ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the performative and social aspects of drag—in this case, a drag performer fusing feminine and masculine markers and the performance centered around this persona. The issue is examined from two perspectives: the drag performer as an expression of cultural translation and the use of irony, masquerade and humor as critical tools. The case study is Arisa, an Israeli ensemble of mostly gay musicians and performers established in 2010, whose parties and video clips shatter the dichotomy between Western gay culture and Mizrahi (Oriental) culture in Israel. Thus, Arisa exemplifies Bhabha’s notion of the “third space”, where “cultural translation” takes place, resulting in hybridity. An analysis of Arisa’s clip “Po Ze Lo Eyropa” (This Ain’t Europe) serves to illustrate the observations made in this chapter.
