Hello darlings, and welcome back to Pink-Tutu! It's your gal Emma here, your favourite Derbyshire lass with a penchant for pink tulle and a knack for time travel (shhh, don't tell anyone I told you!)
As you all know, the first Friday of every month is Pink-Tutu time! And this month, darling, we're waltzing back to the grand year of 2016. Don't worry, my time travelling tutu is still sparkly clean! (You know I don't wear it unless it's pristine!)
Now, 2016 was a gloriously dramatic year in the world of drag. We had RuPaul's Drag Race in its 8th season, with queens like Kim Chi and Bob The Drag Queen snatching the crown (and our hearts, darling!). Of course, no one can forget Drag Race alum Bianca Del Rio's dazzlingly wicked tour, or The Greatest Showman's glamorous spectacle!
Oh, but where was I? Yes! It's the 1st of January, 2016. We're just kicking off the new year and, of course, a fresh wave of drag-tastic happenings are taking the world by storm. My pink tutu, which is thankfully made of time-resistant, and oh-so-chic, satin, is sparkling in anticipation.
Now, as you can probably guess, the main event on this day is the grand "New Year's Day Drag Brunch" at "The Spot," a swanky gay bar in Brighton, dear. I absolutely adore Brighton, it's so camp! They've got the "Queen of Brighton" herself, Madame Mayhem, on stage, hosting an extravaganza with fabulous food, fabulously fun games and oh-so-extra drag performances. Now, if anyone knows the queens in Brighton, it's Madame Mayhem. And who could resist a "Drag Brunch"? Just thinking about it sends me into a glamorous frenzy!
And that, darlings, is just in Brighton! This New Year's Day in 2016 is buzzing with drag all over the world! From dazzling diva performances at The Stonewall Inn in New York City to a fabulously feathered festival in Tel Aviv, the energy is electric! In London, darling, you could have found yourself at a glamorous cabaret at the iconic The Phoenix Arts Club in Soho.
Now, while all that glamour is enough to send even me into a fit of excited squealing, you already know I had to experience all of it.
So, off I went on a time-bending, tutus-spinning whirlwind adventure! My first stop, after all, was the Brighton Drag Brunch. My Tutu twirled like a carousel as I joined the merrymakers. Madame Mayhem was, as expected, the star of the show! I mean, what's a queen like myself doing on a regular Monday?
That night, with a pink glow to my face from the sparkly light of my tutu, I travelled back to London! And what do you know, darling? It was the first of several nights at the legendary "The Phoenix Arts Club!"
The performance I witnessed was a mix of talent and comedy. It's what drag is all about, isn't it? Each night featured different local queens who, as always, brought the glamour and the sass, giving me all the fabulousness my heart could handle.
My time in 2016 ended with the glitter-filled closing party at "The Stonewall Inn," a true drag institution. It's impossible not to feel the legacy of this place. So much history has unfolded within those walls, and the joy of it was electrifying. It really felt like a new year's resolution in action, a vibrant and glorious reminder that drag, like glitter, never loses its power to shine!
And as for the future? Well, my dear friends, let's just say, my magical, pink-tutu-empowered time machine is already whirring! I've got my eye on many more fascinating moments in drag history, all waiting to be documented, shared, and perhaps even inspire a little bit of glamour and glitter in your own lives.
Remember, darling, everyone can be a pink tutu queen! You don't have to time travel (although I recommend it!) to find the magic.
Now, go forth and wear pink, be glamorous, and never stop twirling!
Until next month, my darlings,
Emma xo
