By day Scott MacDonald is a computer programmer- but by night he is a drag queen who is like a “Scouse mum who used to be in the Crosby circus.”
The 22-year-old, originally from Old Swan, performs as part of a musical trio known as The Royales as his alter ego Vanilla Bon Bon. The former computer science student has been “playing around” with drag for over four years now after he was inspired by dressing up as the Queen of Hearts from Alice in the Wonderland in his job as a children’s entertainer.
Since then, he has gone on to compete in multiple competitions up and down the country, with last year seeing him take home the title of Miss Congeniality Drag UK 2021 from a coveted charity pageant.
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The former Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School student told the ECHO : “As I was out in drag I loved making people laugh and wondered if it was something I could keep doing, especially as everyone told me I should do it more professionally. Drag for me is a complete 360 from my day job where everything is logical and professional. I can be silly, creative and a downright trollop. It gives me a chance to display the creativity that I wouldn’t have an outlet for otherwise.
"My drag is influenced by powerful Scouse women, comic book superheroes, and over-the-top cartoon characters. Imagine a mix between the pink Power Ranger and Jessica Rabbit if she was a scouse mum at Aintree for Ladies' Day.”
Despite having gone out in drag for just under half a decade, Scott only made an appearance as Vanilla on Liverpool's gay scene last year while he was in his final year at Liverpool John Moores University.
Scott, who could be found “helping people forget their troubles and stress by making them laugh for a little while” in Stanley Street’s Superstar Boudoir, hopes to make his mark in the drag industry by appealing to the older generation when performing. While comedy is always the main focus of his shows, he said his repertoire is rounded off with “old school drag humour and older songs from Frank Sinatra and Shirley Bassey.”
Regardless, dressing up in a blonde updo and pointy heels hasn’t come without its challenges as Scott admitted he has experienced homophobia as a result of his drag and sexuality.
He said: “I think every drag queen has experienced this at some point, but one rule I have is never come for a drag queen. We have better wit and much more bottled up anger to give back and it definitely has something to do with the pain of wearing 10 pairs of tights and a corset.”
Scott has moved to London for a full-time graduate job but still considers himself part of Liverpool drag scene as he says “Liverpool will always be my community and my home,” and in case you missed him while he was here, he compared his drag persona to a “Scouse mum who used to be in the Circus at Crosby.”
