Few people are bold enough to impersonate famous divas such as Liza Minelli and Dame Shirley Bassey, and it’s even more unusual for the impersonator of such famous females to be a man. But for Trevor Ashley, it’s his normal day job, and one that has audiences laughing all the way through his one-man show.

“I’ve just always been able to sing like a diva and act like one!” Trevor joked. “I’ve sort of given myself that confidence and I love it. I have such a great time becoming somebody else of that grandeur.”

The internationally renowned drag artist brings ‘Diamonds are for Trevor’ to the Brisbane Festival this month, where he will perform 18 of Bassey’s best hits – including some she never publicly showcased. While Trevor is no stranger to the stage nor impersonations, he likes to spend a couple of hours (usually in the dressing room) listening to Bassey’s albums, hearing her voice and preparing to embrace her persona.

“I tend to put on albums of Bassey backstage, just to get me in the headspace, and knowing that even though I’ve done this so many times, it’s nice to just get your head in the zone that way.”

Trevor’s ambition of being a drag impersonator was thrust upon him when working as a performer, struggling to make ends meet. “I started out as a male cabaret performer when I was 18 or 19 years old but I couldn’t get enough work to live,” Trevor said.

“One time, this drag queen came to one of my shows in Sydney and said, ‘you know what, you should do drag, and you should come and learn from me’.

“It basically just all started there in the Sydney pubs: pub drag and working six nights a week, and that’s where I would go ‘oh, let’s do a Bassey number.’ So I’d put a Bassey song together and get all dressed up and come out and do it.”

What started out as one or two songs in a show has now built into a two-hour spectacular with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by none other than John Foreman.
For audiences attending Diamonds are for Trevor, expect the most fabulous Bassey numbers with a few laughs and quirks from Trevor thrown in.

“It’s actually quite a funny show, you get a lot of laughs and a lot of heart and of course, the fantastic orchestra …all live,” Trevor said.

You can catch Diamonds are for Trevor complete with feathers, flash, and frequent diva tantrums during the Brisbane Festival on September 29th at QPAC.

For tickets and info, visit www.brisbanefestival.com.au.