Star Club Interview

Many of you people, whether you come from Europe, Australia or the US, are familiar with going to a theater for a play, opera or musical. The place in Thailand to attend an evening in the Theatre is Bangkok. But Thailand has another phenomenal if it comes to entertainment; The Cabaret Show. Most of these cabaret shows are different from what most people know, their performers are a mix of boys (performing as boys, girls or drag queens)and lady boys (whether half or fully gender re-assigned), in Thailand called khatoeys. This month we visited Samui’s Leading Cabaret Show ‘Star Club’ and spoke with 3 of the performers; Bee, Tele and Yuth.

Where do you come from?
Bee: I was born (gender male) and spent my youth in Chaiyapum in Isaan and I am 23 years old.
Tele: I was born (gender male) in Singburi and spend my youth in Nakorn Pathom and I am 26 years old.
Yuth: I was born (gender male) in Nakorn Sawan and went to high school in Bangkok, followed by a 3 year costume designer study in my home town and I am 42 years old.

How did you get to perform in Cabaret Shows?
Bee: When I was about 8 years old I was already wearing my older sister’s miniskirts and dreaming of a career as a lady. At the age of 18 I moved to Bangkok with the plan to study but a friend ask me to work in the Golden Dome Cabaret Show. That was an easy decision for me because I love dancing and music, my first steps into the entertainment industry. It was like a dream come true.
Tele: Since the age of 5 I knew I wanted to be a girl. I played with girls and girls toys and I was wearing girl’s clothes when I could. At the age of 18 I moved to Bangkok where I worked for a quality control company. Not happy in a man’s job I decided after 1 year to move to Samui where I found a job at King Corner Cabaret Show in Chaweng, my first steps into my goal.
Yuth: After several jobs in Bangkok and Pattaya, working as a costume designer and a waiter in restaurants, I was invited to work as a boy dancer in Simon Cabaret Show. After 3 months they wanted me to perform as a drag queen. For 12 years I performed there as the big act every night and as one of the dance girls in several other acts. After that I have worked for 10 years in Free Man Cabaret Show on Silom Road in Bangkok.

How did you end up in Star Club?
Bee: I came to Samui about three years ago to work in Amsterdam Cabaret Show. During that period I visited Star Club many times because I thought the show was amazing. I really wanted to work there. After finishing my job at Amsterdam Cabaret I finally got a job in Star Club; another dream came true. Also over the last years I had been saving money for my first operation; my breasts. On visit back to Bangkok someone stole the money I had saved for the operation; a nightmare! But all my colleagues in Star Club told me not to worry and they all put money in out of their own pockets for my operation in Hadyai. We really do have a wonderful team! The operation took only 1 hour, the silicones were implanted from under the armpit. After the operation I stayed 1 night in a hotel and the next day I went back to Samui where I had to relax for 10 days before going back to work. I really felt happy looking like a woman now. My gender re-assignment I will probably do in 1 or 2 years, I am still thinking about it and saving money.
Tele: During the 3 years I worked at King Corner Cabaret Show I saved the money for my gender re-assignment operations. First I did my breasts and 2 months later the rest down under. The last and final operation took 5 hours with a recovery in hospital of 10 days. I felt very happy because my dream came true, finally I was a woman. After that I got a job at Star Club where I now work for 4 years.
Yuth: During my work in Free Man Cabaret Show in Bangkok Tum and Terry from Star Club came to see me. I knew Tum already for many years and he (and Terry as well) asked me to come to Samui to work in Star Club. That decision was easily made, so very soon after that I packed my stuff and moved to Samui. I work there now for 3 years.

So Bee and Tele, what was the reaction of your family regarding these drastic changes?
Bee: My parents have always supported me in everything I have done. They always told that if I really believe in something and I want to achieve a dream, I have to follow my heart. My older sister really enjoyed it to have a younger sister, she has always supported me. She liked to help me get dressed in her clothes and miniskirts.
Tele: My mother did not know about my gender re-assignment, she always hoped that I finish a study, find a good job, earn good money and have a family life with wife and children. After my operations I went to visit my mother, she did not say anything at all. Now, years later she is used to it and accept me the way I am.

What do you do in Star Club Cabaret Show?
Bee: I perform as Madonna, Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani. I actually always perform as a famous female pop star and also as a chorus dancer in other acts. Tele: I more or less always do the opening act “C’est Formidable” from the musical Moulin Rouge, as well as the performance “Harem” from Sarah Brightman. In many other acts I am one of the chorus girls.
Yuth: I am the show host Lisa of the whole night in Star Club and perform acts like Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Shirley Bassey, Diana Ross, Donna Summer and much more. We rehearse 5 days a week, every 6 weeks we put in a few new acts with new costumes. Therefore the show is different every single night of the week. You have to come and see it yourself; the show is an experience you will not forget with a lot of energy, fun and interaction. We are performing The Star Club Cabaret Show for already 4½ years, 7 days a week. It is entertainment for all ages from anywhere around the world. So we hope to welcome you soon to enjoy our show!