Molly’s Euro-tour

Thu, Jul 31, 2008

Art and animation, Comics and cartoons, Conventions and events

Molly Crabapple tells me that she is just preparing for a trip the the UK, taking in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow along the way. Her main focus will be on some Dr Sketchy’s events. If you’re not familiar with the growing Dr Sketchy’s then here’s an excerpt from the official site: “Dr. Sketchy’s is what happens when cabaret meets art school… Dr. Sketchy’s asked a simple question. Why can’t drawing naked people be sexy? Here’s our attempt at an answer. We combed New York to find the most beautiful burlesque dancers, the most bizarre circus freaks, and the most rippling hunks of man. Then, every other Saturday, we let you draw them for three hours. Interspersed with posing are comedy skits and ridiculous drawing contests (best left handed drawing? Best incorporation of a woodland animal?) where you can win booze or prizes.” Dancing, music, burlesque, drink, laugh, sketching and cartooning – sounds like a good mixture to me.

Dr. Sketchys Glasgow 1st Birthday Bash.jpg

There’s a special 1st birthday bash for the Glasgow Dr Sketchy’s on August 10th at the Arches and since Molly is going to be over she’s going to be practising what she preaches and taking to the stage to do some modelling herself; all of the assembled Art Monkeys are invited to party on afterwards. The London Dr Sketchy’s is also indulging themselves in some artistic wantoness, with a gig at Madame Jojos on Brewer Street on August 13th. Again Molly will be present and half of the proceeds from the London bash will be going to Keep-a-Breast, a non-profit arts group which raises money for cancer charities, so you can have some hedonistic fun but not feel guilty because you’re also helping a good cause.

Molly also tells me that while she is over she will be visiting a terribly sinful event, even more packed with hedonistic indulgences than a Dr Sketchy’s night, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Some friends have a show on called And the Devil May Drag You Under at the Fringe (details here) and Molly is going to take part for one show: “It’s a stage show about hell, and my part is to kidnap some attendees from the audience and draw them onstage while the vaudeville goes on. That’s happening on the evening August 11th.” Somehow I can’t imagine many audience members objecting to being dragged away by Molly. The Devil, on the other hand, is unlikely to pose any real threat to Fringers, he’s normally more of a boogieman to performers as he is a regular visitor to the Festival (he’s been coming since the days of the Hellfire Club) and is a noted arts critic for a number of broadsheet newspapers. Back on the comics front, when not organising Dr Sketchy’s events and abusing visitors to Scotland’s capital, Molly is working on a prequel to her webcomic Backstage, which appeared on my favourite webcomic collective, Act-I-Vate – the new book is called Scarlett Takes Manhattan, which is an erotic comic Molly is doing for Blowfish, an adult company now dipping their toes into comics (Molly’s will be their first) publications.