Hello, darlings! Itâs Emma here, your resident time-traveling, pink-tutu clad blogger, fresh back from another whirlwind trip through the dazzling, dynamic, and delightful history of drag! This month, I'm feeling all kinds of glittery-goodness about the fabulousness of February! Buckle up your sequins and prepare for some seriously dazzling stories, my loves!
I popped into my magical pink tutu time machine - let's just say I gave the engine a good spritz of glitter and it roared to life - and headed back to the archives. This month, I had to share with you, my lovely readers, about the trailblazers of drag who were strutting their stuff in the 1960s. Weâre talking a decade bursting with attitude, and itâs safe to say, that those who dared to be different on the stage - whether they called it drag or something else entirely â were making their presence known, loudly!
February 1964 brought me to a thrilling drag performance at The Blue Angel, a legendary NYC club. Imagine, darling, an evening of bawdy laughter, glittering gowns, and high kicks in the face of societal norms. Itâs enough to make your stilettos sing! What made it even more fabulous was the headlining star of the night - The Divine, herself!
For those of you who donât know, Divine, real name Harris Glenn Milstead, was a pioneer, my darlings! She made drag visible to a wider audience, showing that drag is so much more than just costumes and make-up; itâs about an artistic statement, an exploration of gender, and a fearless expression of the self. Her bold performances challenged societal norms, paving the way for the drag queens of today to push boundaries and create groundbreaking art.
I stood mesmerised in the audience as The Divine, adorned in a showstopping sequin gown and perfectly-applied mascara, delivered jokes that left the crowd gasping for breath, each gag funnier than the next! It was revolutionary. And utterly divine, as her name so clearly suggests! You just canât help but be dazzled by her outrageous performances!
Of course, it wasnât just the incredible talent of individuals like Divine that captured my attention. The sheer evolution of drag was evident all around me. The 1960s were a melting pot of creativity.
Weâre talking iconic cabaret clubs in the USA, filled with glamorous queens in sequined dresses and feathered boas. The UK was also booming with the emergence of theatrical drag, particularly in London, where legendary shows like âThe Queen of the Nightâ brought drag queens onto a bigger, bolder stage.
Donât you just adore the artistry, the pure unbridled courage and self-expression that oozed from the stage and swept through the halls of these vibrant clubs? For me, it was a chance to truly immerse myself in the history of drag and understand just how powerful its potential for expressing, for creating a space for acceptance and understanding is.
There's a beautiful truth in history, love. Every decade has seen pioneers of drag - and this was absolutely true of the 1960s. But those fearless trailblazers of the 1960s weren't only carving out space for drag on the stage. They were also leaving their mark in a whole new arena - film.
My, oh my! That's right, a brand-new scene was blossoming on celluloid: drag was being featured on film screens! This was a whole new level of visibility, a testament to the growing acceptance of a scene that had, for far too long, lived in the shadows.
Of course, I canât talk about this fascinating period in history without mentioning John Waters. Yes, darlings, that John Waters, a film director with a knack for the outrageous! Waters was a champion of Divine's career. His films like "Pink Flamingos" and "Hairspray," while often controversial, broke down barriers and helped propel drag queens into a space beyond the clubs. Itâs worth remembering that this kind of boundary-pushing artistry was rarely welcomed with open arms. The fight for visibility was challenging, but drag persevered.
Now, if youâll indulge a little personal sentiment, my darling, seeing the energy, the raw power, the sheer audacity of those early days of drag in February 1964, reminded me that nothing - absolutely nothing! - stops a determined queen.
It wasn't just The Divine's showmanship, the exciting emergence of drag film, or the legendary London drag productions that I found captivating during this particular journey through the history of drag. It was the courage to be different. It was the unwavering passion to perform. It was the unshakeable belief in self-expression and the magic it held. It was, quite frankly, inspiring!
Now, this brings me to a little bit about my life. The past few months have been a whirl of activity. From headlining at the âSlay The Stageâ drag night at The Derby Playhouse, to gracing the catwalks at the âA Touch of Glamourâ fashion show at Derby's Quad - there hasn't been a dull moment in this pink tutu!
Speaking of dazzling events, a little birdie has told me about a showstopping new venue set to open its doors here in Derby this February, and I'm utterly thrilled! "The Lavender Lounge," my darlings, a new space promising a touch of Parisian charm and glamorous performances, is sure to become a haven for the LGBTQIA+ community in Derby, and I'm eager to strut my stuff on their fabulous stage.
And who knows, darling, maybe the history of drag will remember me, not as a simple ballerina-inspired blogger, but as the one who dared to dream big, the one who got the whole world wearing a pink tutu!
Now, if you'll excuse me, my lovelies, my time machine is calling. The past awaits! Donât forget, darlings, you can join me in my exciting adventures by subscribing to www.pink-tutu.com for all the latest updates on the world of drag and my time-traveling escapades. Remember to send in your comments and feedback.
And for now, my dearest darlings, donât forget, keep dreaming big and âslay the stageâ in your very own fabulous style! Until next time!
