Ricky ‘Rhubarb Rouge’ Beirao is back in New Zealand with a one ‘wo-man’ Auckland Pride Festival show which he promises will flog you into a frenzy, a domanatrix’s saga Lashings of Whipped Cream! Beirao has been a busy boy since he left our shores. He now lives in Melbourne, and has performed his show Confessions of a Drag Queen in the city – as well as at Sydney’s iconic Opera House. “It was quite a good feeling,” he says of taking the show to the location. “You don’t realise until you’re there. It’s one of the biggest performing arts centres in the world and it’s quite an honour, performing there.” The performance artist can’t wait to come back to New Zealand with his new show, Lashings of Whipped Cream, which could be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Written by Fiona Samuel, it features the Brazilian ex-pat as his drag alter-ego Rhubarb Rouge, who in turn takes on the character of a teenage dominatrix. “It is a New Zealand play, and we are really excited. It will be good to come back home. I miss New Zealand a lot,” Beirao says. The play is incredibly kinky, and one which the actor picked up on in a class back at drama school. He always thought it would be amazing to do. “It’s a great play and I started thinking, well, how interesting would it be if you added a different layer to it, and played as a man?” What will be interesting is whether audiences see the character as him, Rhubarb, the dominatrix, or all of the above. “We don’t want to give it away straight away. We want the audiences to make up their mind and see what they come out of it with.” Beirao’s director Geoff Pinfield says it’s a very rich script. “It’s been an interesting challenge trying to integrate the accents of a gendered performance, or a dis-engendered performance, onto that.” He says there will be a few surprises along the way. “People can expect what they would normally expect in a session with a dominatrix. I’m not sure how many of your readers would have spent considerable time with a dominatrix ...” he adds as Beirao laughs in the background. “But for those who are looking to see some of the slightly more risqué sides of life, I think it certainly would be an eye-opener.” Pinfield believes all good theatre should be about pain and torture, and all good theatre should be a cathartic ordeal in some way – all as a good session with a dominatrix should be! The show is on from Tuesday till Saturday and Beirao and Pinfield think it would be a great Valentine’s Day treat – the 14th show will be a special date night. “If you’re looking to spice things up in terms of the more mature areas of your relationship, then this would be the ideal show!” Pinfield finishes. Get tickets here, quick! Jacqui Stanford - 9th February 2014