Hi! That’s a new post that I wanted to do for my beloved troupe: the Blacklips! For celebrating our legacy. (Ps: It took me a long time to do this post so please appreciate). The Blacklips Performance Cult was a celebrated avant-garde drag theater company born in my beloved New York in '92, founded by me, ANOHNI (then I was known as Antony Hegarty), along with my most faithful sidekick and my shoulder, Johanna Constantine, and Psychotic Eve. ✨ The troupe operated from the summer of ‘92 (the start) until the spring of '95.
-Our first gigs began at the Crow Bar, but after our first shows there, the collective [we] settled at the legendary Pyramid Club in the East Village (Avenue A, Manhattan).
-Our schedule was: every Monday night at 1:00 AM sharp, were always a new thing, completely original play to the stage.
-The Aesthetic: The style blended extreme drag, punk, grotesque and gothic horror, trashy science fiction, and surrealism. We used sets made from street garbage, handmade costumes, and lots of fake blood. -🕯️ Context and Impact: We were just there to entertain, but also a response to the AIDS crisis raging in those years: The collective was born at the height of the HIV crisis in NYC. The exaggerated and grotesque performances were a way to process the collective grief and anger of our queer community.
-A “springboard” for me: It was within Blacklips that I, Anohni, made my extraordinary voice known and appreciated. The shows often concluded with a musical performance of mine. -Our Last Act: The troupe officially disbanded on March 13, 1995, with our final work, titled 13 Ways to Die, which I will always remember. 📚 -Archive and Remembrance: Recently, thirty years after our founding and formation, our collective's memory was celebrated with the publication of my anthology book and double album titled Blacklips: Her Life and Her Many, Many Deaths, (I love that book pls if you have questions send them to me! And also pls, on my site, buy it), edited by myself, me, Anohni, and Marti Wilkerson (who took the photo on the left). So, I thank for the attention and byee! Love yall! I pray for the nature, for the freedom and for the safety and the future, the universe and the world leaders trust feminine ghosts, and have a good weekend everyone! ~ Anohni 05/02/26 xoxo 💋😘❤️✨👊
