Hello my gorgeous ghouls and fabulous fiends! It’s your favourite pink-tutu-wearing, time-travelling, drag queen extraordinaire, Emma, here, back with another fabulous foray into the glittering annals of drag history! This month, darling, we're stepping back in time, all the way to 12th December 1952, ready to sashay and shimmy alongside the divas who paved the way for the dazzling spectacle we call drag today.
Now, imagine this: you're in Derbyshire, England, 1952. The air is crisp, the shops are decked with festive tinsel, and the aroma of mince pies and mulled cider fills the streets. And what, you may ask, are we doing on a blustery December day in a world that, for the most part, thinks of "drag" as something you find in the muddy bottom of your wellington boots?
Well, we're attending the biggest, most glamorous, show stopping drag spectacular this little town has ever seen! And this, my dears, is where the magic of my pink-tutu comes in…
It all started, as it so often does, with a shopping trip to that vintage haven, "Primark of Past Eras" (don't ask me what its actual name was - those who time travel know the danger of bringing forth too much information from the past! You wouldn't want the world of fashion as we know it to, ahem, get… "complicated".) Anyway, as I was carefully (and rather desperately, as I only have so much time in this temporal adventure before I need to be back for my monthly very important show at "The Rainbow Bar" in Manchester) sifting through a particularly glamorous stack of feathered headbands, I found her.
The most gorgeous, twirling, sequin-adorned pink tutu, it just whispered "adventure" with every feather-light ripple! It took two clicks of my sequined-clad fingers (because, frankly, one's simply not enough) to unlock its potential and poof… here we are!
And oh, what a fabulous trip this turned out to be, darling! It wasn't quite as dazzling as some of the shows I've been lucky enough to catch, like the iconic Stonewall Riots or the fabulous "Drag Race" premiers. In fact, it was fairly low-key. However, this is where my true love of real history and all forms of drag come into play!
Our little village had this fantastic local pub called The Crown Inn (still standing today, apparently, but looking decidedly less glittery) that put on this incredible Christmas show for charity. It was a complete mishmash of skits, singalongs, and the most adorable amateur dance performances (think less "Vogue" and more carefully controlled grapevine with added glitter and tinsel). There was even a man with a hilarious (albeit, a bit questionable by today's standards) drag character, all puffed up and dressed up in a giant stuffed "fat woman" costume (sorry to the plus-size community, it just wasn't the best look, darling. And honestly, even the most charitable "Fat-shaping" charity wouldn't have found this amusing). However, I'm still absolutely delighted to have witnessed it. In fact, it's almost ironic to me - what is considered inappropriate or offensive by today's standards, was once perfectly acceptable (even humorous)! It just shows you, darling, the true evolution of drag culture and its adaptability in every generation!
But I digress! Back to this delightful little pub show. The highlight of the night, and one of my favourite bits of history about this date (remember, darlings, we are living on the 12th of December, 1952, the only date this will be pertinent) is this. A local fella, called Tommy, in an old sequined dress, performing a stunning and completely camped-up "burlesque-style" dance number. It wasn’t quite like seeing Bianca Del Rio, but his effort was the thing that truly shined through. Oh, he even sang, and oh-my-gosh! We’re talking full blown camp! You have to understand, darlings, back in 1952, in our little, dusty Derbyshire corner of the world, seeing something this theatrical was simply revolutionary. And that, my dears, is what makes this date so fabulous - the raw joy and passion for performance! It just reminded me that true drag goes far beyond elaborate costumes and professional stage presence. It's about owning it!
Anyway, by this time, I've become extremely famished, my love, and I must say, even though the roast beef was phenomenal, the service was a little slow. My pink-tutu, darlings, needs feeding, you know! That’s one thing about this era, it seems that they don't fully understand the importance of efficient customer service, but, honestly, it is truly a small price to pay for witnessing this bit of history unfold before me. So many wonderful memories made.
Now, while I'm sipping my brandy and doing my final magical countdown before I'm back in my pink tutu here in 2023, let’s chat a little bit more about this particular date in history:
Firstly, dear, did you know, December 12th, 1952, saw the birth of that fabulous and fabulous singer and actress, Bonnie Raitt? Now, don't you think, darling, that her beautiful, bluesy, soulful vocals might just be perfect for the soundtrack of one of our time-traveling, drag queen adventures? (And just a hint for those who fancy their timelines to have a bit of twist, imagine Bonnie Raitt belting out "Something to Talk About" as you find yourself caught up in the glamour of the "Drag Race" auditions? Oh, darlings, you have to see this happening! It would truly be a magical moment!)
Next up, and this might not immediately jump out to you as a "Drag" event (but hey, that's why we're here, darlings, to unearth all those little hidden gems!) this date also happens to be the day in 1952 when a major nuclear testing ground in the US began to have an "unusually high wind"! This definitely would have caused a huge commotion among all the local drags and drag kings at the time, and it's also one of those stories that serves as a fantastic little lesson about "keeping a watch on your environment". We may have pink tutus to keep us safe in the past (and frankly, they're incredibly stylish) but remember, dear, in drag history, it's always important to look out for that one little, often overlooked detail that might make or break the performance. Just like that unusual wind that impacted everyone’s day, you have to be on your game, or something might disrupt your amazing performance, and you never want that!
And lastly, let's not forget, December 12th is also a time of magic! Did you know it was the date, and the very year, 1952, when that little magic moment was shared by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton when they met and sparked the "greatest love affair" (apparently, according to Hollywood at the time)?! How utterly romantic, right?! This fabulous news came in just the same time as my big, sparkly announcement of a new set of performances - just think of those glamour-filled nights! I'm ready to add a bit of sparkle to this Christmas period and it just wouldn't be a proper show without a hint of that love magic! The perfect date night. And just in time, for our world’s favorite, oh so romantic month. It doesn't get much fabulous than this!
And with all this chat and so much sparkle in the air, it’s almost time for me to slip back to my world through that magnificent pink-tutu doorway! But, just before I go, darling, here's my latest pink tutu-challenge:
This week, wear pink (at least somewhere, darling!), wear sequins (because why not!), get out your feather boa, or a sparkly scarf, or a tiara… just try something fabulous and embrace that "inner-queen"! Make the most of these short, magical moments in life!
Until next time, my fabulous ghouls and glamorous fiends, remember, the pink-tutu is your doorway to fabulous fun! So get out there, explore history, dance like nobody is watching (unless you're a real drag performer! 😉) and remember, my love, to keep that pink tutu, and that drag dream, front and center in your hearts, minds, and wardrobes!
