Gay London Life | May '24 Edition - Magazine - Page 26
Cabaret
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By
Jason
Reid
Someone who brought
joy everywhere they went.
That’s how I’ll remember
Miss Jason.
impossible not to be enamoured
by them.
When the sad news broke that
Miss Jason had died suddenly
on Monday 22nd April, there was
a wave of shock and disbelief on
social media coupled with heartfelt
Miss Jason
1968-2024
Over the years I interviewed Jason
tributes to a person who was loved
a fair few times, mostly about
by a great deal of people.
drag and performing but the most
Mary Mac who has performed
memorable interview was one that
at the Two Brewers flagship
Jason requested — to speak about
Sunday cabaret party for a
living with HIV for the first time
number of years alongside Miss
publicly in order to help others and
Jason said: “Thank you for ALL
break down insidious stigma.
the laughs! Backstage will be a lot
“I am not ashamed of my
quieter without you and the scene
[HIV] status. It changed my life
a lot less camp, dear! You did so
completely and I’m a better person
much for so many people and not
from having gone through it all.”
just only onstage. I’m so proud to
Jason explained to me.
call you my friend. A real huge loss
The impression I always got
was that Jason instinctively cared
but you will never be forgotten.”
Miss Jason’s longtime friend
about others which shone through
and fellow Brightonian drag
continually.
artist Dave Lynn simply said:
Each time I attended a Miss
Jason show I laughed like a drain
and sang like a bird. Jason’s razor-
“heartbroken” and “I will miss you
forever.”
Marsha Mallow is a younger
sharp wit, natural warmth and
artist who is proudly continuing the
uproarious rendition of Quando,
rich tradition of camp drag cabaret
Quando, Quando and various other
which Miss Jason was so well known
high camp singalongs is what kept
for across the UK and beyond.
cabaret-goers coming back again
“Through all the years I have
and again. A queen who was born
been in tights you have been a
to perform.
constant in my life, taught me so
Miss Jason wasn’t a drag
much, and as we’ve gotten closer
queen who went through the
over time you have said such
motions, reeling off gags and
profound things to me that have
belting out numbers. It was always
made me a better drag artist and a
apparent that Jason had a deep
better human.”
love for performing and a unique
“Thank you for our last
ability to connect with an audience
Sunday together, thank you for
through humour in a very down-
our friendship, thank you for the
to-earth way, which I believe was a
advice, the laughs, the stories and
major factor in Jason’s popularity.
thank you for the cheeky wink on
Jason was open-hearted on and
Thursday night and mouthing I love
off the stage, a kind of drag auntie,
you, because my darling I loved you
not the stereotypical daunting and
very very much.” Marsha said.
scathing queen.
Quintessentially high camp;
Miss Jason was the brightest
of cabaret stars who will never be
that was Miss Jason. And
forgotten and whose impact will
effortlessly so. Audiences felt
reverberate for many years to come.
safe and happy in Miss Jason’s
presence. When something
comes so naturally to someone it’s
26
Rest in everlasting
fabulousness, dear.