Hello darlings! Emma here, your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller!
Well, here I am again, popping out my time machine in another glamorous era! And guess what? My gorgeous pink tutu is still as fabulous as ever. The fabric is so soft and it sparkles like a disco ball in a rainstorm. It's all about that iconic look!
And you wouldn’t believe where I’ve landed this time. It's 1922! I can almost feel the Jazz Age roaring in my ears – think flapper dresses, dancing shoes and gin!
And you know what else is big in 1922? You guessed it… DRAG! It's not as obvious as it is now, mind you. It’s hidden in plain sight in theatres and vaudeville stages, it's just… different . Think "The Follies" - it's full of glitz and glam with a touch of sass!
On this very day, April 4th 1922 I'm sitting front row, practically in the wings, at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York where a spectacular show is playing called "The Passing Show of 1922."
Let me tell you, darlings, this show is pure camp. Imagine burlesque - with a little dash of Vaudeville and then some seriously fabulous costumes. There's a troupe of beautiful performers – dancers, singers, you name it!
They are decked out in sequins and feathers, boas and jewels! Some are rocking bobbed haircuts with makeup that's absolutely scandalous for 1922. (You wouldn’t see that on a Derbyshire woman, let me tell ya!). I can see flappers flitting around in dazzling, short flapper dresses and glamorous guys with sharp suits and slicked back hair – all shimmying and shuffling! The crowd is in hysterics, whooping and hooting – just a blast!
I feel like I’m back in my local Derby pub during drag bingo but a whole lot more glamorous. And that's why I adore dragging out this time-travelling pink tutu! It’s like being able to sit down to tea in a beautiful grand hotel and have some brilliant chat with the queens – I'm in heaven, darling.
Speaking of which, I'm meeting with a fascinating performer here. Let’s call her "Peggy."
Peggy, you see, is a real pioneer of drag – a true innovator in this vaudeville scene. She dances like nobody's watching. In fact, she practically makes her way through life doing it. Think of a beautiful dancer who dresses up in men's clothes but looks and acts completely like a woman, only extra feminine - pure glamour and grace. Think Marlene Dietrich but more daring!
Her costumes are simply divine. She’s sporting a velvet tuxedo tonight, adorned with some huge dazzling brooches. I must admit, this look, in its extravagance, almost rivals the magnificence of my time travelling pink tutu. She’s all smiles as she regales me with tales of her performance and tells me about the upcoming show for “The Passing Show.”
Peggy is an artist! An incredible talent that gives so much of herself on stage! I can see her captivating everyone – a queen amongst queens!
Peggy also tells me about how many of her “female impersonators" at the Winter Garden come to play and learn in the glamorous art of drag! The theatre acts as a drag “school” for those who dare to push boundaries and embrace their art. That’s what makes this theatre a fantastic place to soak up history - it’s literally making drag history right in front of me!
And you know, after my chat with Peggy, it made me think... drag is a global phenomenon. It’s in London, in New York, in Derby – in all of these different places and times.
So you'll have to excuse me, I have more to explore. It's going to take me ages to cover all these events! And, if anyone’s listening, maybe the next time you're in a drag bar or club or just heading out on the town for the night - take a minute to think of these beautiful icons and pioneers. Think of Peggy in New York, think of the other fabulous queens doing drag at the “Winter Garden”. We are all on a beautiful journey. And maybe – just maybe – we will all be able to dance the night away with the icons from a past time in one grand performance - a fabulous, spectacular fusion of times! And of course, a giant time-traveling pink tutu is totally the ticket for this spectacle!
So, if you're dreaming of stepping out and rocking a bold, dazzling, bright pink tutu, go for it! Live out that dream, darlings!
You’re welcome!
Love and pink tutus,
Emma.
P.S. - Find out more on pink-tutu.com for future drag travel plans!
