Alexander Zatula calls himself the Czech Cher.photo: Ján Lörincz
TINA Turner takes to the stage with her energetic Simply the Best; Whitney Huston sings the heartbreaking I'll Always Love You; Madonna twists to her Music and Cher mixes her best songs. It's a night full of stars - male stars. All songs are performed by a transvestite quartet called The Butterflies.
The Czech Butterflies opened their first tour across Slovakia on February 1 in Bratislava's Culture and Leisure Park (PKO). Their almost two-hour show is a part of an evening of entertainment called Wau Scandal!!! which includes a concert by the band Seven Days to Winter, and a dance show by Globe Clubbers and Discoteque. This week, the transvestite group plans to visit Nové Zámky and Košice.
The idea of donning women's clothes started when Ľuboš, or Sonja Butterflies - his stage name - came to a masked ball dressed as a woman. He was so convincing that the audience urged him continue with his cross-dressing. Five years ago, Ľuboš and three other men formed The Butterflies.
"Transvestism to me is only a special form of acting, it's a change from one sex to another on stage," said Alexander Zatula, performing under the stage name Czech Cher.
Zatula came to the Czech Republic seven years ago after graduating from a Russian drama school. He has never had any special relationship to Cher. He started to imitate her thanks to his similar looks, and is delighted that she now helps him earn a living. The US MTV station even invited Zatula to perform as Cher's double on one of its programmes.
The Butterflies design their own costumes, create their own choreography and do their own make-up and hair-styling. But they have trouble finding women's clothes to fit their frames. "Only France and America make high heels in the size we need, and they cost $60 to $80," said Zatula.
While they have still not become accustomed to wearing stockings and bras, they say they find high heels almost as comfortable as slippers. "Skirts are also quite practical for a man," said Zatula. "They're comfortable, and I can well understand the Scots."
Shows start at 19:30. Tickets: Sk299. For more information go to www.fajn-club.sk or tel: 02/6595-6020 (30 or 50).
Coming dates:
Feb 15Športová hala Milénium, Nové Zámky
Feb 16Jumbo Centrum, Košice
Feb 22Culture and Leisure Park (PKO), Prešov
Feb 23Culture and Leisure Park (PKO), Poprad
Mar 1Dom Odborov, Žilina
Mar 2Klub Merina, Trenčín
By Zuzana Habšudová
