THE QUEEN OF IRELAND, PANTI BLISS, TO LIGHT UP AUCKLAND THIS PRIDE!
Photo by Ruth Medjber
Notorious drag artist and accidental activist Panti Bliss, affectionately known as the "Queen of Ireland," is bringing her powerhouse presence to Aotearoa during Auckland Pride 2025. Presented by Auckland Live, a division of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Panti’s latest show, If These Wigs Could Talk, will take over the Wintergarden, The Civic from Wed 19 – Sun 23 February 2025, for an unmissable evening of laughter, glamour, and life stories from the heart of drag royalty.
If These Wigs Could Talk finds Panti at 56, fresh off a lifetime of far-fetched shenanigans and bold activism. Known for her no-holds-barred humour, Panti recounts the unexpected journey from her rural roots in County Mayo to London’s glittering West End, to her legendary oration on the Abbey Theatre stage. Expect a spectacular evening filled with salacious stories, impassioned polemics, and her signature wit as Panti questions her purpose in a world that’s changing as fast as her wigs.
Nominated Best New Play and Best Performer in the 2024 Broadway World Awards in Washington DC, and following record-breaking runs at both the Abbey Theatre and Soho Theatre in London, Panti invites audiences to learn from her ridiculous mistakes, laugh at her glittering failures, and share in her triumphs, in this deeply moving, big, beautiful, and brilliant night out.
“It’s SO GOOD! … No one is making shows like this... I loved it!”
– Graham Norton
Panti (Rory O’Neill) has been blazing trails since the late 1980s, becoming a beloved entertainer and activist. Known worldwide for her fight for equality and justice, she played a key role in Ireland’s successful Marriage Equality referendum in 2015. Her memoir, Woman in the Making (2014), became a bestseller, and she recently starred as one of Ireland’s first same-sex couples on Dancing with the Stars in 2023. In 2014, O'Neill's impassioned speech on homophobia, known as “Pantigate,” became a viral sensation, earning comparisons to the great orations of modern history. That speech catapulted her into the international spotlight and inspired the critically acclaimed documentary The Queen of Ireland, (which recently aired on TVNZ) was a box-office hit in Ireland and an award-winner at festivals worldwide, including our very own Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Director of Performing Arts, including Auckland Live, Daniel Clarke says “Panti has been inspiring and entertaining audiences across the globe for decades and I’m excited to introduce this captivating Irish raconteur and activist to audiences in Aotearoa. Originally produced at one of the world’s great theatre companies, The Abbey, this work is both hilarious and moving and will be a great night out during the Auckland Pride Festival. Up close and personal in The Wintergarden, I can’t imagine a more sublime way to meet Panti for the first time.”
Produced by THISISPOPBABY, one of Ireland’s leading theatre companies, directed by Philip McMahon and with support from Culture Ireland, If These Wigs Could Talkpromises to be an unforgettable night.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Glittering and glorious”
– The Sunday Times
Show Details:
Panti Bliss in ‘If These Wigs Could Talk’
Dates: Wed 19 – Sun 23 February
Venue: The Wintergarden, The Civic
Tickets: $35 - $69, booking fees apply
Duration: 70 minutes, no interval
Age Recommendation: 14+
Show information:
Written & performed by Panti Bliss
Director Phillip McMahon
Producer Jennifer Jennings
Additional Producing by Laura Rigney & Carla Rogers
Set Design Molly O'Cathain
Costume Design James David Seaver
Sound Design Jenny O'Malley
Tour Lighting Suzie Cummins
Original 2022 Lighting Design Sinead McKenna
Tour Production Management Eoin Hannaway
Stage Management Adam Doyle
Graphic Design Niall Sweeney, Pony Ltd
Publicity Images Patricio Cassinoni
Promotional video Olga Kuzmenko
Tour Producer Far and Away Productions
For more information, visit aucklandlive.co.nz or follow Auckland Live on social media.