It was 15 years ago that I first met Mink Stole and Joshua Grannell (a.k.a. Peaches Christ) when they did a special chat just before a midnight screening of Stole’s 1977 film, Desperate Living, at the 2009 Seattle Queer Film Festival.
In Portland on August 4th and Seattle on August 6th, Stole and Peaches are back with an extended program.
An intimate, revelatory, and heartfelt cabaret show starring living legend and cult film icon Mink Stole
alongside San Francisco drag impresario and filmmaker Peaches Christ. Mink and Peaches have been
close friends for over two decades and would like you to join them for an evening of storytelling, film
clips, and live song in a wildly entertaining and uncensored exposé that is as hilarious as it is revealing.
If you’re a fan of John Waters’ films, Divine, drag history, or cult movies, you don’t want to miss this
one-of-a-kind event.
Mink Stole is best known for her work with filmmaker John Waters, with whom she has created iconic
characters such as Connie Marble in Pink Flamingos, Taffy Davenport in Female Trouble, and Dottie
Hinkle in Serial Mom, to name a few. Other film roles include Nancy, the mother of a lesbian, in But
I’m a Cheerleader, and Evelyn the librarian in All About Evil, written and directed by Joshua Grannell,
a.k.a. Peaches Christ. Mink was Peaches’ first live celebrity guest at the legendary Midnight Mass, and
they have performed together many times since, notably in Return to Grey Gardens and their two-
woman show, Idol Worship. With her Wonderful Band, Mink has released a CD, Do Re MiNK.
Peaches Christ is a filmmaker, event producer, and cult leader living in San Francisco. She produces
and hosts events in partnership with PolyArts Management for symphony orchestras, and her holiday
show annually plays at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall. Peaches is the alter ego of Joshua Grannell, writer and director of the feature film All About Evil. Joshua is the co-owner of the Into The Dark production company, which produces immersive theater, including the popular Terror Vault show
at the historic San Francisco Mint building. Peaches has appeared in many films and television shows
during her career and co-hosts the cult movie podcast, Midnight Mass.
Here are highlights from our interview.
Mink on Peaches/Joshua:
“I think Peaches has a fabulous sense of humor. I also like that whenever I work with Peaches, I feel very safe. I know we’re going to be okay regardless. We’ve been in some odd circumstances where we really had to wing it, and we managed just fine. So we’re good together that way.”
Joshua/Peaches on Mink:
“Well, there’s the obvious stuff that I like about Mink, which I think the public shares with me, such as
her performance style and all the indelible characters she’s created over the years. From a fan’s point of
view, that’s one thing. But as her friend, I’d say she’s super generous, very loving, and very solid. She’s
always been a very solid friend to me and has become a big part of my personal life. Mink even
married me and my husband.”
Their Show:
PEACHES: “This show has evolved a lot over the years. From the first time I met Mink, on stage when she agreed to do my Midnight Mass movie series back in 2001, it’s always been designed to elevate and celebrate this icon that we love. I channel the love of the audience, acting as a cult leader who channels the adoration of the cult and bestows it upon her, while also getting her to tell all the stories that the cult wants to hear. Over the decades, the show has evolved into something more planned, with stories, songs, and video clips. It’s both revealing about her as an actor and a film star and about us as people. It tends to be more intimate than people realize.”
MINK: “It evolved from being an idol worship show to a mutual admiration show because I have enormous admiration and respect for Peaches. As our friendship has evolved, the show has shifted to
showcase our friendship and working together, rather than just me and John Waters. It’s become a more
interesting show about us, rather than just me.”
Peaches vs. Divine:
MINK: “They’re completely different people. I loved working with Divine; he was a wonderful actor
to share a screen with. Aside from the fact that they both put on dresses and pretended to be women,
they were completely different people. Divine never wrote anything—he created characters written for
him. Joshua creates characters by himself and for others, showing an entrepreneurial aspect that Divine
did not have.”
PEACHES: “It’s apples and oranges. Divine was the first to do what he did, and many of us have been
inspired by him. But you can’t replicate Divine; there can only be one. Divine’s talent was undeniable,
and his acting was incredibly hard work. He was a real movie star.”
MINK: “I’m not a movie star. Divine was a wonderful actor who identified as a man playing women’s
roles exceptionally well. He didn’t expect people to think he was a woman but to believe the characters.”
PEACHES: “Divine’s uniqueness was in playing a character, which was groundbreaking. He was
unapologetically queer without winking at the audience. His roles were always presented as if these
outrageous characters actually existed.”
On All About Evil:
MINK: “I should have read the script before agreeing to the movie. I wasn’t afraid, but having the prosthetics made was challenging. The process was nightmarish because it took several attempts. What
was really hard was having my mouth sewn shut—I couldn’t speak, eat, or drink, which was very difficult for me since I’m a chatterbox.”
PEACHES: “She was a loud librarian.”
On Serial Mom:
MINK: “I think Serial Mom is underrated, but it’s getting the attention it deserves now. Kathleen Turner gave a brilliant performance; she’s the subtlest monster. She had a great time making that movie, and you can see it in her performance.”
PEACHES: “Kathleen Turner’s work in Serial Mom and Death Becomes Her is where she truly shines. Comedy is hard, and she nailed it.”
MINK: “It’s such a light touch. Kathleen Turner throws away the entire performance, and it’s brilliant. Of the early films, Female Trouble is my favorite, but of the later films, Serial Mom is definitely up there.”
On the Loss of Heklina:
PEACHES: “It’s hard to sum up my feelings about losing Heklina. We were friends for 30 years and always worked together. Her loss is tremendous, and I sometimes forget she’s gone. Processing the trauma has been difficult, especially since I found her in a tragic way. Losing someone like Heklina reminds me to live each day fully. I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore and don’t hold onto resentments.”
MINK: “I cope with feelings about mortality by getting new cats. I don’t get kittens; it’s a way to deal with the reality of my animals eventually aging and passing.”
On John Waters’ Latest, Liar Mouth:
MINK: “He doesn’t have the money to make it happen. Aubrey Plaza wants to star in it and is very attached to the project. John has been paid to write scripts or treatments, but the funding isn’t there.
Indie movies don’t have the big returns that investors want, so it’s a challenge.”
PEACHES: “That’s why we see so many superhero movies. All About Evil didn’t make money, despite
being well-received at festivals and popular on Shudder. Art often doesn’t get the funding it deserves,
but it’s reassuring to know that even idols face similar struggles.”
Sunday/August 4 th , 2024 @ 6:00
Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton Street) Portland, OR
$40 General // $75 Premium with Post Show Meet & Greet
Click HERE
Tuesday / August 6, 2024 @ 7:30pm
Triple Door (216 Union Street) Seattle, WA
$40 General // $75 Premium with Post Show Meet & Greet
Click HERE
