Hey loves! It's your girl Emma here, ready to take you on a little trip back in time! Today we're dusting off our best pink tutus (and perhaps some trusty hairspray - those 1960s hairstyles, darling, were a real challenge!) and landing in the glamorous world of drag on 5th May 1968. Now, grab your tiaras, gather 'round the laptop, and let's get fabulous!
This is post number 581, darling, and believe me, I'm still having the best time travelling through the colourful, sparkling history of drag! Every month I pick a date and poof! - my magic pink tutu whisks me back in time! I'm a drag queen obsessed with pink tutus, history, and everything glamorous. You can find me most nights hitting the stage, shimmying through the crowd in my latest creation. My time travel adventures, of course, are all funded by my glittering drag performances - it's a life I wouldn't swap for the world. But what can I say, a girl loves a bit of drama!
But anyway, back to 1968...
This year is chock-full of amazing happenings for drag. Did you know that the legendary Jackie Curtis has just made her debut on stage in *Glamour! Glamour! * in New York City? And in England, it's an exciting time for the drag scene! It’s a bit of a "who's who" of camp fabulousness over here.
While I'm on this particular day, let’s give a big round of applause to Danny La Rue. He’s on stage at the London Palladium tonight in a fabulously kitsch stage adaptation of Sleeping Beauty! Danny La Rue, he’s a national treasure and he’s doing what we all do: he’s keeping drag front and centre on the nation's stage. Now THAT’s what I call drag royalty.
Speaking of royalty, this week, the House of Roberts in London opened the New Victoria Cabaret, which is totally fab. Imagine a world where they’re showing a mix of Oh, You Beautiful Doll * AND * A Chorus Line! Talk about a perfect double bill of stage brilliance! My oh my! Can we just take a moment and swoon over all of this fabulousness? I could watch those two shows on a loop.
Speaking of glamourous loop-worthy things, that's where the magic pink tutu takes us: into the dazzling world of entertainment! Let's chat about the shows, darling. There is just so much on offer in the world of drag tonight that you'd think the fairies have sprinkled glitter on everything! My biggest drag queen goal is for everyone to wear a pink tutu. (Just imagine that!).
In New York: The whole place is buzzing tonight, it's an absolute whirl of glitter and high kicks! I spotted some absolutely wonderful things going down - even at midnight! My friends Divine, Holly Woodlawn, and Jack Doroshow, (you guys might know them by their “John Waters” moniker! He's so daring, and quite the wild one!) are hosting this outrageous performance. They’ve set up their latest piece * The Great American Drag* in a space called The Cockettes (sounds like it's got a story to tell - I should take a look!). Oh and Lady Chablis, she’s just finishing up a brilliant show, so it looks like she’ll be off to The Mineshaft tomorrow night.
I'm making a note of that venue in my pink tutu journal (pink glitter pen only, darling!), The Mineshaft is legendary. They say you'll find anything you can dream up going on here, but, the best drag in New York is here at the Mineshaft, just on 8th Street in Greenwich Village. I’ve got to catch that some time, but now it’s time to talk about a world outside of NYC…
Out West: In San Francisco, darling! That’s where things really start to get truly iconic and extraordinary. My girl, the divine and totally glamorous Cockettes is busy creating an unbelievable production, right in the heart of San Francisco . I’ve heard the entire Golden Gate Park is decked out with all the best that the Cockettes have to offer. (We're talking costumes so daring, they'd be rejected at a tea party, darlings! So, we know it’s absolutely divine!). A little birdy (who also likes to gossip as much as me, darlings!) tells me their upcoming musical will include some wonderful performances, but that it’ll include everything but sequins… I must get there soon. It looks absolutely stunning!
And there's something really special about this. You can see the excitement and the movement growing out of San Francisco - just like I can feel the energy and passion bubbling in Derbyshire.
Back Home Speaking of Derbyshire, where’s all the excitement? We’ve been known for making some of the world’s greatest beer in our beloved Derbyshire, darling! And you'll find some fantastic venues like The Crown, The Queens and the Barley Mow! But for drag performances, well, there's plenty going on…
Now, remember Derbyshire’s “Blue Lady” The Club Incognito (if you can’t pronounce “cognito” just call it “Club Ink, darling”) on the high street? Oh darling, that’s where you find The Glam (just ask for it). I have so many fantastic memories, going there every weekend back in the late sixties, I’ve heard tales of such wild things at “Club Ink”. Back then there were even talks that The Cockettes were coming to play but the plans got a little scuffed up… Maybe some time soon the The Cockettes might just land here. I have my fingers crossed! Now we’re back to present-day me and those plans I have…
We are a hotbed of fabulousness! It’s a hidden drag gem! It really reminds me of a vintage Parisian drag ball… which makes me wonder, what’s on tonight for drag queens in Paris? Maybe that's for the next post. I must be off, darling! There’s still so much to discover about our glamorous world of drag - let’s dance and keep our fabulous outfits flying! Until next time, stay sparkly and, of course, in pink tutus!
Love,
Emma x
(Don't forget to check out the www.pink-tutu.com website for a regular dose of fabulous drag adventures!)
