This weekend, 42 years later and numerous Alternative Miss Worlds in between it returns to London’s Shakespeare Globe to crown it’s 13th winner for their most fantastical and imaginative creation. Princess Julia speaks to the shows founder, Andrew Logan…
On the legacy…
“42 years, my God! I am rather [astounded]. Yes, it just keeps going and it’s lovely because it still captures peoples imagination, people still get excited. It’s never got jaded, it’s always remained fresh and I think as long as that happens I will continue to do it. You might be pushing me in on my wheelchair, we can have a wheelchair session! I met Peaches Christ the other day, he was saying how Divine, the Alternative Miss World and all those things have made all things possible for young people. It’s wonderful that you can give people inspiration to say, ‘Oh I can do that’.
On making the magic happen…
“It is organic, like my sculptures really, you’ve seen how I work, everything just grows. For Alternative Miss World I make the crown and then everything emerges from that, and the magic… I do put my own flavour on it. I set up a situation and just allow everyone to let rip really.”
On his favourite entrants…
“There are so many, but of course my sister Janet has entered every one which is remarkable. I mean, she’s not known for her performing qualities, I just think that’s wonderful. Then there are people like Derek Jarman in ’75, which changed his life, his career. Brunnel Penhaul who was known as Transformer back in 1991. The theme was ‘air’ and he entered as Miss Gale Force Wind – extraordinary man. Miss Aldershot – Michael Haynes, in 1981 when he had the Irish Guards and came on with a choir of 500 – and all this completely unknown to me. I know people who enter but I actually don’t know what they come as. I haven’t a clue who they are when they appear on the stage. I have a form and I just read out the outfits so that there’s an element of surprise to me and the audience. I haven’t a clue, no fixing no! No bribes here.”
On the 2014 judging panel…
“We’ve got the lovely Fenella Fielding, and then I’ve got Angela Flowers – who I’ve known for yonks – Molly Parkin, Zandra Rhodes, Daniel Lismore, and we’ve got Zoe Wanamaker who is the daughter of Sam Wanamaker who’s dream it was to build The Globe. Sadly he never saw it in his lifetime. Anthea Eno – Brian Eno’s wife, who is huge collector of my work, and Fancy Chance of course, how can we forget Fancy! And my brother Peter.”
On a family affair…
“It’s always a family affair. Peter [Logan] did music in the early ones, he was a brilliant DJ, so its nice to say ‘would you like to judge this year?’.”
On his co-host, Grayson Perry…
“We do have Grayson this year. In 1985 he came on with Jennifer Binnie. They were an item, and then in 1986 he came on his own, on a cross. I believe he’s having a truck to bring his outfits. He very kindly agreed, because he’s so busy now, he’s doing so much, the darling of the art world which is wonderful. I just said not to upstage the contestants, we mustn’t have this happen because really they are the most important, he’s got to hang back a bit. We take it in turns to announce each contestant.”
On the element of surprise…
“It is a surprise every time I’ve done it. Every time I walk out on that stage there’s this incredible feeling of warmth, complete joy. I think, ‘my god this is fantastic’ and on we go. That’s the basis of it really, that warmth. It’s very difficult to get hold of, it just doesn’t occur in our lives, but at the Alternative Miss World it does. Then there’s all the madness and everything. You never know what may happen.”
On crossing generations…
“We have Kate Malone’s daughter, Scarlet, she’s 17, and I know she’s entering. She’s the youngest contestant we’ve ever had. I think Morgan, my goddaughter, is now choreographing the Numberettes. They do that routine at the beginning of the show.”
Summing up the Alternative Miss World
“‘A surreal art event for all round family entertainment,’ is what I use to describe the event. I think that sums it up for me actually, that says it all!”
Credits
Text Princess Julia
Photography Robyn Beeche