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Written by Gavin McGuren
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Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:02 |
 In another life, Neil Hansen was a big star in Italy, as one third of Le Sorelle Bandiera (The Flag Sisters), an outrageous drag trio famous for wearing the colours of the Italian flag. The sisters were recently the subject of an awarded documentary, which had its world premiere in Perth last year. Now the Fabulous Flag Sisters are out of retirement and treading the boards with a brand new stage show. Neil took some time out from practicing in heels to talk to WAX.
I'm sure you been frantically rehearsing. Are you a bit rusty in those heels or has it been easy to slip back into them?
We have been rehearsing frantically and have had the good fortune to have one of the world’s top choreographers, Barry Moreland, to set the classical ballet number. The first time we rehearsed with high heels was a bit traumatic, as Mauro injured his knee. Two days ago we finally had the Capel space to rehearse in. All was going extremely until I injured my calf muscle. I obviously didn't warm up enough! As for the high heels, no problem, however the point shoes are agony.
What can the punters expect from the new show?
The new show is a send up of the used-by-date Trolley Dollies who entertain everyone on board—especially the rich men. Mauro and myself are the two surviving Flag Sisters and Ronnie Van Den Bergh replaces Tito, who is no longer with us. Ronnie was the principal dancer with the West Australian Ballet and apart from his brilliance, has brought some young blood to the trio. We work together in three then two and solo numbers doing everything from a very clever strip tease to Jessica Rabbit, an hysterical butch dyke, a Neapolitan abandoned bride and fiery Spanish dancers. The show is in glorious Technicolor, with costumes that can only be described as “Hollywoodiana”. Our aim is to please. Especially the wealthy unattached men on board
Italy is the home of the Roman Catholic Church. What sort of outrage did you provoke by appearing on TV back in the 70s?
In Italy in the 70s, Le Sorelle Bandiera (The Flag Sisters) were the first men in drag ever seen on Italian TV, and on the Sunday Show when everyone was home having an elongated Italian lunch. The children loved us and were integral in sending us on our way to stardom, and our first big hit was a song called Fatti Piu’ in La (Shove Off) and literally had half of Italy in drag within six months. The press also used our song for political purposes, with the leaders of the three major political parties depicted as the Sorelle Bandiera.
After two years on TV, countless tours and several films, we were cast in a new and daring film called Il Papocchio, which was about The Pope engaging us to start up Vatican Television. We were part of a fabulous cast including Isabella Rossellini and Oscar winner Roberto Benigni. This time we went too far as the film was banned and to this day it has not been shown on Italian television. It's now out on DVD. Most of Italy saw the film as it took about 10 days before it was removed from the cinemas. It was a huge success, albeit short lived!
How did you and Mauro come to be reunited?
After we decided to go our own ways we still kept in touch until Tito died 10 years ago. Mauro and I kept in contact and when the doco of The Fabulous Flag Sisters came up, filming here and in Italy, Mauro and myself were once again working together. The success of the doco changed everything. Mago films flew Mauro to Perth for the world premiere and Fox Italy flew me to Italy to dub my part and also for the Italian premiere which was a mega affair. Australian Ambassador Amanda Vanstone was there, along with all the glitterati. The doco won the Best Documentary Award at the Rome Fiction Fest and recently four awards at the WAFI screen awards.
All of this gave us a taste of being stars again and after the request by the Arci Lesbiche in Melbourne to perform live at their annual dance, one thing led to another and instead of doing three or four numbers it turned into a fully blown show with all the trimmings. Barry Strickland wrote a new script sending us up gutless and at one of our rehearsals we ran through the show with some highly critical showbiz friends, and had them rolling in the aisles.
Is this the last gasp of the Flag Sisters, or will you take this show elsewhere if it makes a splash?
This is certainly not our last gasp as we have been asked to perform this summer at the prestigious Spoleto Estate Festival in Italy (Mauro's home town) and also in Sicily. Who knows from there, however we would all love to tour Australia. As Mauro says, "fin che' c'e' vita c'e' speranza! (While there's life there's hope!)
Le Sorelle Bandiero can be found on Youtube for a taste of what’s in store, and you can see them in the flesh in their fabulous new show, Flyin’ High, with a screening of the short documentary at Victoria Hall in Fremantle for three nights only, 7 to 9 May. Bookings 9430 4771.
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Fasten your seatbelts, passengers
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