CAMP: "A cornucopia of frivolity, incongruity, theatricality, and humour." "A deadly, winking, sniggering, snuggling, chromium-plated, scent-impregnated, luminous, quivering, giggling, fruit-flavored, mincing, ice-covered heap of mother love." "The lie that tells the truth." "Ostentatious, exaggerated, affected, theatrical; effeminate or homosexual; pertaining to or characteristic of homosexuals."
...a "Say Something Hat Day", don't you?!
Cher (born 20th May 1946)
Sir Ian McKellen (born 25th May 1939)
Beverly Sills (25th May 1929 – 2nd July 2007)
Dame Kristin Scott Thomas (born 24th May 1960)
Peggy Lee (26th May 1920 – 21st January 2002)
Kay Kendall (21st May 1927 – 6th September 1959)
Stevie Nicks (born 26th May 1948)
Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Gos (65 on 20th May 2023)
Lilli Palmer (24th May 1914 – 27th January 1986)
The Doctor and The Dame
They had fans...
...including Princess Diana...
...and Dame Joan Sutherland!
Such sad news to come home to...
...George Logan, "Dr Evadne" in the magnificent and ground-breaking female impersonator duo Hinge and Bracket ["Patron Saints" here at Dolores Delargo Towers], has departed to join "Dame Hilda" in Fabulon's fabled Music Hall in the sky.
A rare "class act" indeed, the pair successfully transferred their "operatic ladies-of-substance" show from the gay pub circuit via a trumphal turn at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe way back in 1974 to gain mainstream success - with appearances on The Good Old Days, their own television and radio shows, and and audience of millions of fans (including HM The Queen Mother) within a matter of a few years.
Such was the skill of their performance - they never appeared anywhere in public nor in the media out of character - that there were many naive souls who actually believed they were old posh ladies, rather than two drag queens!
Managing to sustain the act over several decades, the pair landed their own hit sitcom Dear Ladies (set in their fictional home village "Stackton Tressel"), appeared on stage in The Importance of Being Earnest and Peter Shaffer's play Lettice and Lovage - and even had parts in the Royal Opera House production of Die Fledermaus as well as starring at various Gilbert and Sullivan galas.
The pinnacle of their whirlwind careers must, however, have been that they were invited not once, but twice to perform at The Royal Variety Performance!
Speaking of which:
RIP, Dr Evadne Hinge aka George Logan (7th July 1944 - 21st May 2023)
Our scariest Patron Saint, Miss Grace Jones is 75 years old today.
[More at the label at the foot of this post, and much more here]
Victoria Wood would have been 70 years old today.
[more here and here]
Two more dissimilar icons you could never imagine, born on the same day!
All hail.
Another angelic voice has joined the choir in Fabulon - as we learn of the death of Grace Bumbry, pioneering mezzo-soprano [the first black singer to appear in a leading role at the Bayreuth Festival - where she received 42 curtain calls! - she became a favourite of the Kennedys].
Here are just a couple of her finest moments:
RIP, Grace Melzia Bumbry (4th January 1937 – 7th May 2023)
The utterly awesome Penny Mordaunt, Catherine, Princess of Wales (of course), Dame Joanna Lumley and Katy Perry.
[click to embiggen]
