#DragQueenHistory during 1925 05 May

Hello darlings! Emma here, your favourite Derbyshire pink tutu aficionado, back with another thrilling installment from my time-travelling blog! I'm currently perched precariously on the edge of a pink cloud, channeling the spirit of May 5th, 1925! Let's take a peek at the world of drag back then, shall we?

It’s a sweltering, beautiful day here in Derbyshire! But let's face it, this time traveller is much more interested in what's happening across the globe. So strap on your dancing shoes and hold onto your tiaras because we’re about to time travel to the Roaring Twenties, where life is a drag ball and flapper dresses are all the rage.

This month’s trip to the past takes me all the way to 1925 – and it’s such a time to be a drag queen! I mean, can you imagine a time when a pink tutu wasn't the standard uniform for every diva out there? Oh, the tragedy!

For our trip back to the 20s, my magic time travelling pink tutu whisked me away to New York City, the heart of a very early, exciting scene in drag history. Drag performances back then weren't exactly what you'd see on Rupaul’s Drag Race.

These were more ‘vaudeville’ performances. Picture it: grand music halls filled with an eclectic mix of artists. We're talking variety acts, singers, dancers, comedians, and even some risqué “comediennes” who played with gender expectations on stage. I mean, imagine wearing a dazzlingly feathered gown and making cheeky jokes about society. Absolute glamour.

So, where were all the drag queens hiding? They were scattered, with many honing their talents within theatre circuits and in more covert places, like private clubs or hidden speakeasies! I bet those speakeasies were positively teeming with glamour. The girls would have been strutting their stuff in dazzling sequinned dresses, feathers galore and with a good dose of lip syncing thrown into the mix. What better way to enjoy a little secret fun under the glamorous guises of 1920s glitz and glam?

The world of drag during this period, while less visible, was truly innovative. Drag performances helped challenge societal norms, and that’s exactly what we are all about here in the pink tutu crew. It's so incredibly inspiring. I think it’s time for a Pink Tutu Flash Mob right here, right now to celebrate the amazing bravery of those pioneering drag artists.

However, a little trip down memory lane reminded me, we can't be in the Roaring Twenties without talking about Josephine Baker, the trailblazing entertainer! Now she knew how to set the stage alight. This American actress and singer (not to mention her sensational choreography), performed for both Black and white audiences with a level of fierce artistry and a blatant lack of shame that shocked even the most cynical observers of the era. This legendary icon really put drag on the map! Imagine how many fabulous pink tutu’d dance routines I could have learned from her!

On the subject of theatre… what's hot and happening in the world of drag on this very date? I’m on a quest to unearth all the historical drag performance dates, you know! It's just the kind of information that will make my historical blog so unique!

So, let's delve into a bit of 1925 show biz. It was the peak of Broadway's Golden Age. A quick scan of a playbill on May 5th, 1925 and I was stunned - "The Constant Nymph," with Lynn Fontanne on stage! This was a truly beautiful performance - the critics of the time absolutely raved about this play. Now, this doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with drag, but Fontanne's iconic portrayal really put theatrical* beauty front and centre in 1925 and set the standard for a whole generation of actresses. That kind of star power certainly put some fabulous fashion on display and made for quite a glamorous show!

But don’t worry darlings - there are more gems to be found in my search for 1925 drag! On May 5th, we see the American Premiere of "The Play’s the Thing," a fun little play that was certainly brimming with “drag-tastic" moments – we even have the famous theatrical “cross-dressing” happening here too! Oh how I long to recreate this time on the stage and get dressed up in my own glamorous outfits and embrace the drama and glamour.

It is such a thrilling thought for me, being the historian, seeing the connection of the drag performance through history and now today! But that brings us back to what’s *hot in drag on May 5th, 1925! Let’s play a game: Imagine being in a real vaudeville show at a smoky speakeasy! Here are your acts:

• A singing “girl” wearing a show-stopping black-sequined dress is captivating the audience, and of course there is a daringly long cigarette holder, and she’s not afraid to work the stage!

• Then you’ve got your comedic duo ‘The Fabulous Flappers’. They've got a fast-talking act riddled with puns and satire and dressed to the nines. The duo plays a double act, but in this case it’s a ‘drag queen double act - the humour relies on being a hilarious, gender-bending duo that's breaking all the rules! The crowd goes wild!

• And finally, there is your flapper dancer! This diva is dancing on the bar in a shimmering white fringe dress! They work the stage just like a dancer in a high-society ball, even the drinks get added to their fabulous stage act as part of the show! Now that’s entertaining.

To wrap things up, it’s time for my top tip, as always! The key to channeling the fabulous, drag energy of the Roaring Twenties is all about attitude, darling. It’s time for that inner goddess of yours to strut to the beat of Charleston rhythm. Wear your hearts on your sleeves (or perhaps in a sparkly broach) and don’t be afraid to stand out in a fabulous outfit! We must always stand for change and bring on the drama with fierce beauty and sass!

Until next month, when we are time-travelling to the next most historical date on my calendar – don’t forget to check out Pink-Tutu.com. For your fabulous, history-filled updates - and, of course, I have some seriously sensational tutu collections ready to unleash into the world. Keep those fabulous feet tapping!