The new expansion will be celebrated in a huge re-launch on 23 August, hosted by 'RuPaul's Drag Race' stars Monique Heart and Jinkx Monsoon.
Mary's Poppin owner Stephen Craddock talks about the venue.
So, tell us a little bit about the inception of Mary's Poppin. The name is a very obvious Disney reference, but how did you come up with it?
Mary's Poppin was really born out of the Swagger gay and lesbian hip-hop parties I used to run at the old Apple bar on Synagogue Place – where Mary's is now. I'm originally from the UK, via Sydney, and running those events was my first taste of Adelaide. They were so successful that I knew the city was keen for something more permanent, so I convinced Apple's then owner, Terry Board, to let me turn the top level of his venue into a full-time gay bar. He invested in my vision, and in 2016 Mary's Poppin was born! As for the name: 'Poppin' is what we do on the dancefloor and 'Mary's' is a very tongue-in-cheek reference to our clientele (and me, frankly!). And yes, it's a cute reference to one of our favourite movies too!
How does it feel to be the one and only hotspot for the queer community in the region?
It's definitely a "pinch me" moment. I absolutely love Adelaide, and I'm so proud that Mary's has become the city's best and most popular LGBTQI inclusive venue. While the number of LGBTQI specific venues in Adelaide has sadly decreased in recent times, it is really wonderful how much people have embraced Mary's; we've had queues out the door pretty much every weekend since we launched two years ago, and now that we're doubling in size it really shows how keen people are for what we're doing. It's also really heartening how strong a sense of community and family there is around Mary's. We have an amazing team of friends and staff who dedicate every weekend to the venue, and they really are like a family. It's amazing to see so many of them grow and see their queer identities shine!
Eve Elle - Image © Eric Brumfield
What was your goal when putting the whole Mary's Poppin concept and eventually the venue itself together?
When I was originally conceptualising Mary's Poppin I had a very definite idea of what I wanted to do, a very clear vision – right down to the cocktails and the music selection. I wanted to create a gay friendly bar where everyone was welcome, somewhere a bit eccentric and different – no doof-doof, no "not in those shoes", just a cool, campy and casual bar that was still a bit glam. I wanted it to feel like a second home – you know, if your home had dancing poles and a floor-to-ceiling chandelier. One of my biggest inspirations has always been OBAR in the Philippines, which in my opinion is one of the best gay bars in the world. I first discovered it when I was there on holiday about ten years ago, and I became friends with the owners Rupert and Ramon. I've seen them go from a 200 capacity bar to a brand new, state of the art venue that fits more than 1,000. Their focus was and always has been on producing the most incredible drag shows; they have their own OBAR Divas, who are a world-class team of drag performers who impersonate stars like Beyonce and Lady Gaga, and they're absolutely mind-blowingly good, they honestly blow your socks off. Drag has always been a main feature of the entertainment at Mary's Poppin too, and we now have five incredible resident local queens called the Mary's Divas who produce nine shows a night. People absolutely love it, and seeing them grow as performers over the years has been brilliant.
Up until now, what have you been most proud of in regards to the success of the venue?
Really I'm just so proud of how much Adelaide has embraced Mary's Poppin, and filled it with love and positivity every weekend for the last two years. Obviously having queues out the door every night is pretty amazing too – I still pinch myself every time I see that. I'm also really proud to have opened a small bar that doesn't do the "small bar" thing, you know? Mary's isn't exposed brick and brushed copper and organic tonic water; we've always pushed back against that, because we're about fun and silliness and high camp. We're proud to be out and loud and different!
Why did you decide it was time for a revamp? What will the revamp entail?
The market decided for us – Mary's is so popular, she had to get bigger! We're basically expanding the venue to two floors to accommodate another 150 people – we're effectively doubling in size. And we're once again working with internationally-acclaimed designer Michael Delany, who designed our original space, so you know it's going to have that element of craziness that he does so well. The upstairs level will remain basically the same, with its baby grand piano DJ booth, dancing poles and mini discos in the toilet cubicles, with a few additions like new carpet and seating, but the main focus is on the brand new bar downstairs which is going to have some amazing new features like mirrored ceilings and walls, a light-up go-go dancing cage and a giant rainbow. There will also be a new Video Disco Bar, where people can dance to music videos on giant screens wrapping around the walls. I really wanted to bring elements of what I've experienced from some of the best gay bars around the world to Adelaide, so this will be totally unlike anything people have seen before. We're also revamping our weekly events. Starting 30 August Thursday will become THIRSTDAY, a totally new way for Adelaide singles to mingle, where you can send "mail" to the cute guy or girl you like across the room via our amazing hosts Vonni and Wundes. You can meet and mix while drinking Schlong Island Iced Teas and partying, instead of sitting at home on your couch swiping right – it's going to be so fun!
And with this new chapter in mind, what do you hope to achieve with Mary's Poppin in the future?
Honestly my dream for Mary's is for it to just to continue being a safe, happy and fun place for Adelaide's queer community – and their hetero friends, of course! Everyone is welcome at Mary's – as long as you're fun and friendly.
How and when are you celebrating the relaunch?
The new expanded Mary's Poppin opens Thursday 23 August with a free opening night party hosted by 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 10 favourite Monique Heart and iconic Season Five winner Jinkx Monsoon, running from 8pm to late. Until then, Mary's upstairs is still open as normal. It's really easy to find us – just follow the trail of glitter down Synagogue Place, off Rundle Street, and look for the drag queens!
