Lily Savage and the drag circuit: 1978–84 Paul O'Grady

— paul o grady, 2008.

while working camden social services, o grady made first attempt @ putting drag act, creating character of lily savage; later related wanted there larger life, creature more cartoon human. wasn t sure yet. debut on afternoon of 7 october 1978 @ black cap gay pub in camden, act involved miming words barbra streisand s nobody makes pass @ me show pins , needles. following holiday poland, visited ex-boyfriend in manila in philippines; found manila culture shock , briefly worked barman , waiter @ brothel known gussie s bar.

returning london, o grady moved purley , streatham drag act, glamazons. 1 of them, nicknamed hush , founded two-man drag mime act, playgirls, although found little work in london. agreeing tour of north of england, moved slaithwaite, yorkshire, accepting month s work @ club in copenhagen, denmark. living north, diversified act, o grady performing striptease while wearing fat suit named biddy , learning fire eating hotel manager in bradford. fed poor living conditions, hush returned london, leading o grady continue drag performance solo act under name of paul monroe , reference marilyn monroe. finding himself under financial strain, o grady moved in mother in birkenhead, there becoming reacquainted diane , daughter. amid mass unemployment, o grady briefly lived off dole before resurrecting playgirls friend vera; performing in liverpool, caught in 1981 toxteth riots, began touring other parts of northern england until deciding quit , return london.

returning work support worker camden council social services, o grady began caring old woman lived several doors down serial killer dennis nilsen. regularly moving flats, vauxhall brixton , battersea, reunited hush, , began performing playgirls again, devising act based upon cult film ever happened baby jane?. @ end of year, appeared ugly sister in drag pantomime of cinderella. moving victoria mansions flats in vauxhall, in march 1983 joined equity union, allowing him take role in theatrical adaptation of if d asked lion tamer @ donmar warehouse. playgirls gained bookings appear across london, , in amsterdam , copenhagen; o grady , hush joined drag artist david dale form act known lsd , stood lily, sandra , doris , devising act parodied andy pandy, gained bookings across london , in edinburgh.