opportunity, to (kind of) as shitty and stressful as it’s been not having any income and trying to rework your entire career to work under these weird change/circumstances, it is a huge opportunity we have at the moment to (kind of-almost) reset (um) and start again, and (ki-) when things do start up again we’re gonna have to adapt to a million different circumstances anyway and if addressing diversity/representation can be a part of that then there’s no better time to really do it cos’ the Status Quo (is-) has already been disrupted.
(28:25)
Crystal: Totally, I really do look forward- I think (it’s-it’s difficul-) it IS difficult to find a lot of… to find some positivity in the world at the moment but something I do really look forward to is for when we are a lot older and (er millen-) the generation that is millennial is in power, it’s gonna be so exciting to see who is leading, and who they may be and what they may represent I think it’s gonna be a completely different world that we are living in, just as long as we get through the current one.
Mark: I hope so.
Crystal: Now we are coming to end of the interview Mark, (um) do you have anything to plug?
Mark: Marked And Snatched is the biggest thing that I’m (kind of) meaning to plug right now, it’s (er) commissions, pre-made (err sort of), unique rhinestoned accessories really like bow ties, pet accessories…
(29:13)
Crystal: What is the weirdest or most-unexpected thing you’ve had to stone so far?
Mark: I guess the-the pet collection has (- I don’t kn) I’m (kind of like) a practical pet person that when I see pets dressed up in ridiculous outfits this part of me is like; “Oh… no” but now I have a whole range of rhinestoned pet accessories, and they do look adorable! Now I’m like; well we’ve put them on our cat and I’m like; actually, (there’s-) there’s something about this that is improving my day. So… - Mark Chuckles -
Crystal: And is there a look that you’ve put together that you are most proud of through (er) Marked And Snatched?
(29:43)
Mark: I’m super proud of the Tampon Crown that we made for Chiyo, I think it came out looking really incredible.
Crystal: They’ve made it their merchandise haven’t they? I ordered a t-shirt yesterday so it’s now solidified in history on… it’s gonna be worn by people!
Mark: This is what I love about this industry is someone will message you one day saying “Hey so I really want a crown made out of tampons can you do that?” and you just say “I don’t know how but yeah sure.” And then you figure it out! And then you’ve made a crown made of tampons.
(30:07)
Crystal: And it is now a piece of queer history!
Mark: Exactly.
Crystal: Well thank you so-so much for coming on my podcast today Mark it’s always a joy to speak to you-
Mark: Thank you for having me.
Crystal: I look forward to seeing you back in the new normal, back on the road, we work together from time to time-
Mark: Yeah.
Crystal: And I wish you nothing but the best, I wish you joy & happiness with Lilly, I saw the campaigns that happened over Pride season, people that don’t know; Mark & Lilly were a part of a campaign called Pride Inside, and you were on a humungous billboard right?
Mark: Yeah we were on loads of billboards, all the Clear Channel- Clear Channel gave over all of their billboards (to this-) to this Pride campaign so for a week we were driving past our own faces which was very strange but- yeah it was really cool.
(30:47)
Crystal: (It’s just-) it’s so phenomenal thought we are living in a weird time there are still - as I said - there are still positives to (sort of) hold on to and that campaign was definitely one of them, especially having Pride season in lockdown. And-
Mark: Yeah.
Crystal: As it has been (sort of) posted, I feel like it’s comfortable saying that you & Lilly are engaged and that is super-super exciting.
Mark: Yeah, yeah.
Crystal: Super-super exciting (um just), you are a part of such a beautiful story together, and as individuals, I think that’s something that I’d like to (sort of) echo is that you two are incredible people individually and you are an incredible person, I’m so excited for the new film ‘marks’ to come out and, for where you will go with Marked And Snatched, especially with the industry… the industry is wildly flourishing! In lockdown…
(31:34)
Mark: Yeah…
Crystal: In a weird ways, you know?
Mark: We’re like cockroaches, you can’t get rid of us, we’ll just adapt and survive.
Crystal: We are like CHER, and cockroaches! You can not get rid of us! Well thank you so much for joining me Mark!
Mark: Thank you.
Crystal: I wish you well, and I’ll see you next time.
And that does it for another episode of What Are You Like?! With me, Crystal Lubrikunt, thank you so much to Mark Anthony for their time and their energy on a really insightful and lovely episode. If you wanna hit up Mark, you can hit them up on Instagram at @MarkAnthony.dragking, and you can also hit up Marked And Snatched on Instagram as well at @MarkedAndSnatched, get yourself something sparkly you know what I mean? I’ve been Crystal Lubrikunt, that’s C-R-Y-S-T-A-L-U-B-R-I-K-U-N-T (@CrystaLubrikunt) on Instagram, and please! Stay the hell hydrated out there, stay the hell fabulous, and most importantly; stay camp. I’ll see you in the next one, buh-bye.