Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The Alternative Miss World 2014: Andrew Logan's spectacle dazzles Shakespeare's Globe

Andrew Logan's masterful spectacle - now in its 42nd year - came to Shakespeare's Globe on the Southbank last weekend to dazzle the Bard's usually traditional stage

Kiran Moodley
Wednesday 22 October 2014 18:00 BST
Comments
The winner of The Alternative Miss World 2014: Miss Zero + (Sasha Frolova).
The winner of The Alternative Miss World 2014: Miss Zero + (Sasha Frolova).

Is this a dagger which I see before me?

Nope, it's a woman wearing latex and inflatables while a bulky drag queen sings "Nothing Compares 2 U".

That was the scene at Shakespeare's Globe last weekend as Miss Zero + (Sasha Frolova) was crowned The Alternative Miss World 2014.

English artist and sculptor Andrew Logan started the event 42 years ago, the idea being the amalgamation of two simple things: inspiration from the Crufts’ dog show and a love of throwing parties.

And what a party it was on Saturday: the 15 contestants unveiled their day wear, evening wear and swim wear to a packed Globe, with the individuals encouraged to transform themselves into whatever they wanted.

This wasn't a beauty contest: it was a night of transformation and celebration.

Miss Zero + was chosen as the winner by a panel of judges which included Fenella Fielding, Dame Zandra Rhodes, Molly Parkin, Zoe Wanamaker, Patricia Quinn, Libby Purves and Suggs.

How fitting that in a year dominated by the brutality, destruction and homophobia of Vladimir Putin, a 30-year-old woman from Russia who lathered herself in latex-friendly liquid to fit into the tightest of suits won an event more gay-friendly than brunch.

When asked by co-host Grayson Perry where she would like to go on holiday, Miss Zero + answered: "Somewhere far from Russia".

Other notable contestants included: Miss Nether Regions (Stefan Leenaars) who dressed up as a telephone box whilst holding a naked man dressed up as a dog; Miss Marina Psychopomp of the Counter-Intuitive-Homeostasis (Christine Binnie) saw two women embrace the nudist culture; Miss Katherine Wheel (Alexandra Cowan) was the first wheelchair contestant in the show's history; Miss Miss 3 Sheets To The Wind (Piers Atkinson) used bubbleguns for nipples; and Miss May B. Jones (Janet Slee) came out for each round on a gameshow set called "Who Gives a F***?"

The last three of these events had a gap of five years between them. After this year's spectacle at the perfect venue for misfits and mayhem, the contestants, the audience and the judges will be hoping Logan doesn't wait another half-decade until the next one.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in