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Cheerio, Duckie: regulars look back at the LGBTQ+ club that broke the mould
After 27 years, the groundbreaking Saturday night at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London ends next month. Performers past and present and famous fans reflect on how it changed them and the queer scene. Introduction by Ben Walters
In November 1995, six twentysomething mates in London were sick of never finding anywhere to go out that fitted their idea of fun, so they put on a night of their own at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) and called it Duckie. They were host Amy Lamé, DJs the London Readers Wifes (Mark Wood and Mark Johnston), producer-promoter Simon Strange (AKA Simon Casson) and “door whores” Jay Cloth and Father Cloth. It was the start of one of the world’s longest-running LGBTQ+ club nights and the ignition of a powerhouse performance collective that runs dozens of projects with hundreds of collaborators to this day.
Duckie as an organisation is going nowhere – it has plenty of touring shows, community projects and one-off parties in the works. But in four weeks, after 27 years, its Saturday nights at the RVT will end. The crowds still come but, venue management says, “revenue at the bar” is too low. It’s truly the end of an era.
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