This legendary club, founded a long time ago by Soho’s well-known entrepreneur, Paul Raymond, has been somewhere I have wanted to visit since first hearing about it probably in my late teens when a Sunday colour supplement carried an interview with Raymond, the then Madame JoJo and “the boys” (as they called them). I used to wonder if I could ever get a job there as an entertainer or waitress. Until now I never had any opportunity or excuse to go.
It’s only the second trans club I’ve been to in London, the other being the Way Out Club in the City. This is a dedicated venue and is much better. Not large but adequate, its décor is pleasanter, its stage show better and the crowd is more mixed with “normal” people visiting not just TGirls and Admirers, ie couples (straight and gay), groups of female/gay friends. In other words, it’s always been a place with a trans slant for anyone to hang out in, as I expected. The loos, however, are inadequate and not nice, and the bar is small and fairly pricey. Located on Brewer Street in the heart of Soho, it could not be more central. Website: http://www.madamejojos.com/
Yesterday (a Wednesday, which is Trannyshack night) I went with two friends – one transsexual and one straight male – and we enjoyed an evening of drinks and dancing, cabaret and chatting. The music is a little too loud for extended conversation, but not deafening as it is in, say, the clubs of Leeds.
The cabaret was not bad. Dusty O the compere introduced two new York girls, who were energetic and excellent, Holly Day (in blue) and I will remember the other’s name in due course. There were other numbers from Mitzi Mackintosh and our old friend Vanilla Lush who was celebrating eight years in the establishment. It was quite fun.
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| High-energy greetings from New York. These girls have fantastic legs. |
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| Mitzi Mackintosh from Australia doing a mad rendition of Mame. |
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| Vanilla Lush. |
I’d go back. It’s a reasonable place to spend a couple of hours.
Sue x