Out and About with Panti Bliss

Welcome to the latest edition of Out and About, where we feature captivating conversations with fascinating figures.

This month, we’re thrilled to spotlight Panti Bliss, the beloved unofficial Queen of Ireland and a trailblazing “accidental activist.”

Panti is currently touring North America with the magnetic show If These Wigs Could Talk, sharing her riveting journey from Dublin’s vibrant club scene to becoming a pivotal figure in Ireland's LGBTQ+ advocacy and marriage equality movement.

Audiences can catch If These Wigs Could Talk in Toronto at the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre from June 6-9, in NYC at the Irish Arts Center from June 13-23, and in Washington DC at the Studio Theatre from June 26 to July 7.

Starting as a performance artist in the late ’80s, Panti rapidly became a mainstay in Tokyo’s club scene before returning to Ireland in 1995. There, she hosted some of Dublin’s pioneering club nights and the legendary Alternative Miss Ireland for 18 years. Her theater shows have garnered critical acclaim and packed theaters worldwide. Panti Bliss also played a pivotal role in the historic 2015 Marriage Equality referendum in Ireland, solidifying her status as a crucial figure in the fight for equality.

Her journey includes the viral impact of her “Noble Call” speech at Dublin’s National Theatre, which ignited international conversations about homophobia and later inspired the acclaimed documentary The Queen Of Ireland (both are highly recommended viewings).

Beyond the stage and screen, Panti has also authored Woman in the Making, her bestselling memoir which provides a personal insight into her life and work, hosted the popular radio show Pantisocracy, and continues to serve as a beloved landlady of her popular Dublin pubs, Pantibar and Pennylane.

In our interview, Panti shares fascinating insights from her latest tour, discusses her pivotal role in LGBTQ+ activism, reflects on the transformative power of travel in her life and work, and reveals the greatest solution for survival if she ever found herself stranded on a deserted island. Join us as we explore the vibrant life and impactful career of Panti Bliss, a true icon of resilience and advocacy.

Wishing you a safe and joyful Pride month ahead! ????

Favorite hotel?

PB: Amàre Beach Hotel, Marbella, Spain.

Favorite restaurant?

PB: Currently… Pickle Indian Restaurant, Dublin.

Favorite season?

PB: Summer - I'm Irish, and we don't have the luxury of taking any chances with the other seasons.

Must have travel essential item(s)?

PB: My phone - and anyone who says anything else is lying to you.

Beach or mountain escape?

PB: Beach.

Go-to movie to watch on a flight?

PB: As I've gotten older, I've become that psychopath who doesn't watch anything and just stares into space between naps.

If you found yourself stranded on an island, which three items would you hope to have with you?

PB: A satellite phone, instant noodles, Bear Grylls.

What’s been your most memorable/humorous travel experience so far, and why?

PB: When I was a student, an older, more experienced woman from Leeds in the North of England somewhat aggressively took my naive heterosexual virginity in a tent on a corn farm in the South of France while her equally experienced friend did the same with my straight friend, Liam, in the next tent. And during the clumsy, wide-eyed fumbling, the muggy night air was pierced by her friend's broad Leeds accent bellowing, "Get you kacks down Liam, all I want's me bit 'o crumpet and then I'm going t' sleep!" And sometimes, in the dead of night, I still hear her.

How do you navigate and embrace local LGBTQ+ culture when visiting different countries?

PB: The internet has made all of that much easier, but in the early days of mobile phones, in some parts of the Middle East, you would leave your Bluetooth on in certain whispered-about places (cafes, restaurants, parks…), and gentlemen would ping you grainy pictures. And occasionally, one would then approach you and quietly ask, "Are you a friend of the Mister Oscar Wilde?" And indeed, I was a friend of the Mister Oscar Wilde!

Are there any travel destinations on your bucket list that you haven't had a chance to visit yet, and if so, where are they?

PB: Would you believe I've never been to Fire Island? And I intend to change that when I'm in New York with my show in June.

Do you have any favorite LGBTQ+-owned or LGBTQ+-friendly businesses, hotels, or restaurants that you would like to recommend to travelers?

PB: Yes, I do, as a matter of fact! Pantibar (and its sister bar, Pennylane) in Dublin.

Thus far, what are some of the most memorable interactions or experiences you've had during your "If These Wigs Could Talk" tour?

PB: I always leave space in my shows to talk to the audience and find out who they are. And it's always one of my favorite parts of the show. I get to meet really interesting, fun people, and this show has been no exception. Turns out I love the kind of people who choose to go hang out with aging Irish drag queens on their night off!

Travel often inspires new material for artists. Can you discuss any travel experiences that have significantly influenced your performances or any particular destinations that have sparked new ideas for your work?

PB: I once took a fake boyfriend to Vienna to meet the Irish Ambassador, and the story of why in God's name I did that is in my show If These Wigs Could Talk - currently on tour!

As you bring your show "If These Wigs Could Talk" to North America, with stops in Toronto, NYC, and DC, are there any specific bars, restaurants, or attractions you are especially excited to visit or revisit?

PB: I've never been to DC before, so that will all be new to me, but I'm looking forward to "draining the swamp!" Which I assume is a euphemism for sexy stuff, right? It's been a few years since I was in Toronto, so I'll have to reacquaint myself with its sexy go-go boys. And in New York, I will definitely be visiting Three Dollar Bill in Brooklyn to catch up with its owner, another indomitable Irish woman, the glorious Brenda!

With the recent enactment of drag performance bans in various parts of the United States, how do you view the implications of these legislations for the LGBTQ+ community and the art of drag itself? What message would you like to convey to both the performers affected by these bans and the broader public?

PB: I got into drag thirty-five years ago when it was an underground, transgressive, punk, gritty, political, glittering "fuck you" to everyone and everything, and at a time when queer people and the queer community from which drag came were mostly despised, dismissed, and often criminalized. Drag survived then, and it will survive now.

Your speech at Dublin's Abbey Theatre has become a landmark moment in the discussion of homosexuality and homophobia in Ireland, eloquently capturing both the subtle and overt ways discrimination and societal norms impact the LGBTQ+ community. Since delivering this powerful address in 2014, how do you feel the conversation around LGBTQ+ rights and awareness has evolved in Ireland?

PB: There was a brief too-good-to-be-true period after 2015 (when Ireland became the first country in the world to introduce marriage equality by referendum and enshrined it in our constitution) when it seemed like we had achieved everything we'd fought for. In many ways, even exceeded our wildest dreams. But as has been the case in many places around the world in the last few years, there has been a strong pushback in Ireland, too, and right-wing, anti-queer voices have grown and become emboldened, so we've had to roll up our sleeves again. Turns out you can never take queer liberation for granted.