After 35 years of fierce storytelling, side-splitting honesty and soul-baring cabaret, drag legend Miss Coco Peru is back and she’s officially out of fucqs to give. In her brand-new show FUCQ THIS SH!T (tickets available here), Coco channels her frustration with the world’s current chaos into a cathartic, comedic evening of song, sass, and truth-telling.
Debuting at Provincetown’s historic Town Hall on Friday, August 22nd, the show is both a tribute to her late mother Helen, whose Bronx-born wisdom still echoes in Coco’s heart, and a rallying cry for anyone feeling hopeless, disillusioned, or just plain over it. With her signature blend of biting wit and heartfelt reflection, Coco invites audiences on a quest to reclaim their joy, their magic, and maybe even their sanity.
We once again had the pleasure of catching up with the queen herself to talk grief, growth, and why laughter might just be the most rebellious act of all.
FUCQ THIS SH!T is such a bold title. How did you know that was the only name that would fit this new show?
As I was writing the show, I jokingly said I was going to call it FUCQ THIS SH!T because that’s exactly how I’m feeling lately. I then came up with a safer title that aligns very much with the show and my previous show titles, but then I figured now is not the time to play it safely, and so I decided to go with the bolder title. I’m happy I did because I think my audience is feeling like they want to see a show that, from the title, is already expressing how they are feeling as well.
You’ve said you’re “beyond bitter and bothered.” What’s been weighing on you most and how do you turn that frustration into something entertaining?
Obviously, I am not a perfect person, and I address that in the show, but I do try to live my life having integrity, so to live through this time when integrity isn’t valued and injustices seem to be the norm, I have a very hard time functioning and my way to always deal with my frustrations is to write and exorcise myself of them, and then present it to an audience so that we hopefully all have a cathartic experience together. That’s the magic of theatre.
Your mother, Helen, was a beloved figure in your stories. How has her passing shaped this show and the way you approach the stage now?
I miss my mother terribly, but I am grateful that I had her for so long. She is still a part of this new show, and I hopefully pay tribute to her in a way that resonates with the audience. I don’t know how her passing makes me approach the stage any differently, except to say that I am more aware of how fast time goes, and so that moment we have together in a space should be fully appreciated and present.
The world does feel like it’s in a constant state of “two steps back.” How do you personally push forward and how do you hope your audience will?
I address this right at the top of my show, and it’s a theme throughout. Having grown up severely bullied, you learn survival skills that become a part of how you operate as an adult. It’s sad, because I’ve realized that often I am in a state of survival rather than in a natural state of being, but I’m from the Bronx and a child of the 1970s, so there was a grit and determination back then and I guess I still carry that grit with me today.
You’ve called this show a kind of group therapy session. What do you think audiences are craving right now, emotionally and spiritually?
I think we are wired as humans to be in community and to feel connected. We thrive both emotionally and spiritually when we come together for a moment in time and give ourselves that moment to connect. This is how we survive. This is why theatre and safe queer spaces are so important. I worry that with cell phones, the internet, the pace at which we live, and even the cost of living, we don’t take the time or always have the means to come together, and we lose that great value in our experience here on earth.
Witchcraft and magic show up in your description of the show. Are we in for some Coco spell-casting or is that a metaphor for something deeper?
Yes! That’s all I’ll say.
After 35 years of performing, what keeps you inspired to step back onstage and what feels different about doing it now?
What keeps me coming back is the same thing that has kept me going for 35 years, and that is the deep connection I have with my audience. The letters and one-on-one moments I have with people, and the expressions of appreciation and love that people shower on me, are deeply valuable to me. We all want to feel loved and appreciated, and my audience gives that to me. My audience heals me. And I’m also keenly aware that it is my paying audience who has kept a roof over my head for the last 35 years. Attention aspiring drag queens: NEVER TAKE YOUR AUDIENCE FOR GRANTED!
Provincetown and Coco Peru are practically synonymous in the summer. What does it mean to you to return to Town Hall with this particular show?
I had booked the show because I never had the opportunity to perform in Town Hall, but I wanted to give the audience there something new, so that’s what inspired me to start writing and piecing this show together. My Ptown audience has always been very supportive, and I’m excited to have this one night to be with them again. It’s scary that it’s a new show and the premiere, and I only have that one night to try and get it right, but again, that’s theatre! I’m also learning, as I approach my 60th birthday, that as much as I prepare and rehearse, not being perfect and getting it “right” is okay. At least I’m up there giving it my best.
You have such a talent for balancing biting commentary with heartfelt vulnerability. Do you consciously craft that mix, or does it just pour out of you?
I think it’s just a part of who I am, and I’ve learned how to harness it into my shows. I grew up around a lot of very funny people who also had deep wells of sadness, and humor was a way to survive. So, this ability to laugh in the face of incredible sadness has always been at my core.
What do you hope people walk away with after seeing FUCQ THIS SH!T?
I want them to walk away inspired to keep pushing forward and to fight the good fight!
What’s next for you?
I’ll continue to tour this show and then return to San Francisco in December to do The Golden Girls, and after that, I’m not so sure. I’ve been talking about retirement for the last 10 years, and I keep getting pulled back in, so perhaps I’ll semi-retire!
Coco Peru Answers the Socialite Seven
What is your biggest pet peeve?
LITTER
What are three things you can’t live without?
Lip balm, soda water and ear plugs.
What is your most prized possession?
My wedding ring.
If they named a cocktail after you, what would be in it? What would you call it?
A classic Rum and Coca Cola – THE RUM AND COCO aka THE BEIGE because I used to tell bartenders that I liked my rum and cokes beige, which was my way of saying MORE RUM THAN COKE!
What superpower or talent that you don’t already have would you like to wake up with tomorrow?
Transforming into whatever form I wish.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
What are you most grateful for?
My husband, Rafael, he’s from Spain.
See Miss Coco Peru live! Get more information and tickets on her website. Follow Coco on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
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