Thinking & Feeling

“The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.” Horace Walpole

Sunday 17 December 2006

Em Cee Queue Pee

Yee Ha! MCQP was last night and it was a BLAST!

Everybody knows the MCQP party is the highlight of my year and the first thing booked into my social calendar. This was my 8th time attending and I think it was arguably the BEST ever.

It was again held at the fabulous Ratanga Junction, which is definitely the best venue to host this party, as it has great facilities, including good clean toilets, lots of bar areas and decent food vendors too, and most importantly it is sheltered from the inevitable gales of wind. There is also a good combination between in door and out door spaces so you can cool off and warm up as you need too, and there is always enough fresh air.

The theme this year was Comic Strip, and as usual Richard was in charge of costumes. We had already decided to incorporate my Camden market purchase from my London trip in January. It's not like I would ever have another occasion to wear it (outside of the house that is...). So it was decided we would be Nurse Barbie and GI Joe. Richard created some fun accessories and signs.

GI Joe was in camo gear, and had a few war wounds, and sported a sign reading 'War on Bush' on his back.

I had my shocking pink vinyl nurse outfit, white stockings, bustier with suspenders, clunky black buckled shoes (also quite Camdenesque but they were purchased locally and I seem to wear them to MCQP every year), and a sign reading " M*A*S*H Muff Area Shaved Hairless' !!!

We also decided that Barbie would just have to be blonde... oh my! The cringe worthy result shown. (Now you know why I had to put so much time in at the gym this past week or so!)

On the plus side I think I was pretty unrecognizable, even Richard said I didn't look like me. So I was able to role play a bit and go a bit mental in disguise.

We arrived at the venue at about 9pm, and as usual we had to make an entrance on a stage in front of the crowd and pose for photos. I find this a little nerve wracking, but it was fun too and a good few people cheered for us. Yay!

We stayed and watched the crowd and new arrivals for about an hour. As usual there were some amazing costumes and very creative ideas. Then we decided it was time to kick things up a notch and see where the action was. We walked around and found a dance floor we liked and danced there for a while. Then we found some friends and mixed with them a bit and then moved on to the main arena. That was pretty vibey so we danced there for quite a while.

After that we wheedled our way into the woman's only LUSH lounge. The dykey girl at the door would only let Richard in if he wasn't holding my hand (???). The LUSH lounge is basically all women DJs and generally only women allowed in, but the odd non-threatening and behaving man is allowed. Last year this was one of the best rooms to be, and there was a nice vibe again there this time. Although the nurse outfit was attracting more female attention that I needed, but it was all in good fun so it was cool. One girl came up to me and asked where I got my dress from and what label it was. It was nice to be able to say, 'Oh I bought it in London...'. But sadly it's no Gucci nor Dior!

We spent a lot of time dancing alternating between the main arena trancey area, the 80 room which is always a hit, the LUSH lounge and some time in a more main stream area and a more drum and bass area too.

The main arena also had live dance acts from mucho muscle men bump- and-grind dancers to the Cape City Ballet, who were a surprisingly big hit with the crowd. Roger Goode followed with an excellent set as usual.

At one stage we took a walk down to where the rides are and the Merry Go Round was running. We stood in line at go a turn to ride it. It was silly but really fun riding a musical merry go round with a bunch of grown adults all dressed like and acting like kids with sugar rushes at a birthday party. We took a few photos there but none of them came out very nicely unfortunately. Some more of my pics are here. Hopefully I'll find some on-line soon. We also bumped in the one and only Captain Beer from FHM. HE was wearing a bright pink satin Captain Beer outfit, instead of his usual black, and even as big and lardy as he is he manages to pull countless lithe and nubile babes wanting their picture taken with him.

All in all it was great fun, and it was weird but nice being a blonde for a night and getting a completely different reaction from people than I normally do. Countless people feigned fainting as I walked past and said, 'Oh I feel sick!'. So I should have taken a big rectal thermometer with me. LMAO.

We danced and danced until our feet ached and I was starving, so we ended up eating a chicken burger at about 2am. Then we went to the lower energy 80s (oldies) room where we had some slow dancing Frank Sinatra and Ertha Kitt to dance with exaggerated theatrical expression. Then there was a Frank Sinatraesque version of the Oasis song 'Wonderwall' which must be the Paul Anker swing version.

We final sat down in the Leather couched Admiral's Bar next door when what else but my very favorite 'Don't feel like Dancing' by the Scissor Sisters came on, so we had to leap up and dance to that too.

We finally decided it was time to call it a night and made our way home, getting in at around 4am... MCQP rocks!

10 comments:

  1. Gosh Jane that sounds like a lot of fun and BOY you look amazing!!

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  2. I reckon you're one of MCQP's mainstays!

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  3. Your costumes were brilliant as always. I have got to go to this at least ONCE in my life time!!!!

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  4. Lindy you MUST! I went to one, had lots of fun, threw my name away!

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  5. MCQP Rocks!!! I had a blast - i am so glad I made the effort to get to Cape Town for this and will DEFINTELY be there again next year. I will e-mail you some photos.

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  6. It wouldnt rock if you didnt throw your name away! LOL. The review in the Cape Times yesterday wasnt too good though, they said it felt too commercial and almost like "canal walk". Busloads of tourists rocking up from the Waterfront to attend. Not so sure whats wrong with that but anyway??!!
    Yet YOU say this venue is the best by far!

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  7. The purists want the parties the way they used to be, which was a bit more exclusive, avante garde, down and dirty and 'keep it in the family'. Andre Vorster used to produce them himself, where as now he has handed the baton on to a production team lead by Peter Hayes.

    The buses were bringing people from De Waterkant (where the pre- and after-parties were held)where a bus service was running so that people didn't have to drive there and back.

    After 10+ years you can't expect thing not to evolve, grow, get more organised and improve.

    Previously tickets were actual objects that had to be worn (like an afro comb, pink feather duster or pendant etc), but since around 10 000 people attend this event it's not possible to keep it that personalised and so computicket booking becomes necessary.

    And yes some of us who attend are 'straight', but it's still a very camp event and not of the average person who is averse to semi-nudity and generally unruly and slightly debaucherous behaviour. It is accessible to more people, but you'd still need to be comfortable with seeing same sex couples being couples.

    It's important to note that as gayness becomes more accepted and more integrated it is important for gay people to not discriminate against straight people. Am I not allowed to attend because I am NOT gay? Pah!

    People will complain about everything. I still think it's the party of the year.

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  8. Oh but you get these purists in EVERYTHING! Don't be put off by a Mili-Tante Moffies! It's people like YOU and RICHARD that make these events so brillaint, and the cross-cultural feel is what makes any fag like me love these events!

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  9. Thanks Gerhard! *grin* I am fairly self conscious about my legs from the knees up, so normally would never think of wearing something this revealing. :)

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