Panti Bliss, Ireland’s most iconic drag queen, is bringing her latest show, If These Wigs Could Talk, to Aotearoa, and if there’s one thing she guarantees, it’s that audiences won’t have seen a drag performance quite like it.
Speaking to Oliver Hall from Dublin, Panti reflects on her unexpected career trajectory, the evolving world of drag, and how a midlife existential crisis—compounded by a global pandemic—became the catalyst for her latest work.
Drag as Rebellion
Panti Bliss has been at the forefront of Irish queer culture for decades, but her introduction to drag was anything but glamorous. “I got into drag when I was young and skinny because it was ridiculous and stupid, you know—punk, underground, and two fingers to the establishment,” she recalls.
Coming of age in Ireland before homosexuality was decriminalised, drag was inherently political. “Even then, I was aware that it was a political thing to do in the context of the times,” she says. “But never in a million years did I think it would become a career.”
Drag, in those days, was an underground art form. “Back then, the world picked one drag queen at a time to make a living—Lily Savage, RuPaul for a while, and then she wasn’t, and then she was again.”
But times changed, and so did Panti’s career. What started as an act of rebellion became something much bigger. She was catapulted into mainstream Irish culture following her now-famous 2014 “Noble Call” speech at the Abbey Theatre, where she powerfully articulated the everyday realities of homophobia. The moment became a defining chapter in Ireland’s LGBTQ+ rights movement and cemented Panti as a prominent voice in activism.
An Ageing Drag Queen’s Existential Crisis
Fast forward to today, and drag is everywhere, thanks largely to the RuPaul’s Drag Race phenomenon. “Nowadays, young drag kids get into it because they want to be rich and famous,” Panti laughs. “Meanwhile, I found myself thinking, what the fuck am I still doing in a dress?”
Her new show is deeply personal, exploring what it means to be an ageing drag queen in a world where mainstream audiences now expect spectacle over subversion. “For a while, I fell into the easy trap of thinking the fight was won,” she admits. “Ireland became the first country in the world to introduce marriage equality by popular vote, and for a few glorious years, it felt like we’d made it.”
But that optimism has been tempered by the rise of the far right and renewed attacks on queer rights. “Writing this show made me realise why I’m still doing drag, why it’s still important. I found that fire again.”
From Bars to Politics
Panti’s journey has taken her from the underground club scene to something entirely unexpected—political influence. “Here in Ireland now, people take me very seriously,” she says with bemusement. “I get invited to government buildings, sent around the world by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, and every seven years, people ask me to run for president.”
For someone who got into drag to challenge authority, it’s a bizarre shift. “I never imagined I’d end up in this weird position, being seen as a respectable figure in Ireland.” But rather than shy away from it, she’s embraced the power of visibility. “It’s good to have a voice and be able to use it on behalf of your own community.”
That doesn’t mean she’s lost her sharp tongue. She wields the title “Queen of Ireland” like a weapon against those who oppose progress. “If some far-right goon is trying to set fire to an immigration centre, I love that I can say, ‘Well, I’m the Queen of Ireland, and you’re not!’” she laughs.
Living with HIV in 2025
Another recurring theme in If These Wigs Could Talk is Panti’s experience living with HIV, something she’s been open about since her diagnosis in 1996. “Back then, I was given about five years to live,” she recalls. “Now, it’s just one pill a day, and I don’t even think about it.”
But while medicine has come a long way, stigma remains. “The real danger now isn’t HIV itself—it’s fear and ignorance. That’s what still kills people.”
Despite this, she remains hopeful. “I’d rather be diagnosed with HIV today than with diabetes. One pill a day, and I’m grand. It’s fear that does the damage.”
A Drag Show Unlike Any Other
With If These Wigs Could Talk, audiences can expect more than just glitz and glamour. “People might come expecting a drag show, but it’s something else entirely,” she says. “My shows are funny and full of wild, salacious stories, but they always become something deeper.”
Her secret weapon? Subversion. “I lull you in with the jokes and nonsense, and then suddenly, you’re in the middle of something serious. By the end, I want you to leave the theatre ready to burn everything to the ground and start a revolution.”
And if Graham Norton’s glowing endorsement—“No one is making shows like this!”—is anything to go by, Auckland audiences are in for something truly special.
Panti Bliss will perform If These Wigs Could Talk from Wednesday, 19, to Sunday, February 23, at The Civic’s Wintergarden. Don’t miss your chance to see the Queen Of Ireland in all her glory.
