Alternative Miss World

Alternative Miss World

21 April, 2009
by: ChloeM

As I walk into Andrew Logan's studio, I'm greeted by a camera crew (filming for a documentary about Andrew's life and Alternative Miss World) and as I stand under the glass roof, I'm surrounded by an array of dazzling artworks, that beautifully capture the light and my imagination. I try to spot the famous Alternative Crown Jewels, but there's far too much jewellery, sculptures and mirrors on display to be able to pick one piece of wonderment apart from another.

Andrew is explaining to a few young artists about how to make glittering numbers (as score cards for the judges) and I become increasingly entranced by everything on display. I interview Andrew in this magical, surreal and wonderfully eccentric little world in which he belongs. He paints a picture of Alternative Miss World as an event that brings it all to life – turning it into something that's larger than life.

Your event is being labelled as the world's most shocking fashion show, would you agree?
I call it a surreal art event, for all round family entertainment. It's not really shocking as such. I'd call it life enhancing more than shocking.

So what do you think of Miss World?
Not very much. I'm indifferent really. My event was inspired by the Cruft's Dog Show, not Miss World – although the format is similar. When I started this in the '70s, Miss World was huge. I remember there was a programme once, and the way they treated the girls was atrocious, swearing at them, telling them to move here and there, treating them like cattle, it's terrible. Whereas mine, we don't actually have any rehearsals. Obviously we're limited by where we're showing, and the venue may have a few rules, but otherwise, anything goes.

So why don't you have any rehearsals? Is it because you want to keep a spontaneous feel?
Yes, I think it's terribly important. Everything is rehearsed nowadays, and having done a bit of media myself and seen just how television works, it's just extraordinary how everything is down to the last second. Even the news is all rehearsed and scripted, and perhaps our lives are. But I consider our lives as human beings as not scripted, we come into a world, and all this is put upon us. We have a certain time here, but we don't have scripts... Or perhaps we do have scripts, perhaps Mr God up there is writing all these scripts?!

You've got musicians, designers, artists, lots of different and possibly contrasting ideas... How do you bring everything together?
We've got a team, my assistant has been helping a lot, and my partner Michael is producing it, so a lot comes onto his back. Because we don't have any money, we can't employ people to do all these jobs, so we do them ourselves with lots of help from friends. The whole thing is a labour of love.

How has AMW changed since the '70s?
Well it grew enormously. It lost the most money at Olympia Grand Hall, when the catwalk was 250 feet long, in 1981. We lost £20,000 due to the unions, they were very powerful and they whopped in these huge bills. But I think the most popular event was the Water one, in '85 at the Brixton Academy, it just captured people's imaginations. We've always had a certain following, and all you can do is say you're going to do it, and put it out.


Photo credit: Robyn Beeche, www.robynbeeche.com

You say AMW is more about transformation than beauty, but aren't you showing the beauty in transformation?
Of course, I'm not dismissing beauty, I love beauty. And we do sometimes have beautiful contestants – but they're judged on poise, personality and originality. I think transformation is an important aspect because it encompasses so many worlds.

You say the contestants are neither male nor female: is this with reference to transgendered people, or rather a defiance of defining gender?
Well, gender is not an issue. Like my other work, AMW is a huge sculpture, and with my other sculptures I tend to use symbols like crosses. This is the same really, it's just playing with what exists - our Robot event definitely went beyond gender. I've never had an animal in, which would be wonderful! AMW is just open to everything really, and I'd like to embrace it all.

So you really don't know what to expect on the night?
The contestants come up with each piece themselves, I haven't a clue what they'll be wearing! So there's no impositions put on anyone, and then of course at the same time we encourage the audience to dress in a wonderful way as well. And that's what's great about the venue, The Roundhouse, with the big auditorium there can be a lot of wandering about and things going on. This year we've got Donna Marie and she's Maypole, Queen of England, and there will be Maypole dancing, because it's May the 2nd.

And you've got an orchestra and cabaret there as well?
Yes, the Irrepressibles, we've got somebody coming in from Russia for that, and Bishy of course who is fabulous. The cabaret will be in the gap after day wear, so it'll be between day and swim and evening, and then of course the judging.

And how do you feel about Ruby Wax presenting?
Goodness knows, she's never been to one! I first met Ruby when we both came to London in the early '70s, and then she built a career and everything. We recently re-met, and I asked her if she'd like to do it, and she said she'd be thrilled. I don't know what she's to expect, but I'm sure she'll be fabulous and very funny.

So is the focus more on the performers, music, art or fashion?
A combination of everything. We have a focus at the end because there's a coronation, where we do a crowning, and usually the winner is chosen by everybody, just by audience reaction. But for me everybody's a winner, so I make a prize for everybody. The coronation really is because I happen to like the crowning, and robes, it's a wonderful ceremony. It's a kind of ritualisation of life really, which we have lost very much in the West. And this is what AMW is about, it's a big ritual really.

We don't have many rituals or rites of passage here do we?
No, we don't have rites of passage. Supermarkets, that's about it... shopping centres. It's not quite the same!

Alternative Miss World is at The Roundhouse 2nd May 2009.

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ChloeM