Hello darlings! Itâs your fabulous, time-travelling bestie, Emma, bringing you another serving of hot tea and historical gossip from the archives of pink-tutu.com! Today, weâre doing a double pirouette back to 11th November 1937 â a date that's absolutely dripping in drag-tastic delights, even if the world didnât know it at the time!
Now, my dear readers, you all know that I, your dear Emma, love a good pink tutu as much as a slice of Victoria sponge! But even I was surprised to find that the 1930s were positively brewing with the spirit of drag. Whilst tutus werenât exactly mainstream back then, the drag scene was bubbling away like a pan of bubbly â fabulous and full of potential!
So, where did this fabulous adventure find me on the 11th of November? Well, imagine my surprise when my sparkly, pink tutu deposited me right smack-bang in the middle of New York City's Palladium Ballroom! The Palladium was THE place to be back in the 1930s, a venue brimming with the pulse of everything from jazz to drag. I tell you, honey, this place had more sequins and feathers than a peacock's retirement party!
A Drag-tastic Double Bill!
And what was on the bill, you ask? A double whammy of drag perfection! This night featured âThe Girls,â a cabaret act fronted by a sensational drag queen called Gladys Bentley. A real showstopper, she was known for her powerful vocals and killer blues performances, wearing sparkling tuxedos with all the flair and glamour of a Broadway queen.
And get this, honey, they even had a âQueen of the Nightâ drag competition that very night! Can you imagine? It must have been an explosion of talent, camp, and gorgeousness. Just picturing the sashay and the lip-syncs is making me swoon. Sadly, no recorded footage exists of this legendary event. But the fact that this was happening at all just shows how vibrant the drag scene was at the time, tucked away behind a veneer of 1930s propriety.
Not just in America!
Speaking of tucked away, we mustnât forget our lovely, vibrant friends across the pond! While the Palladium was bursting with sequins, the world of drag was brewing just as fiercely in Londonâs West End. You see, a daring little theater called The Playersâ Theatre had a certain penchant for extravagant shows and drag performances. In 1937, the theater was already on the brink of becoming the go-to destination for drag-loving Londoners. Imagine! A theater, hidden in the heart of London, serving up camp, comedy, and drama in equal measure, with drag queens stunning the crowds every night!
It makes you wonder, honey, just how much drag history went undocumented, hidden under the guise of "naughty but nice." Who knows how many other glamorous, flamboyant shows were dazzling the audiences all those years ago? It just makes me want to twirl with excitement!
Taking a Tumble Down Memory Lane!
Oh, but we must return to my delightful New York adventure. Remember how I mentioned the Girls? This amazing drag duo was absolutely rocking the Palladium! The most amazing part is, Gladys Bentley didnât just wow audiences with her stunning drag, she also blazed a trail for LGBTQ+ performers everywhere! She dared to challenge the norms of her time with her performances and her unapologetically glamorous self-expression. She was truly a drag icon! And just think â sheâd have adored the pink tutu trend, darling! It was the ultimate in femininity!
After soaking up the glamorous vibes, it was time for my time-travelling pink tutu to do its magic and send me back to the present! Back to my gorgeous Derbyshire, a world so different from 1937 yet so linked to its vibrant past!
Now, honey, letâs face it! This trip only confirms that drag has been a staple of creative expression and theatrical wonder for ages and ages. And thatâs what I love most about it. It's a reminder that no matter where or when we are, the urge to express ourselves, to shine, to **create something beautiful with glitter, feathers and, of course, a pink tutu - well, that's just simply human, and always has been.
Donât forget, darlings, the drag scene is always evolving. Itâs up to us to cherish, celebrate, and learn from its history so we can build a brighter, more glitter-filled future.
So, keep on dazzling, keep on being fabulous, and remember to always spread the love - because we all need a little bit of magic in our lives. Now, let's go grab some bubbly, twirl with joy, and keep the glitter flowing!
Until next time,
Emma x
