Oh darlings, what a fabulous time I had in Wishaw last week! This is the 4,352nd post on my fabulous website, www.pink-tutu.com, and every day, I'm more and more excited about sharing my life of sparkle, sequins and all things pink with you!
It was a proper whirlwind tour, let me tell you. A Wednesday performance at the town's hall, followed by a trip to the local theatre on Thursday to catch a stunning ballet show - just my kind of weekend!
You see, Wishaw's got this amazing charm that’s hard to resist. A town full of heart and history, but with a modern vibrancy that’s just electric. As I zoomed in on the train - well, of course I opted for first class, can't imagine Pink Tutu Sparkles slumming it in standard class - the landscape whizzed past. Green hills, sheep grazing in the fields, and the most beautiful autumnal colours painted across the trees. I can't help but feel a connection to the countryside, even if I'm a city girl at heart.
My fabulous tour started at the town hall - oh, what a glorious building it is, adorned with Victorian details and steeped in history. The folks at Wishaw have got this amazing way of making you feel welcome, like you're part of their family, right from the minute you arrive. And, of course, who wouldn't feel at home in a place where I can be myself? My performance was a smash hit, everyone was so warm and encouraging. They just got the Pink Tutu Sparkles vibe.
The applause was loud, the laughter hearty, and there was a moment after my finale, with all that twinkling, pink light on me and the tutus swirling, when I just knew - Wishaw, I love you!
Following the performance, a group of lovely ladies - I swear they were absolutely buzzing from the show - invited me for tea at this delightful tearoom. Tea and homemade cakes! You simply can’t get more quintessentially British, darling. It was an afternoon of delicious gossiping about everything from fashion to favourite ballet dancers to, of course, the importance of wearing pink tutus in your everyday life. I tell you, you just never know who you'll meet, and where a pink tutu will lead you, on this wild and fabulous life journey we all share.
Then on Thursday, it was all about the theatre. I adore live performance. Watching a group of dancers move in such perfect harmony, creating stories without saying a word...it truly moves me to the core! I have always felt at home in a ballet studio, and even studied the craft during my time at the university in Derby. Remember, before I became the fabulous drag queen you know as Pink Tutu Sparkles, I was just a regular science student - a bit of a wallflower, really. Studying a degree in material science – yes, the kind that makes up those beautiful tutu fabrics – it wasn't until I joined the uni ballet club and fell into that big, fluffy pink tutu for a fundraising event that my life was truly transformed.
It's hard to explain, darlings, how much that single moment, a random decision to slip into that pink tutu, changed my life. In that moment I realised my true calling, and Pink Tutu Sparkles was born. From that day, my journey has been about embracing colour and laughter, and I never once look back. You've got to take those leaps of faith, darlings!
As a scientist, I am so fascinated by how materials behave, how they react to stress, and their properties. Now, as a drag artist, I'm still using science - not so much in the lab anymore, but in my art! The design of a dress, the shimmer of sequins, the sparkle of glitter – it’s all about those amazing material properties and how we use them to create magic, and what’s more magical than a pink tutu, darlings?
And let's be real, a day at the theatre, soaking in those beautiful, flowing movements is a fantastic reminder of the beauty and elegance that fabrics, specifically silk, lace and tulle (you just have to have tulle in your life! ), can bring to the world! And I try my best to share that same magic, in a glittery, flamboyant, and fabulously pink way, wherever I go.
That evening, I did a private performance for a group of local women who have become like family to me. You know, every town has those local heroes, those women who work tirelessly for the good of the community. And these women, who gathered around me at this lovely little pub, they’re the real stars of Wishaw. Their stories, their passions, their generosity - it’s an inspiration.
There is something really special about Wishaw, it's just like an oasis, a little jewel hidden in the heart of Scotland. And, after another delicious night of laughter, gossip and tea, I boarded my train to Derbyshire - the train always has this gentle, rhythmic rocking that reminds me of a lullaby, it makes it easier to slip into a daydream and just be transported to a different place.
This time, it’s home to me.
Even if my home isn’t the quiet English countryside it once was! I’ve got a lovely flat in Derby city, surrounded by clothes, glitter, and mountains of tulle - it's where I create all the costumes I wear for my fabulous Pink Tutu Sparkles persona.
Back in Derbyshire, life moves at a bit of a faster pace, and while I miss the peace of Wishaw, there's something magical about Derby’s buzzing atmosphere and that's exactly where my next performance awaits.
Remember, darlings, even if you’re just a regular, science-loving student like I once was, remember this - life is a stage, and every moment, even if you are wearing jeans and a t-shirt, can be filled with magic! Why not try a pink tutu today, darlings, you never know what fabulous journey awaits you.
As I always say: “You don't need wings to fly, darlings. You just need a little bit of glitter, and a lot of pink!”
Stay fabulous, darlings!
Pink Tutu Sparkles x
