Melbourne's Xchange Hotel has banned patrons from filming their drag shows in response to complaints that filming obstructs some patrons views, but not everybody is happy about it.

The ban was introduced just a week after Saturdays drag troupe ‘The Spiced Girls’ premiered their newest show ‘The Wicked Witches of Oz’, a pastiche of songs from The Wizard of Oz and popular broadway musicals, Wicked and The Wiz.

Xchange Hotel’s Kevin Atwood expressed concern that filming shows affected his patron’s enjoyment and had received complaints.

“Some people are hell bent on filming rather then[sic] watching a show and care little of the people trying to see around them or others who they push past to get an uninterrupted view.”  Mr Atwood wrote in an email to GenerationQ.

Though one patron claimed security guards hassled him for using flash photography even after he had complied with the filming ban. The patron claimed he has been targeted by the ban since he had been filming every Spiced Girls drag show for Xchange’s matriarch and megastar, Lucy Loosebox.

“I wasn’t even allowed to take a picture” said the patron. “ Security told me I would be kicked out if I took pictures.” The patron says the films are used to allow the performers improve their show and he didn’t make any money from them.

The venue emailed the patron threatening that if they didn’t remove all previous videos filmed at Xchange from YouTube, they would take further action.

Mr Atwood confirmed patrons could still use flash photography, but no filming. Filming shows could also violate patrons and performers right to privacy and intellectual properties.

After receiving complaints about the ban itself, Mr Atwood is extremely confident that his venue can handle any criticisms, even when they come from their own people.

When asked to respond to how his performers feel about the ban, Mr Atwood said they where “paid employees…whilst they are being employed by me I would expect them to be happily employed.”

Though in a defiant act from a particular Xchange starlet and Wicked Witches of Oz leading lady, all filmed material the ban targeted is now back up on YouTube, arguing that performers should control the reproduction of their work.

This performer was then threatened with his job if he didnt comply with managements demands and continued to fight the ban and seek advice on his artistic integrity.

Under Australian law, an artist has the moral right of integrity to their work and allows them to object to derogatory treatment of their work, which can include issues surrounding reproduction.

Tags: artistic integrity, censorship, drag, filming ban, intellectual property, lucy loosebox, moral rights, rebellion, sensa tion, the spiced girls, Xchange