The Queen of almost' is a solo drug show written by Hadas Bashan for Talula Bonet.
Talula Bonet is a drug queen created by the young actor Tal Kallai 12 years ago, and up to now was mainly assigned with the biggest gay party lines in Tel Aviv
This is the first time Kallai has given Talula a stage to reveal her wishes, and personal voice. Talula tells her story, how she almost became the ultra-star of Tel-Aviv's great cultural life. Moving from the Kibbutz to the big city, she was sure she'll fast become famous and admirable for her talent.
Sounds like you have a lot of empathy to the character, even though it seems like it is the type of a person most of us will despise
We hear a lot of people getting out of the show, saying they found themselves in Talula's story: single ladies, gay guys, and obviously most of the people living in Tel Aviv, who are all familiar with “the almost” syndrome we talk about in the show. Apparently, we recognized a fundamental element; most people can identify with and share.
You have been going on with Talula's drag shows for over 12 years.
How much of Talula you have created is in Bashan's play?
Before this play, Talula mostly served as a side-kick in different TV shows and big entertaining gay events in order to add glam and color to them. She had never had the chance to “tell her story” right, so no one really knew who she really was, including me. Bashan sawed the pieces of her past together into a full picture, and Dudu Yzhaki's musical management contributes greatly to the way we wanted to tell it.
You were brought up in Jerusalem, where you also took your studies in the prestigious acting studio of Nissan Nativ's.
How would you compare what Tel-Aviv has to offer to the gay community with what Jerusalem is offering?
People may not know this, but even though it seems that everything happens in Tel Aviv, including the most significant gay party lines and events, Talula was actually born in a gay bar in Jerusalem, alongside with my fellows to the process where the group of drag queens “The holly Wigs” set their place. I'm proud to say that this is where Talula started, and all of us in “Holly Wigs” still keep a special place in our heart for to the first gay bar to accept us there.
I keep a new tradition now to perform every Monday in MIKVE- the new gay bar in the holly city with my weekly solo show: GEVALD