3 wow moments in Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap S1, episode 3

This week in Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 episode 3, Carl/Kat confronts Maxine about calling him a liar, while the Knysna/”old hos” argument continues to drag along like a glittery zombie corpse. BB tries out wigs for the upcoming Miss Sovereign Western Cape Pageant at the Drag Cartel. Wade/Ina and Madison announce that they’re hosting a ball and go check out a venue. Maxine and Fabian/Emogan reach out to Madison to bring her into the community by visiting the District Six Museum to introduce her to their history, the real “old hos”, and queer icon Kewpie. And we get a taste of a gleefully Ina Propriette act. 

Stream Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 on Showmax now. New episodes on Thursdays. 

1. Madison’s burn book

Wade/Ina and Madison check out Zero21 as a possible venue for their upcoming ball. It’s a semi-informal runaway competition during which anyone who wants to shoot their shot can try out-compete the pros in a host of categories. For this ball, the categories so far are Pop Diva, Face and Evening Gown. How are they financing it? Wade/Ina is unemployed, so wishes, dreams and feathers. What are the prizes for the winners in each category? Um, that’s TBC. But we’re having a ball, y’all. 

As they’re chatting about dressing rooms for the ball, Wade/Ina jokes about Maxine needing a whole dressing room to herself for her padding. But Madison runs with it in a talking head that takes a page from the Mean Girls Burn Book: “It’s going to be much bigger to fit all of our personalities, all of Maxine’s padding … all of Emogan’s stomach. I think I’m going to tell Ina to put BB in the dressing room that’s there now, the small one. I can’t have my wigs stolen again.” And when Wade/Ina asks Madison who she thinks is going to fumble the ball, Madison quips, “Who I wish will fumble the ball is BB, of course … or Kat. She’s going to bring the pageantry side to it, which is not what a ball is.” 

Ina jokes, “Girl, I asked you one question and you gave me six answers”. 

2. An Ina Propriette amount of ass

It’s Wade/Ina’s turn to put on a show and while we saw Veon/Manila giving classic drag in episode 2, an Ina Propriette show truly lives up to the name. It’s a punk blend of standup comedy, strip tease, confrontational concepts, a little burlesque, a little vulnerability and storytelling … and a whole lot of skin. 

If Ina Propriette's flat chest and pasties, or her naughty nun outfit don’t have you clutching your pearls, the quips about the show from Ina’s friends will, as Ina sashays through her audience in fishnets and high heels and very little else, bending down to give hugs. Veon/Manila goes into hysterics at the thought of “something falling out”. And BB jokes, “I’m living to see Ina’s ****. I can smell that it has been washed.” But she also notes that she’s impressed and it’s a stunning show. 

3. …and introducing Kewpie!

While Carl/Kat is hell bent on telling Madison what she’s doing to alienate everyone in the drag community, Fabian/Imogan suggests a softer approach to Maxine. The two make a date with Madison to take her to the District Six Museum’s exhibit, KEWPIE: Daughter of District Six. The exhibit features over 100 photos taken from the personal collection of Cape Town queer icon Kewpie, which spans from the 1950s to the 1980s and shows how gender non-conforming people, drag queens and same-sex couples were a loved and accepted part of the larger District Six community. 

It’s not only a funny nod to the tired “old hos” argument, in that they’re introducing her to the real older members of the community, it’s a way of embracing Madison by showing her that she’s not an outsider to them – she’s already a part of a community with a history, culture and roots. She is valued and appreciated, and people have fought for her to be able to be who she is. In one of the episode’s most heartfelt moments, the walls come down and Madison’s face radiates joy as she looks at Kewpie and all her photos of her friends. 

Relatable quotes of the week:

"Oeh, die Afrikaans data bundle is op!” – Wade/Ina jokes when Madison starts talking mengels. 

“I have to turn every cent ten times around” – Wade/Ina comments on the financial issues involved in getting his family to come out to support him when he doesn’t have a job.

“It’s too much … and it’s nothing at the same time!” – Veon/Manila jokes on Wade/Ina’s striptease.

What happened in Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 episode 2

After the party conflama (conflict plus drama), Beaulah’s queens tried to get through to Madison and bring her into the community. But can you be friends when you suspect that someone is only ever the “pageant-perfect” version of themselves with you? Wade/Ina went skating with Madison to try suss her out and he suggested that the two of them put on a ball together. BB visited pageant director Carl/Kat for the inside scoop on the upcoming Miss Sovereign Western Cape Pageant. Maxine told Fabian/Emogan how she came out to her dad as a drag performer. And Veon/Manila put on an epic drag show. 

Stream Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 on Showmax now. New episodes on Thursdays. 

Catch up quick: Read our Beaulah Who’s Who, the Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1 episode 1 recap, and the Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap Season 1, episode 2 recap.