This talk will explore the Royal Albert Hall’s historic role in providing a space for London’s LGBTQ+ community to come together to express themselves at a time when police surveillance and oppressive laws made it hard to exist as a queer person.
We’ll explore how events such as at the Chelsea Arts Club balls and the 1930s Lady Malcolm’s Servants’ balls provided an annual opportunity for London’s LGBTQ+ community to cross-dress, drag-up, gender bend and find community in plain sight, whilst simultaneously being lost in the crowd. We’ll also consider the challenges they faced from the establishment at these events
We’ll travel forward into more recent times, when the stage has been a platform for LGBTQ+ celebrations, as well as the continued fight for equality at events such as the 1990s Stonewall Equality Shows and the ‘statement of Pride’ at the 2019 Last Night of the Proms.
Speakers: Rowena Hillel, Senior Archivist, Royal Albert Hall, Hope Fulton, Archivist, Royal Albert Hall.
Date/time/location: The event will be taking place on 12 February from 12.30-13.30 in RODH409. There will be a 30 minute talk, followed by a 15 minute document display (where attendees can engage with the material the RAH will be bringing) and Q&A.