Dearest Diary Queens,
Well, hello lovelies! Itâs Emma here, your fabulous Derbyshire Drag Queen correspondent, ready to whisk you away on a time-travelling journey back toâŚwait for itâŚDecember 2004! Yes, darlings, I put on my magic, glittery pink tutu and whipped back to a time where reality TV was starting to rule the roost (thank goodness that hasn't stuck around) and Britney Spears was all over the airwaves!
Now, as you know, my darlings, a fabulous pink tutu never goes out of style, even in the year 2000! I practically landed with a dramatic arabesque on the stage of âThe House of Glitterâ in San Francisco! This legendary venue, darling, was one of the epicenters of American drag during the 90s, with legendary drag performers like Heklina, D'Arcy Drollinger and the iconic Juanita MORE! making history night after night!
But you know me, darlings, I'm always on the lookout for the latest fashions, and let me tell you, San Francisco in 2000 was just as trendy as it is today! And with a whole new century to look forward to, the drag scene was popping with new talent!
Oh, my darlings! I practically fainted from excitement! Remember those stunning runway moments where we were just obsessed with the fabulous fur, glitter, and outrageous costumes of that era? Well, prepare to be mesmerized, because "The House of Glitter" did it all! Think bold colour palettes, daring patterns, shimmering sequins, and feather boas like you've never seen! They were practically serving avant-garde glamour! And the fierce makeup, my darlings? Let's just say they weren't holding back. Think sculpted brows, glittery eyeshadows that went all the way to the hairline, and contouring so fierce it could rival the best of the present day. It was an absolute dream to witness and gave me so many outfit ideas for my future drag shows back in Derbyshire!
Oh, and I mustn't forget the performances! You wouldnât believe the talents these queens were showcasing. Singing, dancing, storytelling, stand-up, comedy, drag performances in every style you can think of â even hip hop, darlings, which was starting to break onto the drag scene at this time! It was so refreshing to see so many diverse artistic approaches coming together on the same stage, and Iâm not even sure they had a proper stage to speak of back then, which just added to the camp charm!
One queen who stole the show was this absolute showstopper named *Miss Kitty.â *Remember those drag queen talents that did a little of everything? Miss Kitty was all that, and more. She could dance, sing, and tell jokes with the sass of a thousand goddesses! Her performance that night had me howling with laughter! And did I mention, her wardrobe was outrageous? One of my favourite looks, darlings, was a bedazzled sequined, body-con, number, dripping in rhinestones and glitter with huge silver hoop earrings and platform shoes to die for!
I couldn't help myself, darlings. I spent the whole night living for Miss Kitty's energy, trying to absorb all her fabulously fun techniques, so I could bring some of that San Fran flair to my next performance back home!
After all, a queen canât time-travel with a magical pink tutu just for the fun of it!
Now, I'm sure you're wondering how I made it to this drag scene in San Francisco with a pink tutu as my trusty steed!
Letâs just say that the tutu and my performances are part of a âtrade agreement" of sorts. My time-travelling, darlings, is all down to the power of drag! Every show, every fabulous fashion statement, every drag performance in a sparkling pink tutu is like fuel for the magical energy I need to hop back into my past, present or future. And in this way, Iâm keeping drag traditions alive, one showstopping moment at a time!
In fact, as we go back in time to December 2004, letâs have a peek at the drag scene worldwide, just for fun, because, in December 2004, you've gotta think, it wasn't just American drag on the move. No, no, darling, there was drag bursting across the globe, with fabulousness around every corner, from Canada to Australia, London to New York! The whole world was obsessed with the sheer, joyous, spectacularness of it all. Let's go on a whirlwind trip around the globe, and see what the fabulous drag queens in those regions were doing back then, shall we?
Firstly, we've got Canada. Back in 2004, they were already on the map as a force in drag history! They had these fabulous shows and festivals like "Cabaret" at The Church, located in a stunning converted church, which put the spotlight on talented Canadian Drag Queens! The scene was so hot there that it inspired drag artists across the globe! It was actually a true "House of Glitter" style establishment â the shows, the talent, the fabulous audience, they really had it all!
Now, London, my darlings, was literally bursting with talent! They were seeing an amazing rise of amazing, bold, daring talent on stage at all the big London drag venues like the *âRoyal Vauxhall Tavern,â âThe Cock Tavern,â and âThe Tunnelâ (in those days the Vauxhall Tavern still housed the famous Vauxhall drag nights), *just to name a few, were a constant celebration of what London Drag could do! And letâs not forget those shows that always, always, seemed to feature the fabulous *âJudy and Babs,â *always ready to serve their unique style of London drag humour!
As for Australia, honey, they were starting to create their own brand of drag queen magic, which was all about high camp energy and fabulous theatricality! From the vibrant underground drag shows to glamorous events across Sydney and Melbourne, there were just so many incredible performers finding their way onto the Australian drag scene and changing the face of Australian culture. If you want an example, you have to think about âFaux Pas Productions,â which put on truly unique drag performances and hosted shows with outrageous makeup and outfits. Their performances were often funny, provocative and truly captivating.
You know what I say, darlings, the most wonderful thing about all this fabulousness was the spread of drag queens from different walks of life taking center stage! You have all sorts of queens! Some who've just joined the world of drag, and *so many established names *too! There was drag queen history happening everywhere you looked, and it was an era where things were changing and developing faster than ever!
Honestly, looking back at this period just makes my time travelling tutu spin a little faster! I am beyond excited for the next 20 years of drag. Letâs all keep shining, darlings!
Remember, lovelies, my time travels are documented on www.pink-tutu.com â visit my website to join me on my next adventure! Until then, keep the sequins sparkly and your tutus pink!
P.S. Donât forget to check back next month, darlings, for #DragQueenHistory Post number 1021. I'll be diving into the depths of the incredible, awe-inspiring, unforgettable year ofâŚdrumroll please⌠2005. You do not want to miss this!
